Trading Director / London / up to c£150,000 + package (hybrid working)

The Opportunity: Trading Director

A well-established multisite retailer in London is seeking a highly commercial and strategic Trading Director to join its executive leadership team. This is a pivotal role for a visionary retail professional ready to drive significant growth and shape the product strategy across multiple high-street locations.

This London-based role will report directly to the Chief Executive and involve responsibility for the group's overall trading strategy, profitability, and merchandising across all product categories.

Key Responsibilities

• Commercial Leadership: Own and drive the overall commercial performance, sales, and gross profit of all trading divisions across the group's physical stores.
• Strategy & Planning: Develop and execute a compelling, customer-focused trading strategy, including annual business and operational plans, to maximise market share and profitability.
• Buying & Merchandising: Oversee and lead the Buying and Merchandising teams, ensuring an innovative and high-quality product selection that reflects the brand's identity and meets local customer needs.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Lead key negotiations with brand partners and suppliers, fostering long-term, mutually profitable relationships.
• Operational Excellence: Ensure seamless collaboration between trading, operations, and marketing teams to deliver exceptional execution, visual standards, and customer experience.
• Team Development: Inspire, lead, and mentor a talented team, fostering a high-performance, collaborative, and commercially-driven culture.

The Ideal Candidate

• Proven experience at a senior leadership level (Head of Trading, Buying Director, or similar) within a UK multisite retailer.
• Exceptional commercial acumen with a demonstrable track record of driving significant sales and profit growth.
• A strategic thinker with strong analytical skills, able to translate data and market trends into actionable, profitable strategies.
• An inspirational and decisive leader, confident in influencing stakeholders at all levels, including the Board.
• Deep understanding of multi-channel retail dynamics and the relationship between physical stores and the digital landscape.
• Based in or willing to commute to London for this executive position.