Head of Retail, Customer & Commercial Partnerships
1 day ago
City of London
Job Title: Head of Retail, Customer & Commercial Partnerships Reporting to: Commercial Director Direct Reports: Area Manager & Customer Care team Contract type: Permanent, 40 hours per week Location: Head office in Bermondsey & Stores- min 1 day per week in store, at least one Saturday per month About the Fold: The Fold London is an award-winning British luxury womenswear brand built on a singular, powerful idea: that the women who run boardrooms, lead teams and shape the world deserve clothes as ambitious as they are. Founded with a clear mission to dress professional women with intention, we have built a loyal global community of customers who value craft, quality, and considered design over fast fashion. With a multi-channel presence - led by ecommerce and supported by our two London stores in Chelsea and the City – we've built a loyal and growing customer base across the UK, US and internationally. As we enter the next stage of growth, we are investing heavily in our international expansion, commercial capability, systems, customer insight and operational infrastructure. Role Overview: This is a broad, high-ownership senior role responsible for the commercial and experiential heart of our customer-facing business. You will lead our retail stores and customer care function — the most established and immediate priorities — while taking ownership of our fast-growing marketplace channel and helping to build the foundations for wholesale as a future growth lever. You will be confident operating with significant autonomy across retail, customer experience, digital partnerships and emerging commercial channels. Key Responsibilities: Retail Operations & Commercial Performance Retail is the most visible expression of our brand in person, and this role is its senior custodian. • Own the P&L for The Fold's two London stores — Chelsea and the City — with full accountability for revenue, conversion, ATV and profitability, • Lead and develop the Area Manager, working in close partnership to set performance goals, develop the wider team and uphold premium standards in store, • Be a visible presence in store: at least 1 day per week across both locations, including at least one Saturday per month at Chelsea, • Develop and execute clienteling, VIP engagement, styling appointment and local marketing initiatives, • Monitor store KPIs and implement fast, clear action plans to maximise performance, • Lead in-store events and customer acquisition initiatives, • Identify and deliver ad hoc retail opportunities — sample sales, pop-ups and brand activations — managing their end-to-end commercial and operational execution, • Explore and develop commercial partnerships — corporate, concierge, membership and lifestyle — that drive footfall, brand awareness and incremental revenue, • Support succession planning and development pathways for the retail team, building capability and retaining talent Customer Experience & Customer Care Customer Care is a strategic function — it drives retention, advocacy and lifetime value, and is a key differentiator in a premium market. For a brand built on quality and intention, the post-purchase experience is as important as the product. • Lead the Customer Care team, ensuring exceptional, on-brand service across all customer touchpoints — online, in store and post-purchase, • Act as the senior point of escalation for complex customer situations — managing complaints, relationship-sensitive cases and high-value customer interactions with care, commercial judgment and brand-appropriate authority, • Oversee team KPIs, identifying improvement opportunities and executing clear action plans to maximise results, • Lead the implementation of new Customer Care platform (across email, phone and other communication channels) to streamline systems, improve Customer insights and metrics, • Own customer satisfaction metrics including CSAT, NPS, Trustpilot ratings and customer retention, • Champion a customer-first culture across retail and digital channels, • Ensure all customer communications reflect our tone of voice and brand values with precision, • Use customer insight and feedback to identify commercial and service improvement opportunities, • Work in close partnership with the Operations and Logistics Manager to ensure the post-purchase customer journey — from despatch through to delivery and returns — meets premium standards; the relationship between Customer Care and Operations must be seamless, with shared accountability for the end-to-end fulfilment experience, • Bring a problem-solving mindset and genuine attention to detail to operational issues that affect customer experience — working proactively with the operations team and third-party warehouse to identify, escalate and resolve friction points before they become patterns, • Partner with internal teams — ecommerce, CRM, merchandising — to improve the end-to-end omnichannel customer journey Marketplace Channels & Digital Partnerships We've already launched on Nordstrom and Macy's in the US, with a significant roll-out across further platforms expected from Autumn 2026. This channel is live, growing, and a genuine commercial priority. • Own the commercial performance of our marketplace channels — driving sales, visibility and brand consistency across all active platforms, • Manage relationships with marketplace partners and operators, ensuring KPIs and commercial targets are met, • Work closely with digital, merchandising and marketing teams to optimise assortment, content, pricing and promotional activity, • Lead the onboarding and integration of new platforms as the Refined Networks partnership scales from Autumn 2026, • Monitor performance data across channels and identify opportunities for expansion into new platforms and territories, • Ensure The Fold's brand presentation and customer experience remain premium and consistent across all third-party digital environments Wholesale & Key Accounts — Building for the Future Wholesale is not yet live, but is a clear strategic priority for the next phase of growth. This role will play an active part in building it from the ground up — scoping the opportunity, establishing the framework, and ultimately owning its commercial performance. • Partner with the Commercial Director to define our wholesale strategy — channel priorities, target accounts, commercial framework and route to market, • Help identify and evaluate potential wholesale partners in domestic and international markets, • Build the operational and commercial foundations required to launch and scale a wholesale channel effectively, • In time, lead seasonal sell-in processes, trading reviews and commercial negotiations with wholesale accounts, • Represent The Fold at relevant industry events and trade shows as the wholesale strategy develops Commercial Leadership & Cross-functional Collaboration • Lead commercial forecasting, budgeting and trading reviews across all owned and partner channels, • Work closely with Buying, Merchandising, Marketing, CRM, Ecommerce and Finance to deliver integrated growth plans, • Act as a key external ambassador across retail partnerships, marketplace relationships and industry networks, • Support the Commercial Director in shaping and executing omnichannel growth strategy, • Identify emerging trends across retail, marketplace and wholesale channels and translate them into commercial opportunities About You Experience • Significant experience in retail operations, customer experience or commercial leadership within premium, contemporary or luxury fashion, • A proven track record of leading store teams and driving commercial performance through exceptional customer experiences, • Experience managing or growing marketplace, concession or digital partnership channels, • Exposure to wholesale or key account management — either owning it directly or supporting its development — is a strong advantage, • Demonstrated P&L ownership and the analytical capability to drive data-led decisions, • Experience leading, coaching and developing customer-facing teams Skills • A genuine love for retail and in-person customer engagement — you find energy in store, not just in the boardroom, • Commercially driven with a strong growth mindset and entrepreneurial approach to new channels, • Skilled relationship builder — with partners, customers and internal stakeholders alike, • Customer-centric to the core, with a passion for premium, personalised service — and the senior presence to handle escalations and sensitive relationships with confidence and grace, • A natural problem-solver with strong attention to detail — particularly across operational and fulfilment processes impacting customer experience, • Comfortable working cross-functionally with operational teams and third-party partners, with the tenacity to see issues through to resolution, • A strategic thinker who can also roll up their sleeves and deliver operationally, • A collaborative leader who thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment Benefits & Perks: • 33 days holiday (includinf bank holidays) + option to buy more!, • Pension scheme, • Salary sacrifice options (pension & childcare), • Financial wellbeing platform, • £1,250 annual The Fold gift voucher, • Bike to work scheme to save on bikes & equipment, • Employee Assistance Programme (wellbeing support), • Eye care support, • Enhanced maternity pay, • Friends & family discount – 50% off full retail price, • Monthly social events, plus summer & Christmas parties, • Summer Fridays hours, • Fully stocked snack cupboards, fresh fruit, plus great coffee & tea, • Volunteering with our charity partner, Smart Works Diversity and Inclusion We promote a diverse and inclusive workplace which harnesses the benefits of the diversity of our team and strives to represent the communities in which we live and work. Our vision is to establish an environment that attracts individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and talents, empowering them to contribute their best and authentic selves. We welcome and encourage applications from those who share our commitment to fostering this inclusive and authentic work culture.