Retail Head

We are looking for a visionary and results-driven Head of Retail to lead and scale our retail business for a fast-growing IT software product organization. This is a business-critical leadership role, responsible for driving sustained retail revenue growth, strengthening channel ecosystems, unlocking exponential growth via e-commerce platforms, and building a high-performance sales organization aligned with the company's long-term product and market vision.
The role demands a leader who can blend strategic thinking with execution excellence, understands evolving retail and channel dynamics, and can translate market insights into scalable Go-To-Market strategies.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Business Growth
- Define and execute the overall retail sales strategy to drive year-on-year revenue growth and market share expansion.
- Continuously assess market trends, customer behavior, competitive landscape, and regulatory environment to refine business strategies.
- Identify and capitalize on new growth opportunities across geographies, channels, and customer segments.
- Periodically review business performance and pivot strategies in response to changing market dynamics.
Go-To-Market & Product Alignment
- Own the Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy for retail, ensuring strong alignment with product roadmap and positioning.
- Collaborate closely with the Chief Product Officer (CPO) and cross-functional teams to ensure retail feedback informs product innovation and packaging.
- Drive successful launches of new products, features, and pricing models in the retail ecosystem.
Channel, Distribution & Supply Chain Excellence
- Build and scale a robust retail and channel partner ecosystem, including distributors, resellers, and large-format retailers.
- Establish effective mechanisms for channel governance, performance tracking, and partner enablement.
- Oversee supply chain coordination to ensure product availability, optimal inventory levels, and service excellence.
Online & E-commerce Sales Growth
- Own and scale the online sales strategy across leading e-commerce platforms and digital marketplaces, ensuring consistent revenue growth, brand visibility, and profitability.
- Drive marketplace excellence through listing optimization, pricing strategy, promotions, demand forecasting, and inventory coordination with internal and external stakeholders.
- Collaborate with Digital Marketing, Product, and Operations teams to optimize conversion, customer experience, renewals, and lifecycle value across online channels.

- Leverage data and analytics to continuously improve traffic-to-conversion, ROAS, customer acquisition cost, and repeat purchase rates.
Sales Operations & Financial Governance
- Develop and manage sales budgets, forecasts, and operating plans with strong financial discipline.
- Track key metrics related to revenue, productivity, cost optimization, and ROI.
- Implement systems and dashboards to monitor sales performance, pipeline health, and conversion effectiveness.
People Leadership & Capability Building
- Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing retail sales organization across regions.
- Drive talent strategies including recruitment, onboarding, training, succession planning, and retention.
- Design and execute motivational and incentive frameworks to consistently exceed performance expectations.
- Establish clear performance standards and conduct regular performance reviews for teams and channel partners.
Governance & Stakeholder Management
- Set and enforce performance benchmarks and SLAs for internal teams and external partners.
- Act as a senior representative of the organization with key partners, industry bodies, and stakeholders.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Retail revenue growth and profitability
- Market and customer base expansion
- Customer engagement and retention metrics
- Lead-to-opportunity and conversion ratios
- Product adoption and performance in retail channels
- Sales team productivity and channel effectiveness
Candidate Profile
Education
- An Executive MBA or Certification from IIM-C, ISB, or IIM-A in Retail Management.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science / Information Technology is an added advantage
- Equivalent practical experience will be considered.
- An Executive MBA or Certification from IIM-C, ISB, or IIM-A in Retail Management.
Skills
- Strategy & Tech: "Phygital Strategy," "AI-enabled decision making," "Prescriptive Analytics."
- Marketing: "Shopper Marketing," "Digital Consumer Journey," "Personalization at Scale."
- Operations: "Quick Commerce Strategy," "Omnichannel Logistics," "ROI-focused Retail Metrics."
Experience
- Looking for 8-12 years of progressive experience in Retail Sales, Marketing, or Business Leadership, who has pivoted from traditional store operations into a digital-first role.
- Minimum 5+ years in a senior leadership role, managing large teams and multi-region retail operations
- Proven track record of scaling retail businesses and driving sustainable growth
Core Competencies
- Strategic thinking and commercial acumen
- Deep understanding of retail and channel ecosystems
- Strong people leadership and organizational building skills
- Data-driven decision-making and execution excellence
- Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills