General Manager - Business Operations & Growth - Retail

Role Overview:

We are seeking an experienced and commercially driven General Manager to lead the day-to-day business operations and performance of a premium international chocolate brand in India. This role will be responsible for driving operational excellence, inventory efficiency, channel growth, and disciplined execution across stores and digital platforms.

The ideal candidate will combine strong retail operations expertise with merchandising and commercial marketing acumen, and will play a critical role in translating brand strategy into consistent business results.

Responsibilities:

Business & Operations Leadership

- Lead end-to-end retail operations across all stores and channels.

- Ensure consistent execution of brand, service, and operational standards.

- Drive store performance through effective manpower management and training.

- Implement and monitor SOPs and operational controls.

Inventory & Merchandising Management

- Manage inventory planning, replenishment, and deployment.

- Oversee stock ageing, expiry management, and sell-through performance.

- Support buying and merchandise planning in coordination with leadership.

- Conduct inventory audits and resolve discrepancies.

Channel & Revenue Management

- Oversee performance of third-party platforms (Swiggy, Zomato, e-commerce).

- Work closely with marketing teams to optimise channel growth.

- Ensure alignment between promotions, assortment, and revenue targets.

Compliance & Governance

- Lead operational audits, compliance checks, and reconciliations.

- Ensure adherence to regulatory, financial, and internal control standards.

- Monitor shrinkage, wastage, and loss prevention.

Business Planning & Reporting

- Support budgeting, forecasting, and business planning processes.

- Track KPIs and present performance reviews to leadership.

- Identify operational gaps and implement improvement plans.

Cross-Functional Leadership

- Coordinate with marketing, supply chain, finance, and store teams.

- Act as the primary operational escalation point.

- Drive collaboration across departments for business objectives.