Sephora Fragrance Brands Director (Category Management) — Europe & Middle East
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Director
- Department
- Merchandising, Buying & Planning
- Posted
- May 25, 2026
About Sephora
Sephora is a global prestige beauty retailer and a member of the LVMH Group. The company curates a wide assortment of international and emerging brands alongside its proprietary label, combining retail innovation with a strong digital footprint. Sephora is widely recognised for shaping trends in beauty retail and for a fast-paced, brand-driven commercial culture.
Sephora seeks a Fragrance Brands Director (Category Management) in Neuilly‑sur‑Seine, France to lead EME fragrance strategy, brand incubation and cross‑market execution.
Role & Responsibilities
- Define and implement the fragrance category roadmap for Europe & Middle East in close collaboration with global teams, regional markets and cross‑functional partners.
- Lead and develop a team of category professionals (approx. 5 direct reports), establishing development plans and ensuring high performance.
- Own a mixed portfolio of incubated and established fragrance brands: source and launch new brands to address assortment gaps and strengthen Sephora’s market positioning.
- Partner with brand stakeholders on 360° launch and marketing plans (media, social, trade marketing, e‑commerce, CRM, training and sampling) and negotiate commercial terms (marketing investments, purchase prices, space allocation, returns).
- Manage assortment planning, merchandising updates, forecasting, stock monitoring, sales analysis and budget tracking to meet business targets.
- Drive cross‑functional and transformational projects to improve tools, processes and team efficiency; ensure category best practices are spread across makeup and fragrance.
- Communicate strategy clearly to markets, simplify complex topics, gain buy‑in and monitor flawless local execution.
Qualifications
- 10–15 years' professional experience in category management, marketing and/or key account management, preferably within beauty or retail.
- Proven leadership experience with demonstrated ability to manage and develop teams in an international context.
- Strong commercial orientation with advanced analytical and forecasting skills.
- Track record launching and scaling brands, including incubation or new‑to‑market brand development.
- Excellent stakeholder management and negotiation skills; ability to influence cross‑functionally and with external partners.
- Fluent English (business level). Retail and digital expertise are strong advantages.
- Hands‑on, entrepreneurial mindset with high standards for execution and attention to detail.
Skills
Experience
A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in category management, marketing or Key Account Management, ideally with international exposure in beauty or retail and prior responsibility for brand launches and portfolio P&L.
Education
Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or a related discipline; advanced degree (MBA or equivalent) preferred.
Workplace
The successful candidate will be located in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Île-de-France, France.
Culture
Sephora fosters an inclusive, fast‑moving workplace where creativity and commercial ambition intersect. As part of the broader LVMH family, the company emphasises empowerment, continuous learning and collaborative innovation across global 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 Sephora, 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 «European Fragrance Category Director», «Head of Fragrance Brands, EMEA», «Director of Fragrance Portfolio & Category Strategy», «Fragrance Brand Lead — Europe & Middle East», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.