Sephora Retail Manager

About Sephora

Sephora is a global prestige beauty leader, renowned for redefining the retail experience through creativity, inclusivity, and expert service. Founded in France and now part of LVMH, the company brings together an exceptional portfolio of beauty brands with a distinctive culture of discovery and innovation. As an employer, Sephora offers a dynamic, customer-centered environment where talent is encouraged to learn, experiment, and grow across retail, digital, merchandising, operations, and corporate functions. Its teams are united by a passion for beauty, entrepreneurship, and belonging, making Sephora a compelling workplace for professionals seeking impact within a fast-moving international brand.

Sephora seeks a Retail Manager to lead people, customer experience, standards, and commercial and operational performance across stores in the assigned area. The role covers multi-store leadership, sales and KPI delivery, talent development, inventory and merchandising standards, and customer-service excellence. This is a permanent, full-time, on-site position.

Role & Responsibilities

• Deliver agreed sales and KPI targets across the area by monitoring performance, identifying opportunities, and implementing appropriate actions.
• Ensure exceptional retail and operational standards and best-in-class customer service across stores in the assigned area.
• Drive sales and profitability through the performance management, development, and coaching of Store Managers and store teams, while managing within the SME business plan.
• Lead teams in translating area performance objectives into store sales and KPI targets; monitor and report KPI performance and identify opportunities to improve stores and leadership.
• Monitor store productivity against agreed budgets and coach Store Managers to balance service quality and staffing levels when planning schedules.
• Lead by example through a strong customer and frontline focus, including spending four days a week in stores.
• Build the future Beauty Playground through services, Sephora Card loyalty, and offer differentiation.
• Implement Sephora retail priorities and drive commercial success.
• Recruit, develop, and identify talent, preparing Sephorans for career progression.
• Champion omnichannel retailing, implement agreed success measures, and drive cultural change across teams.
• Oversee back-of-house retail operations in line with Sephora policies and procedures.
• Monitor inventory levels, maintain current inventory records, and conduct timely inventories and semi-annual stocktakes.
• Measure process effectiveness and provide timely, accurate, and complete reports on operational performance.
• Optimize operations to ensure productivity and efficiency, and ensure compliance with company policies and operational guidelines.
• Ensure Sephora merchandising concepts are set up and maintained, store cleanliness and security standards are upheld, and key product launches and initiatives are supported.
• Build and follow up on people development plans with Training and Education; maintain leadership coverage and headcount through succession planning and recruitment, following the appropriate processes.
• Model a service culture, conduct in-store observations, and monitor customer-service reports and levels.
• Track retail market and customer trends and local competitor activity, sharing relevant insights with Offer and Marketing.
• Meet area sales and KPI targets; exceed monthly sales turnover against budget and agreed conversion, ATV, UPT, and Sephora Collection KPIs.
• Exceed CRM recruitment, CRM contribution, and app sign-up targets.
• Improve store productivity and efficiency through Rotageek and back-office modelling.
• Manage store shrinkage and stock levels, and achieve company audit results above 85%.
• Achieve scores above 80% on the Happy App and Lovemeter measures and exceed the annual employee satisfaction target.
• Create and maintain a customer-obsessed, brand-focused environment across frontline teams.
• Work with senior leaders to build a structured, analytical, commercially focused, engaging services culture.
• Support the rollout of relevant retail projects and manage retail communications and data for area and store teams.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years’ experience in sales, operations, and/or services within the beauty, retail, or hospitality industry; multiple-store management experience of 5–7 years is also cited.
• Experience managing teams at Store Manager or shop manager level, including in a flagship store in a key regional mall.
• Degree in Business or Administration.
• Experience in customer experience and sales, service, and commercial KPI environments, including conversion and average basket performance.
• Comprehensive beauty industry knowledge and awareness of current trends and products.
• Leadership and transversal management experience.
• Commercial background and awareness of the Middle East market.
• Excellent communication skills; flexibility, adaptability, and creativity; strong problem-solving skills; achievement drive; ability and desire to drive change; and the ability to work collaboratively and independently.
• High energy, enthusiasm, and motivation; embraces change and opportunities, leads from the front, and adapts to a fast-paced business environment.
• Ability to build relationships with store teams, Retail Managers, and support teams within Sephora Middle East HQ.
• English speaker; Arabic is a plus.
• Valid driving license.

Skills

Experience

At least 5 years in beauty, retail, or hospitality sales, operations, and/or services; 5–7 years of multiple-store management experience is also cited.

Education

Degree in Business or Administration.

Workplace

Culture

Sephora fosters a dynamic, inclusive workplace where creativity, curiosity, and a passion for beauty are encouraged at every level. As an employer, it is distinguished by its focus on empowerment, continuous learning, and a collaborative retail culture that celebrates individuality and client-centric innovation.

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.