Sales & Education Manager

THE CONTEXT

Benefit Cosmetics is the San Francisco-based makeup brand, part of the worlds leading luxury group, LVMH. Awarded the No. 1 Brow Brand Worldwide, Benefit is synonymous with fun instant beauty solutions and witty tongue-in-cheek storytelling. Founded in 1976 by 2 sisters, Jean and Jane Ford in San Francisco, Benefit is one of the fastest growing prestige beauty brands in the business with locations in over 60 countries across 5 continents.

YOUR IMPACT

The Sales and Education Manager works on delivering retail sales for all the physical brick & mortar doors at Benefit India. She is responsible for all aspects of running the B&M business sales, training, recruitment, and field team management and engagement.

YOUR MISSION

Business Acumen

• Achieve monthly / yearly targets for sales (products and services)
• Deliver comparative growth for existing doors higher than market growth
• Ensure stock levels are accurate and that top SKUs contributing to 80% of the business are always in stock, working closely with the inventory team on the same. Ensure consistent availability of testers and GWPs as well
• Ensure the Promotional Calendar is planned based on sales goals and previous year sales work closely with marketing to understand the promo calendar and ensure 100% execution on the field
• Effectively lead team of field supervisors to ensure that all brand initiatives are executed well
• Collaborate with the marketing team on in-store initiatives

Management

• Teach, coach, motivate and develop field teams effectively utilizing all tools available for on-counter coaching.
• Create growth within the team and challenge the staff to develop. Primarily responsible for contributing to the growth, learning and success of others through coaching and mentoring
• Consistently review performance of team members and helps create action plans for development
• Keep commitments and build high expectations in self and others
• Always be approachable and an effective two-way communicator

Results

• Drive individual performance through the MJSF (My Journey So Far handbook) or similar tools
• Able to create new tools and streamline processes with the goal of making operations more efficient.
• In charge of monitoring and reporting the market landscape to ensure that the brand stays competitive and up-to-date within the industry in terms of store operations, sales initiatives and staff management.
• Assess and adjust goal(s) as team changes, grows & develops

Communication and Relationships

• Able to smooth over any minor conflicts that may arise at the store level.
• Persuade others through influence and collaboration as opposed to command and control
• Able to articulate latest sales figures and action plans on how to bridge gaps if any.
• Constantly collaborates with the field team on ideas on how to improve the business.
• Express ideas and information clearly and effectively
• Establish and maintain good working relationships with team members and stakeholders helping with team management, e.g., external payroll team
• Develop and maintain strong retailer relationships based on mutual trust and goodwill
• Develop and maintain relationships with mall operations where needed
• Inculcate sense of belonging within the field teams and keep them happy

Recruitment

• Hire, orient, develop and retain people at all levels on the field team
• Ensure that all counters are appropriately staffed with the right people in a timely manner
• Follow all house rules and processes with respect to hiring within specific retailers

Education

• Build a trained and educated staff through on- and off-site training and drive information retention
• Identify further training needs from supervisors through the conducting MJSF evaluation or using similar such tools
• Ensure the Benefit sales techniques are always kept top of mind
• Always keep the supervisors polished with elevated artistry skills and soft skills
• Engage effectively with retailer education teams with relationships based on trust and goodwill

Operations

• Ensure all POS systems and equipment (computer, TVs, Ipads, Ipods, speakers, CCTVs, etc) are in good working condition at all times by regularly coordinating with the store managers, suppliers and IT department. Resolve all issues in a timely manner by escalating issues to the right teams at the right time, based on information from the supervisors
• Take charge in maintaining and updating the store uniforms to ensure all personnel are well-dressed according to global Benefit standards
• Replenish /replace supplies and other store collaterals as needed

Reports

• Share monthly reports as necessary on the business to reflect achievements and opportunities and seek coaching from GM on managing challenges making regular reference to plans.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• University degree holder or equivalent academic qualifications
• Minimum 4 years retail experience required
• Ability to pass Benefits assessment center (includes presentation, analytical test)
• Experience managing field teams in multi-brand beauty retailers preferred (e.g., Sephora, Tira, Nykaa)
• Proven sales and service track record
• Fluent English speak, read, and write
• Proficient at reading and analyzing numbers
• Interpersonal skills in customer service
• Excellent communication and leadership skills
• Proficient computer skills Excel, Powerpoint, Word, Outlook
• Flexibility regarding work hours and flexibility to travel 6x / year or more