Director of Retail

IN A NUTSHELL

Bellroy is embarking on an exciting new chapter, building our own global retail footprint, starting with the U.S. We have already built strong brand awareness and a loyal customer base through our e-commerce and wholesale partners Apple, Nordstrom Huckberry, REI and now see the opportunity to create our own spaces that truly immerse customers in the Bellroy experience.

Over the next three to five years, we will open more than 15 stores in the U.S. within strategic cities, establishing premium, experiential hubs that deepen relationships with existing customers and invite new ones in. You will have full scope across strategy, site selection, lease negotiations, operational playbooks, P&L performance and team leadership, with clear authority and a direct line to senior leadership. We will back you with budget clarity, transparent goals and an engaged cross-functional team, giving you the autonomy and resources to do this properly, even in a challenging market.

Bring us your experience building and scaling multi-site retail networks, your skill in balancing commercial performance with brand integrity, and your ability to lead and inspire high-performing teams. In return, we will offer you the scope to shape a global channel from the ground up, the resources and support to execute it well, and the satisfaction of seeing your work leave a lasting mark on how customers experience Bellroy around the world.

YOU COULD BE THE ONE IF YOU …

• Have 10+ years in premium, design-led retail leadership, with a proven track record of scaling store networks across multiple geographies
• Have led multi-site P&L management, delivering both brand elevation and commercial results
• Know how to balance location strategy, operational efficiency, and customer experience to drive profitability from day one
• Are skilled in site selection, lease negotiation and fit-out project management
• Build high-performing, customer-obsessed teams, from Area Managers to Store Managers
• Are comfortable creating operational standards and retail KPIs that scale without compromising quality
• Thrive in cross-functional environments, partnering with wholesale, creative, marketing, and operations teams
• Can navigate rapid growth and change while keeping teams focused and engaged

We’d be especially excited if you…

• Have helped pioneer an owned retail strategy for a brand by opening store numbers 1 through 20 
• Experience working with retail store development in both U.S. and international markets
• Have experience in premium or design-focused lifestyle brands
• Bring a strong network in retail real estate, construction and operations
• Have tested and scaled new store formats, pop-ups, or experiential concepts

IF YOU WERE HERE LAST WEEK, YOU MIGHT HAVE …

• Walked potential U.S. store sites with a retail broker, assessing location viability against sales forecasts
• Negotiated final lease terms for our first flagship store, balancing commercial value and brand presence
• Reviewed fit-out designs with the Creative team to ensure they’re on-brand and on-budget
• Finalised an operational playbook for store openings, including staffing, training, and launch timelines
• Met with Marketing to plan an activation calendar for our first store’s opening quarter
• Coached an Area Manager on interpreting P&L reports and identifying cost-saving opportunities
• Modelled ROI projections for a mix of long-term leases and short-term pop-up formats
• Partnered with Ops to refine inventory strategies tailored to local market preferences

LOCATION & HOURS

We’re advertising this role in both the U.S. and Australia, but given the scale of our planned U.S. expansion, we expect it to be based in either:

• East Coast – Boston, NYC or DC metro areas
• West Coast – LA metro or SF/Bay Area

The role involves significant travel, especially in the early stages when you’ll be scouting potential store sites. Once stores are operational, you’ll regularly visit locations, plus travel internationally to our Melbourne HQ and other key markets. We need someone who enjoys being in-market, not tied to an office.

While you’ll have flexibility in how you structure your week, the role will require some overlap with Melbourne hours to join important Creative, Marketing and Operations meetings. This is a full-time role with periods of heavier travel around openings, site inspections and major retail events.