General Manager - Aelia Duty Free

Exciting new opportunity in travel retail, delivering exceptional service while working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment!

Job purpose:

The role of a General Manager is to ensure our company standards are met on sales, stock, and customer service, for every customer. They will lead their team(s) to success by managing and motivating staff, controlling operational costs, ensuring excellent customer service, refining company processes, engaging with landlords and developing new business opportunities.

Benefits:

• Bonus – Earn up to 22.5% bonus on top of your salary
• 25 days holiday – Plus bank holidays, with the opportunity to buy or sell up to 5 days to suit your needs
• Up to 25% in store discounts
• Private Medical Cover with Bupa – Because your health matters, and peace of mind is priceless.
• Simplyhealth Cash Plan – Claim back everyday health costs like dental, optical, and physio.
• Pension – We’ll top up your future with up to 5% monthly contribution to your pension pot.
• Life assurance – Protection for your loved ones with 4x your base salary in life cover, just in case.

** non-contractual benefits wholly at company discretion and subject to change.

Key responsibilities:

• To achieve maximum profitability through stock management, merchandising and staffing.
• Recruitment and development of employees.
• Demonstrate effective leadership of team(s).
• Coaching to improve processes and up-hold standards.
• Experience in planning, forecasting, sales reports, costs, and business performance, according to company requirements.
• Plan and implement advertising and promotional strategy and activities.
• Manage cash and payment systems in accordance with company procedures and policies.
• Liaise with external agencies and authorities as necessary (advertising, PR, recruitment, training, fire services, police, local council, health, and safety inspectors, etc).
• Liaise with and utilise support from suppliers, merchandisers and other partners as required.
• Accountable for health and safety, security, and emergency systems, capabilities and staff and customer awareness, according to company policy and relevant law.
• Develop personal skills and capability through on-going training, as provided by the company or elsewhere subject to company approval.
• Develop and maintain strong business relationships with local/international suppliers and the wider airport management team.

What we are looking for:

Personality: Self-driven, results-oriented with a positive outlook, and a clear focus on high quality and driving business profitability. A natural forward planner who critically assesses own performance. Mature, credible, and comfortable in dealing with senior executives. Is reliable, tolerant, determined and an empathic communicator. Is well-presented and business-like. Have a keen outlook for new adventures, experiences, responsibilities, and accountability. 

Personal situation:  Able to commute to airport base, and other airports when required. Able to work extended hours on occasion when required. 

Specific job skills: Experienced in the retail sector. Able to communicate via written/oral media. Understands the principles of marketing, advertising cost-effectiveness, including market sector targeting, product offer development, features-benefits-solutions selling, cost per response, cost per conversion, etc. Appreciates need for consistency within company's branding and marketing mix, especially PR and the internet.

Computer skills: Must be adept in use of SAP and MS Office, particularly Excel and Word, and ideally Outlook or similar database to basic level, internet, and email.

Literacy and numeracy: Able to understand profit and loss calculations and basic business finance, e.g., gross margin percentages and calculations, depreciation, capital and revenue expenditure, cash-flow, overheads, etc.

Business and selling skills: Must be an excellent face-to-face communicator. Ideal background would be in travel retail; experience of an airport environment would be particularly helpful. 

Management ability: Staff management is a large part of the job, responsibility and opportunity could grow with the development of the business, experience in recruiting and managing consultants/sales advisors. People-management skills, experience and natural ability will be essential. Responsible for leading a large team, section, or small departmental function, advises middle and senior managers on more complicated technical matters.

Accessing the airport:

A five-year working and personal reference, along with a Criminal Reference Check, will be required for this role as the store is airside in the departures lounge. This will be discussed in more detail at interview stage or please contact us if you have any questions regarding this.

Our values: Can you feel  the HEAT?

Whatever role you deliver for Lagardère Travel Retail, part of your responsibility is to represent and uphold our company values everyday:

HONESTY - Working ethically | Fostering a culture of openness | Treating each other fairly | Being considerate               

EXCELLENCE - Delivering first class customer service | Upholding high store standards | Showcasing prestigious brands

AGILITY - Working in a fast-paced environment | Adapting well to change | Always striving to improve

TEAM SPIRT - Working together as one team | Supporting each other | Being active partners in our wider communities

Our company:

At Lagardère Travel Retail, we don’t just operate in airports and stations — we transform them. We turn everyday travel moments into extraordinary experiences, helping passengers discover something new, delightful, and memorable along the way.

Whether it’s a quick coffee before takeoff or a last-minute gift that sparks joy, we create spaces that inspire wonder, celebrate individuality, and make waiting time feel like part of the adventure.

With our unique blend of global expertise and local insight, we craft tailor-made offers that benefit both travelers and landlords — bringing value, vibrancy, and a touch of magic to every corner of the journey.

We have been operating in the UK & IRE for over 20 years and deliver retail and food service operations in airports (and onboard ferries) from Dublin to Heathrow, Aberdeen to Gatwick, and we are growing year on year!!