Industry: Designer toys and collectible pieces
Location: Milan (Cordusio M1)
Job type: Tempo pieno - Permanent
Working Hours: 40 hours per week
About POP MART
Founded in ****, POP MART is a market-leading entertainment company and a global champion of designer toy culture. Through global artist development, IP operations, and designer toy culture evangelism, we have built an integrated platform covering the entire designer toy value chain. Besides our original and iconic IPs such as Molly, Hirono, Skullpanda, and LABUBU, POP MART collaborates with top-tier toys and lifestyle brands including Disney, Universal Studios, and Sanrio to create collectible art toys featuring their iconic characters.
POP MART has established a strong presence across key European markets, including Spain, Italy, Netherlands, France, and the UK. As part of our strategic growth initiatives, we are focused on expanding our retail network into additional high-potential markets across Europe, continuing to strengthen our brand's position in the region.
For more information, please visit and our LinkedIn Career page.
What to Expect
POP MART is a fast-paced company with a young and multicultural team where you can expect to:
Gain valuable professional experience covering the entire retail life cycle
Have the opportunity to work with people from different countries and cultures in a collaborative environment
Receive structured customer service, retail operations, and product training
Be proactively involved in the company's growth
Benefits
POP MART offers our employees:
Selected POP MART toys as appreciation gifts every month
Comprehensive training and development programs
Regular team social events
Corporate Discounts
Employee Assistance Program
A structured bonus/commission scheme in line with the company's and the individual's performance
The Role and Candidate
The Area Manager will be responsible for overseeing all POP MART stores in Italy, ensuring seamless daily operations, sales performance and an exceptional customer experience. This is a hybrid role that requires a hands-on approach to store management while also supporting broader retail operations in Italy.
Responsibilities
Operations & Store Performance
Oversee daily operations of all existing and upcoming store locations in the Italian market, ensuring operational excellence, efficiency, cleanliness and high service standards
Conduct regular store visits and audits to assess performance, service quality, visual standards and operational compliance
Act as the main point of contact for operational challenges and opportunities, ensuring smooth communication and fast problem resolution
Support future store openings in Italy, providing operational guidance, best practices and on-site support
Sales, Strategy & Financial Management
Monitor sales performance, analyse trends and KPIs and identify areas for improvement
Develop and implement strategies to optimize revenue, profitability, labor efficiency and cost control
Contribute to the development of annual business plans and budgets for the area, tracking performance against targets
Report regularly on area performance, risks and opportunities to senior management
Merchandising & Inventory
Support store teams in executing merchandising plans, product launches and marketing initiatives
Ensure consistent and appealing product displays aligned with brand guidelines
Oversee inventory flow, stock control, availability and loss prevention, working closely with Supply Chain teams
Leadership & People Management
Support the recruitment, onboarding and training of store managers and store-level staff
Coach and motivate teams to achieve sales targets and deliver excellent customer service
Conduct regular meetings and performance evaluations, fostering a strong performance-driven culture
Customer Experience & Compliance
Ensure high standards of customer satisfaction and handle escalated customer issues when needed
Ensure compliance with company SOPs, operational policies, safety standards and local retail regulations
Cross-functional Collaboration
Work closely with internal teams such as Marketing, HR and Supply Chain as well as external stakeholders to continuously improve store operations and execution
Required Qualifications
5+ years of experience in retail operations with responsibility over multiple store locations, preferably within flagship or high-traffic retail environments
Proven leadership experience with a strong track record in recruiting, coaching, motivating and developing store managers and store teams
Solid business acumen with demonstrated ability to analyse sales performance, KPIs and financial data, including Opex management and cost control
Strong operational background with hands-on experience in daily store operations, operational excellence and customer experience enhancement
Ability to translate data insights into concrete strategic and operational improvements in a fast-paced retail environment
Good understanding of visual merchandising principles, inventory management, loss prevention and retail compliance
Excellent problem-solving skills with a practical and execution-oriented mindset
Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across functions and stakeholders
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and retail analytics tools
Fluency in Italian and English, any other European language is a plus
Short notice period is highly preferred
Desirable but Not Essential
Experience in licensed merchandise, collectible toys, or designer product retail
Familiarity with the Italian retail market and flagship store operations
Experience in supporting new store openings and retail expansion projects