People & Retail Excellence Lead - Luxury Fashion

People & Retail Excellence Lead – Luxury Fashion

Industry: Luxury Fashion Retail

Company Overview:

VIETTI is a renowned multi-brand luxury fashion retailer, known for its curated selection of iconic and contemporary brands, including Dior, Celine, Loewe, Prada, Miu Miu, Fendi, Bottega Veneta, Gucci and Saint Laurent.

Founded in 1952 in Arona, Italy, VIETTI has over 70 years of retail expertise and operates boutiques across Italy and Switzerland. We combine heritage, innovation and operational excellence with a strong commitment to exceptional customer experiences and the development of our people.

The Role:

We are looking for a People & Retail Excellence Lead to become a key point of reference for the people working across our Swiss boutique network.

This is a hands-on, people-focused role combining recruitment, onboarding, training, employee relations, boutique team development and HR performance monitoring.

Working closely with Store Managers, boutique teams and Head Office, you will support the entire employee journey: attracting and selecting the right people, integrating new hires, developing skills, monitoring team dynamics and addressing concerns early and fairly.

You will also analyze workforce and selected retail KPIs, including personnel costs, turnover, productivity and staffing levels, providing insights to support management decisions.

Our objective is simple: build strong, stable and motivated boutique teams that deliver an exceptional luxury retail experience.

Key Responsibilities:

- People & HR

• Manage recruitment and selection for the Swiss boutiques, including Client Advisors, Stock Keepers and Store Managers.
• Proactively identify talent, conduct interviews and assess both professional and interpersonal skills.
• Coordinate with Store Managers and Head Office to understand staffing needs and recruitment priorities.
• Act as an accessible and impartial point of contact for boutique employees.
• Conduct regular one-to-one meetings to understand concerns, motivation and development needs.
• Identify emerging conflicts or team issues, support constructive resolutions and escalation sensitive matters appropriately.
• Promote a respectful, accountable and performance-oriented working environment.

-Onboarding & Training

• Structure and coordinate onboarding plans, ensuring new hires receive clear guidance and regular follow-up.
• Support Store Managers during the integration of new team members.
• Identify training needs and organize development activities covering customer experience, selling skills, product knowledge and company procedures.
• Monitor training effectiveness and support ongoing professional development.
• Support Store Managers in coaching, feedback, communication and people management.
• Monitor team dynamics and the consistency of people management practices across boutiques.
• Facilitate communication between boutique teams and Head Office.
• Recommend practical improvements and follow up on agreed actions, maintaining a fair and objective approach.

-HR & Retail Performance Monitoring

• Track turnover, retention, absenteeism, productivity and workforce stability.
• Monitor personnel costs in relation to boutique sales and support staffing plans based on business needs and seasonality.
• Review relevant retail KPIs to identify links between training, team organization and performance.
• Prepare clear reports and actionable recommendations for senior management.

-HR Processes & Retail Coordination

• Improve recruitment, onboarding, training and employee communication processes.
• Help ensure consistent application of company policies and coordinate with external HR/payroll advisors on sensitive or compliance-related matters.
• Understand each boutique's daily environment and coordinate with Head Office on people-related organizational needs.
• Explore digital tools and AI solutions that improve HR efficiency and reporting.

Who We Are Looking For:

You combine empathy, discretion and strong interpersonal skills with sound judgment and an analytical mindset. You listen carefully, remain diplomatic and impartial in sensitive situations, and are comfortable having difficult conversations when needed.

You enjoy spending time in boutiques, earning the trust of employees and Store Managers, understanding the reality of retail teams and translating observations into concrete improvements.

You are proactive, organized, hands‑on and able to work independently in close coordination with senior management.

Ideally, You Have

• A degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Economics, Management, Organizational Psychology or a related field.
• Ideally 3+ years of relevant HR experience involving recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, training or people development.
• Experience in fashion, luxury, premium retail, hospitality or another customer‑focused environment; multi‑site exposure is a plus.
• Practical experience supporting employees and team leaders with people‑related matters.
• Familiarity with HR KPIs, workforce planning, personnel costs and retail performance.
• Excellent communication, organization and problem‑solving skills.
• The ability to handle confidential or sensitive situations professionally and fairly.
• Interest in technology, digital tools and AI applied to HR processes.
• Knowledge of Swiss employment practices and regulations is an advantage.

Languages:

• Fluent Italian and English are required.
• German and/or French are a strong advantage given the location and international teams of our Swiss boutiques.
• The position is based at our Head Office in Arona, Italy.
• It requires at least one full working day per week at one of our Swiss boutiques in Crans‑Montana, Zermatt or Lucerne, on a rotating basis according to business priorities.
• Regular visits are essential to build relationships, conduct individual meetings, support onboarding and training, monitor team dynamics and follow up on improvement actions.
• The remaining working days will be primarily based in Arona, focusing on recruitment, coordination, analysis and follow‑up.

What Makes This Role Different:

This is not a traditional office-based HR role. You will work directly with luxury retail teams and have a tangible impact on how people are recruited, supported and developed across our boutiques.

We believe an exceptional customer experience starts with the people who deliver it.

We are looking for someone who shares this vision and wants to strengthen our teams, prevent problems and make a visible difference to the business.