Job Description
Director of Retail & Merchandising
Pulse Hotels & Resorts
Location: Singapore
Reporting to: Managing Director / COO / Commercial Director
Role Purpose
The Director of Retail & Merchandising is responsible for end-to-end commercial performance of all retail and lifestyle outlets across the group, including boutiques, dive shops, minibars, cafs, and arcades.
The role owns product strategy, buying, pricing, merchandising, supplier management,and sales performance, ensuring that each outlet delivers strong margins, high sell-through, and a premium guest experience aligned with the brand positioning of the resorts.
Portfolio Responsibility
Outlet Type Count
Resort Boutiques 4 Dive Shops 3
Cafs 2
Arcade / Leisure Retail 2
Total Outlets 11
Key Responsibilities
1. Commercial & Revenue Ownership
- Own total retail revenue, gross margin, and contribution across all outlets
- Develop and execute annual retail sales budgets by outlet and category
- Drive incremental spend per guest through pricing, bundling, and upsell strategies
- Monitor daily/weekly sales performance and implement corrective actions
2. Buying, Product Strategy & Curation
- Define product mix by outlet type:
- Boutiques: fashion, accessories, souvenirs, private-label items - Dive shops: equipment, apparel, accessories, consumables
- Cafs: retail food items, branded merchandise
- Arcades: leisure merchandise and impulse items
- Source and develop exclusive and private-label products where margins justify
- Lead product development from concept design sampling production
- Ensure product relevance to luxury resort guest profiles
3. Pricing & Margin Management
- Set pricing strategies ensuring
- Target gross margins by category - Competitive yet premium positioning
- Manage markdowns, slow movers, and inventory ageing
- Optimise cost structures through supplier negotiations and freight efficiencies
4. Merchandising & Visual Presentation
- Define merchandising standards for all outlets
- Ensure consistent visual storytelling, planograms, and display quality
- Work with resort teams to align retail layouts with guest flow and experience
- Oversee seasonal refreshes and promotional displays
5. Supplier & Partner Management
- Build and manage a network of local and international suppliers
- Negotiate: - Pricing, MOQs, exclusivity, lead times - Shipping terms (FOB/CIF/DDP)
- Ensure quality control, compliance, and on-time deliveries
- Evaluate supplier performance annually
6. Inventory & Operational Control
- Maintain optimal inventory levels across all outlets
- Implement stock planning, replenishment cycles, and transfer strategies
- Reduce stock obsolescence, shrinkage, and write-offs
- Collaborate with finance on stock valuation and audits
7. Team Leadership & Capability Building
- Provide direction and performance oversight to retail teams
- Set sales targets and motivate frontline staff
- Develop SOPs, training materials, and selling tools
- Foster a culture of commercial accountability and guest-centric selling
Ideal Candidate Profile
- 10-15 years in luxury retail buying / merchandising
- Fashion, Hospitality, resort, cruise, or destination retail experience preferred
- Strong commercial acumen with creative sensibility
- Proven supplier negotiation and product development track record
- Comfortable managing multi-outlet portfolios remotely
