Lead Director / Managing Director

Jones Bootmaker was established in 1857, but by 2018 the business had lost its way and was losing money. Since acquiring the business that year we have stabilised performance and returned the brand to profitability as part of the Pavers Group. What we now need is an ambitious, hands-on individual to lead our efforts as we re-ignite and grow the brand in the coming years.

As the Lead Director /Managing Director for Jones Bootmaker you will have total budget responsibility and therefore need to ensure the financial health, deployment of cost-effective solutions, and ultimate profitability per agreed success metrics of the business. We have a clear strategic direction, and we need a leader to tune and deliver the brand's strategy, re-invigorate the customer perception, motivate the team, and inspire our future success. The role and team are based in York, but the company's flexible and hybrid working policies are available. The role will require occasional travel to the retail estate and suppliers.

As part of the role, you will need to work closely and collaboratively with the Directors of each Group function to ensure we appropriately resource the business. As we separate the operations of Jones from the wider Group you will need to establish efficient operating practices, ensure influence across the organisation, and be comfortable challenging existing ways of working. If you are not a self-starter you will likely struggle to gain traction. You will report directly to the Group Managing Director. There is a significant EBITDA-linked package available for the right candidate.,

• Develop and execute the division's strategic plan in alignment with the company's overall goals and objectives.


• Drive sales growth and profitability through cost-control, growth initiatives, brand building, and process improvement.


• Lead and inspire a high-performing team both in-store and at head office, providing guidance, support, and mentorship.


• Analyse market trends, consumer preferences, and competitor activities to identify opportunities for expansion and differentiation.


• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, product development, and supply chain, to optimize product assortments, inventory management, and marketing campaigns.


• Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence within the division.
  
  Proven track record of success in a senior leadership role within the retail industry, preferably in footwear or fashion.


• Strong business acumen, strategic thinking, and analytical skills.


• Demonstrated leadership ability with a focus on team development, motivation, and performance management.


• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.


• Customer-centric mindset with a passion for delivering an exceptional shopping experience.


• Results-oriented approach with a track record of achieving sales and profitability targets.


• Knowledge of retail best practices, industry trends, and emerging technologies, particularly the utilisation of automation, machine-learning, and AI in retail.
  
  At Pavers we are passionate about providing comfort and happiness to our customers, and we make sure to employ people who are as passionate as we are. We always look for happy, confident, upbeat people, and we provide great jobs in a supportive family environment for them. We know that without our colleagues there is no business, and so the better we look after you, the better service you will provide our customers.


Pavers Group is a growing, highly profitable, independent family-run business with a strong balance sheet, employing over 1,800 people across our estate of circa 200 Stores, Head Office & Distribution Centre, and we remain acquisitive.

We were voted one of the Top 5 Large Retailers to work for in the UK and were also recognised as a 3
• Employer with 'World Class ' levels of workplace engagement by Best Companies in 2023. At Pavers we truly believe the talents, passion, and dedication of our employees are the reasons for our success. We are currently working towards obtaining menopause friendly status.


In 2021 we became the first major retailer to achieve Carbon Neutral status and have proudly maintained this standard ever since. Championing sustainability is at the heart of everything that we do, and we're committed to changing the future of retail for the better, acting in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

Giving back is in our nature and in 2018 we established the Pavers Foundation, in memory of our late founder, Catherine Paver. Since then, the Foundation has awarded grants for causes close to our colleagues' hearts for; community, education, and areas of health, totalling more than £2m, growing year on year.

Salary: £ competitive + performance-based incentives

• car allowance


• health insurance


• death in service 3 x salary


• generous staff discount