Qeelin Retail Operations & Business Development Manager
- Seniority
- Manager
- Department
- Retail & Boutique Operations
- Industry
- High Jewelry
- Posted
- May 13, 2026
About Qeelin
Qeelin is a contemporary high-jewelry maison known for blending Chinese cultural motifs with modern jewellery design and luxury retail experiences. The brand operates a boutique-led retail network across key Asian markets and engages discerning clientele through personalised service and curated events.
Qeelin seeks a Retail Operations & Business Development Manager in Tokyo to lead Japan P&L, retail expansion and client development.
Role & Responsibilities
- Own Japan P&L and drive overall retail sales performance and profitability across the market.
- Define, monitor and report on KPIs (sales, productivity, cost control, like-for-like growth) and implement improvement plans.
- Develop and execute market expansion strategy; identify new retail opportunities and lead feasibility studies and market-entry plans.
- Forge and maintain relationships with landlords, department stores and real-estate partners; lead lease negotiations to secure favourable commercial terms.
- Oversee daily retail operations to ensure best-in-class customer experience and compliance with brand standards and SOPs.
- Manage inventory flow, merchandising availability and store-level cost control initiatives.
- Lead client development activities including VIP/gaisho network engagement, events and local partnerships to expand high-value client base.
- Build, coach and develop a high-performing retail team; set clear objectives and foster a culture of accountability and commercial entrepreneurship.
- Monitor market trends and competitor activity; translate market intelligence into actionable commercial strategies in close collaboration with HQ and regional stakeholders.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or higher.
- Minimum 8–10 years of progressive experience in luxury retail management with direct responsibility for the Japan market.
- Proven track record in P&L ownership, retail operations excellence and commercial expansion.
- Established network within Japanese department stores and luxury retail ecosystem (including gaisho/百貨店 connections).
- Demonstrable lease negotiation and stakeholder management experience.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with strong commercial acumen and decision-making capability.
Skills
Experience
8–10 years of senior luxury retail experience in the Japan market, combining operational leadership, P&L responsibility and proven business development / network expansion results. Experience negotiating commercial leases and managing relationships with department stores and high-value clients is essential.
Education
Bachelor’s degree or above
Workplace
This position is based in Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Culture
Qeelin fosters an entrepreneurial, client-centric culture that prizes craftsmanship, cultural storytelling and attentive service. Employees operate in a boutique-focused environment that values commercial rigor, creativity and local autonomy while collaborating closely with regional and HQ teams.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Qeelin, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Retail & Business Development Manager — Japan», «Japan Retail Country Manager», «Head of Retail Operations, Japan», «Market Expansion Manager — Japan», «Retail Development Manager», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.