Job Title: Head of Business

Industry: Retail | Fashion & Lifestyle

Reports To: Head of Commercial

Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Work Structure: Fully Onsite

Remuneration: N35,000,000 Annual Gross

Client Overview
Our client is a leading Africa-focused retail organization dedicated to delivering premium shopping experiences through globally recognized lifestyle and fashion brands.

With a strong commitment to operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and commercial growth, the company combines international retail standards with deep local market expertise to drive sustainable business expansion across multiple channels, including physical retail, wholesale, and e-commerce.



Role Overview
Our client is seeking a highly experienced Head of Business to provide strategic leadership and oversee the commercial, operational, and financial performance of a portfolio of internationally recognized retail brands.

The successful candidate will be responsible for driving business growth, maximizing profitability, strengthening market presence, leading cross-functional teams, and ensuring exceptional customer experiences while maintaining strong relationships with global brand partners.

Key Responsibilities

Business Strategy & Commercial Leadership

• Develop and execute business strategies that deliver sustainable revenue growth, profitability, and market expansion.
• Lead commercial initiatives across retail, wholesale, e-commerce, and emerging sales channels.
• Identify new business opportunities, partnerships, and expansion initiatives to strengthen market position.
• Monitor business performance and implement strategies to achieve sales, margin, and profitability objectives.

Market Development & Business Growth

• Analyze market trends, customer insights, and competitor activities to identify growth opportunities.
• Develop expansion plans for existing and new markets within the region.
• Drive new store openings, strategic partnerships, and digital commerce initiatives to accelerate business growth.
• Support the development of innovative commercial strategies that enhance market penetration.

Operational Excellence

• Provide oversight across retail operations, merchandising, inventory management, supply chain, and customer experience.
• Ensure operational processes are efficient, scalable, and aligned with business objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, service delivery, and operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with internal teams to optimize business performance across all functions.

Financial & Business Performance

• Lead the overall financial performance of the business, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost management.
• Monitor key financial and operational metrics to ensure sustainable profitability and return on investment.
• Evaluate investment opportunities and recommend initiatives that improve commercial performance.
• Ensure effective resource allocation to achieve business objectives.

Leadership & People Development

• Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing leadership team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Drive talent development, succession planning, coaching, and performance management initiatives.
• Promote employee engagement while ensuring alignment with organizational values and objectives.

Stakeholder & Brand Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with global brand partners, vendors, and key stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with brand standards, operational guidelines, and commercial agreements.
• Represent the business in strategic meetings, negotiations, and partnership engagements.
• Oversee marketing investments and vendor relationships to maximize business value and return on investment.

Customer Experience & Brand Excellence

• Champion a customer-first culture across all retail and digital channels.
• Ensure consistent delivery of exceptional customer experiences aligned with international brand standards.
• Partner with marketing and customer experience teams to strengthen brand visibility and customer loyalty.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, Management, or a related discipline.
• MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification is an added advantage.
• Minimum of 15 years' progressive leadership experience within retail, fashion, footwear, FMCG, or consumer goods industries.
• Proven experience managing multi-channel retail operations, including physical retail, wholesale, and e-commerce.
• Demonstrated success leading large cross-functional teams and driving business growth.
• Strong commercial, financial, and operational management expertise.
• Strategic Business Leadership

Key Competencies

• Commercial & Financial Acumen
• P&L Management
• Retail & Multi-Channel Operations
• Business Development
• Market Expansion Strategy
• Leadership & Talent Development
• Stakeholder & Partnership Management
• Customer Experience Management
• Negotiation & Influencing Skills
• Data Analysis & Business Insights
• Decision-Making & Problem Solving