<h3 class="theme-panel-header text-2xl pb-6 theme-vacancy-section-title">About the role</h3><p>As the Head of International New Business, you will lead Matalan’s global expansion strategy and explore new international growth opportunities. In this role, you will create and implement a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable growth, working cross-functionally and with external partners to expand Matalan’s footprint through new markets and business models.&nbsp;</p><p>You will be accountable for assessing new market potential, strengthening our international offering and build the capabilities needed for growth across different regions and partnerships. This is a key strategic element of our business turnaround growth plan at Matalan, reporting directly to the Chief Retail Officer.</p><p><strong>Key Responsibilities</strong></p><p><strong>International growth strategy and market expansion:</strong></p><p>· Define and execute a phased global growth strategy aligned with Matalan’s 5-Year Plan, assessing where to play, how to win and how to enter.</p><p>· Identify and prioritise new territories, evaluating them for market size, partner appetite and manageable risk.</p><p>· Identify potential wholesale opportunities to grow our international business.</p><p>· Lead discovery sprints to understand potential new models (e.g., e-commerce-led entry, alternative franchise formats) and region-specific nuances.</p><p>· Shape and present strategic business cases for new international initiatives, backed by data, competitor insights and partner feedback.</p><p><strong>Franchise and partner model development:</strong></p><p>· Stabilise and develop our existing franchise network, strengthening performance, capability and trust.</p><p>· Explore and implement alternative partnership models to diversify growth routes beyond the current ‘cost plus’ franchise structure.</p><p>· Build and manage a pipeline of prospective partners and markets, supported by clear evaluation criteria and partner fit assessments.</p><p>· Launch and oversee a partner development portal to enable streamlined onboarding, support and governance.</p><p><strong>Commercial and operational excellence:</strong></p><p>· Lead the performance management of international operations driving profitability, brand consistency and scalability.</p><p>· Collaborate cross-functionally to adapt product assortments, formats and pricing for local markets.</p><p>· Introduce and manage KPIs across international operations, using data-driven insight to optimise store and partner performance.</p><p><strong>Leadership:</strong></p><p>· Act as a key partner to senior leadership and functions (Buying, Legal, Finance, Marketing) to ensure readiness for new models and international complexities.</p><p>· Build Matalan’s international brand reputation by ensuring a consistent and compelling customer experience globally.</p><div class="absolute bottom-2 right-2"><button onclick="scrollToTop()" class="theme-primary p-2 rounded-lg flex"> <i translate="no" class="material-symbols-outlined"> arrow_upward </i> </button></div>