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Klättermusen is looking for a Head of Retail Europe

Since 1975 Klättermusen has been a pioneer in making refined Scandinavian Mountaineering Equipment. The designs combine utility and extreme durability, always with consideration of the environment in mind. Klättermusen supports and inspire outdoor enthusiasts through unforgiving weather conditions and unpredictable terrains. Rigorously tested in real-world conditions, the equipment embodies Klättermusen’s commitment to creating the best and most sustainable equipment available.

As Head of Retail Operations Europe, you are the senior leader responsible for building and running Klättermusen's owned retail channel across Europe. You own the day-to-day performance of existing stores, ensuring every store delivers a consistent and authentic Klättermusen experience.

This is a builder's role. You will shape the retail organisation, hire and develop your team, and put in place the standards, systems, and culture that underpin our growth. You will own the retail P&L and be the primary voice of the channel in the leadership team. You will work closely with the Commercial team as well as other heads of channels on sell-through performance, and with Brand on in-store experience.

You will report directly to the CEO and initially oversee up to 10 owned stores across Europe, with a lean central team of direct reports covering operations, store development, and retail experience.

Key Responsibilities:

Retail Strategy & P&L

• Own the European retail channel P&L — revenue, gross margin, labour, OPEX, and overall store contribution
• Set annual store-level financial targets in partnership with Finance; hold Store Managers accountable for unit P&L performance
• Build and maintain a rolling 3-year retail strategy covering market priorities, store count targets, and format evolution
• Lead the interface with Commercial and Merchandising on seasonal buy, allocation, sell-through, and end-of-season markdown decisions
• Report retail performance to the CEO and leadership team with clear narrative and action plans

Store Operations

• Ensure all stores operate to consistently high standards across service, stock management, inventory accuracy, and compliance
• Develop and own retail SOPs covering all aspects of store operations from daily routines to loss prevention and audit processes
• Implement and own the retail technology stack (POS, inventory management, WFM, reporting) across all stores
• Monitor and act on store KPIs: conversion, ATV, UPT, sell-through rate, shrinkage, and labour cost ratio
• Oversee workforce planning to ensure stores are appropriately staffed against trading patterns and seasonal demand

People & Team

• Hire, onboard, and develop Store Managers and the central retail support team
• Build a culture of commercial accountability and genuine outdoor passion across all retail teams
• Manage the retail training programme: product knowledge, service standards, brand values, and operational skills
• Conduct regular store visits with structured coaching and performance reviews
• Work with HR to manage employment matters across European jurisdictions as the store footprint grows

Brand Experience & Sell-Through

• Champion a consistent, on-brand in-store experience that reflects Klättermusen's Swedish heritage, product craft, and environmental values
• Partner with Brand and Creative on seasonal visual merchandising, window treatments, and in-store storytelling
• Own sell-through visibility across all stores — flag slow-moving inventory early and drive corrective action in partnership with Merchandising
• Drive community activations at store level: product launches, repair events, athlete partnerships, and local outdoor initiatives
• Gather and synthesise customer feedback from stores and feed insights into product, assortment, and brand decisions

What You'll Deliver:

• A high-performing retail channel that consistently meets revenue, gross margin, and sell-through targets
• New stores trading to plan in their first year
• A clear retail P&L reported with transparency and backed by concrete action plans
• Store teams that are well-trained, motivated, and held to a high standard of customer experience
• Operational rigour across all stores: accurate inventory, strong SOP compliance, and clean audit results
• A retail function built to scale — with the systems, playbooks, and team structure to support continued growth
• A consistently on-brand in-store experience that reflects what Klättermusen stands for

What You Bring:

• A genuine passion for the outdoors and authentic alignment with Klättermusen's values of craft, durability, and sustainability
• A commercial mindset — you understand P&L, can diagnose performance issues, and know which levers to pull
• An entrepreneurial approach — you are comfortable building a function rather than managing an inherited one
• Strong people leadership: you develop talent, hold teams accountable, and build culture intentionally
• The ability to move between strategic planning and hands-on execution without losing quality in either
• A collaborative working style — you build strong relationships across brand, commercial, finance, and HR
• Low ego and high standards: you are willing to get into the detail when the situation demands it

The Essentials

• 8+ years of progressive retail leadership, with at least 4 years at Head of operations, Head of Retail, Retail Director, or equivalent level
• Proven ownership of a multi-store retail P&L including revenue, gross margin, and cost management
• Direct, hands-on experience with new store openings: site selection, lease negotiation, and NSO execution
• Experience managing retail across at least two European markets, with working knowledge of European employment law
• Demonstrated close partnership with a buying or merchandising function on assortment, allocation, and sell-through
• Background in premium outdoor apparel, technical sportswear, or adjacent premium DTC retail strongly preferred
• Fluent English; Swedish or another European language an advantage

We Look for People Who Raise the Bar

You take ownership. You care deeply about the details and about getting things right. You're always learning, open to feedback, and not afraid to ask the tough questions. You bring focus, clarity, and a high standard to everything you do. You believe in what we're building and you see the potential in where it can go. You're not just good at your job, you're trusted, respected, and someone others want to work with.

We only accept applications through this channel.