Retail Area Manager - Singapore
About us
Love, Bonito is Southeast Asia’s leading womenswear brand, built with a mission to empower women to find confidence through style. Incorporated in 2010 in Singapore, we’ve since grown from a humble online startup into a multi-channel business with over 20 stores and counting across Asia and a thriving online presence.
For the next decade, we are looking to expand through new categories, markets, wholesale partnerships, and brand acquisitions. We are evolving into a next-generation regional consumer group — one that blends heart with performance, and creativity with technology.
At our core, we’re a team of builders, dreamers, and doers who believe culture is more than words on a wall — it’s how we show up every day. We move fast, stay curious, and take bold bets on ideas and people we believe in. Here, you’ll find a community that challenges you to grow, trusts you to lead, and celebrates you for being you. Together, we’re shaping the future of Asian brands — from right here in Southeast Asia, to the world.
Why join us?
At Love, Bonito, you’ll do more than just a job — you’ll help build a movement. We’re creating an organization that’s lean, bold, and full of heart — where every person has the space to make an impact. Here’s what you can expect:
- Purpose with performance: We’re building a world-class Asian brand that competes globally. We hold ourselves to high standards and operate with purpose, integrity, grit and excellence. Join us if you take customer service excellence seriously and are passionate about creating real impact!
- Growth that’s real: We are known to be incredibly dynamic and fast-paced. You’ll be expected to learn fast, stretch beyond your comfort zone, and work alongside people who challenge and support you in equal measure. Don’t join us if you’re looking for a comfortable, fully structured setup, but do join us if you’re excited to build, shape, and make an impact together!
- Culture at our core: If you’re looking for a no-corporate-BS environment, you’ll fit right in. We lead with empathy, celebrate individuality, and believe that great work comes from trust, not titles. We believe in teamwork and effective collaboration - because when we run together, we go further. If this speaks to your values, come join us and be part of #TeamLB!
Join us as we redefine what it means to build an enduring global consumer group.
The role
You will be responsible for operational efficiency and customer excellence, training and people development, as well as financial profitability for a cluster of stores. Through an establishment of a positive culture, clear expectations and policy & procedural implementation, the Area Manager actively engages and collaborates with all stakeholders to develop operational efficiency and scalability. This role will be integral to the success of Love, Bonito especially as we continue to expand our retail reach in Singapore over the next few years. Reporting directly to the Retail Manager, you will analyse, interpret and report operational business results to ensure that the overall success of a cluster of stores is attained.
Main responsibilities
Team Management & Leadership
- Meet group and company KPIs by leading, coaching, and mentoring a team of Store Managers to strongly believe and live out the LB vision and mission
- Inspire and motivate entire store teams to work towards a collective goal through a close partnership with the leadership teams in each store
- Within your cluster of stores, continuously conduct succession planning through external hiring, foster internal career development and growth by building the skills and capabilities of existing team members
- Champion employee engagement and promote a collaborative and inclusive environment for a robust team of Part- and Full-timers
- Ensure compliance with the company’s policies and stance on people and operational guidelines
- Deal with all issues that arise from staff or customers (complaints, grievances etc)
Retail Performance & Operational Excellence
- Develop strategies to enhance the store customer experience and drive sales performance by conducting weekly business reviews to expand and engage our customer base, increase store traffic and conversion as well as optimize profitability.
- Oversee general store administration and ensure compliance with policies and procedures by auditing various operational aspects of the store
- Develop, improve and optimize retail processes to increase productivity and ensure efficiency in all store operations aspects
- Proactively monitor store inventory levels and ensure the highest level of inventory accuracy by making sure that the Store Managers are prioritizing and ordering inventory as required
- Ensure sound preparation work has been completed and facilitate stock taking exercises at several intervals in the year
- Maintain outstanding store conditions and work closely with the Visual Merchandising team to optimize layout and displays in-store; support brand and visual campaigns of new tacticals and launches, and develop strategies to enhance future sales.
- Set standards and objectives for store teams to ensure a seamless and smooth customer experience; inspire and enable the team to provide a top notch and considerate service to all customers through training and mentoring
- Ensure resolution of escalated complaints and assist in customer recovery where appropriate
- Conduct manpower resource planning for all stores; manage shift schedules and retail staff budget to achieve optimal staffing levels for excellence in the brand's customer experience, according to peak hours, days, and seasonality
- Undertake sound financial management to ensure stores are profitable and stay within budgets; provide reports and resolutions to ensure an efficient resource usage to increase profitability
Collaboration with internal and external stakeholders
- Build strong relationships and bridge communications between retail stores and HQ cross functional teams
- Collaborate closely with all relevant cross functional teams (marketing, buying and merchandising, visual merchandising etc) for the execution of campaigns, promotions and community events in Singapore stores (our homeground and the hallmark of the living embodiment of the brand)
- Partner closely with internal and external stakeholders for store renovation and store opening projects
KPIs
- Retail Sales/Revenue Growth/Productivity
- Customer Service Excellence/NPS/Google ratings
- Store Operations/Visual Merchandising Excellence
- Inventory Management KPIs
- Store staff retention rate
Requirements
- Minimum 7 - 8 years of experience in the retail industry, preferably in a fast-paced environment across international fashion brands
- At least 5 years in a senior leadership role, managing teams across both front- and back-of-house operations
- Proven experience overseeing multiple stores or leading a high-complexity / flagship store with equivalent scope
- Strong track record in people leadership, including team development, performance management, and succession planning
- Demonstrated ability to drive commercial results while maintaining operational excellence and brand standards
- Numerate and tech-savvy with excellent presentation and communication skills
The Senior Store Manager and Retail Area Manager roles are calibrated at an equivalent leadership level; titles reflect scope of responsibility rather than seniority.
You should have / be
- A Love, Bonito ambassador who believes in and embodies our culture and core values
- A passion and genuine love for people; you are a strong leader and are passionate about training, coaching and mentoring a strong team of 100 people
- A performance-driven attitude with a hunger and thirst for results and sales
- A high degree of professionalism, work ethic, judgement and keen attention to detail
- Strong communication skills and an outgoing personality who enjoys interacting and connecting with people to build trusting relationships with customers and external stakeholders
- A good team player, a self-starter, decision maker, gap spotter, captain of the ship
- Technical knowledge in all operational aspects of the store, including but not limited to inventory management, sales and cash management, merchandising, roster building, staff training and coaching, stock taking, and recruitment.
Benefits
- Full corporate insurance inclusive of Dental
- Discretionary performance bonus
- Fully stocked pantry
- Staff discounts
- Employee-led recognition platform via Praisepal
- A dynamic, no corporate-BS environment to learn, grow, and really make an impact