SWAY Hair Extensions
Head of Wholesale & Retail - Beauty
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SWAY Hair Extensions is entering its next stage of growth, and we are looking for an experienced Head of Wholesale & Retail to lead our expansion into major UK retail, e-commerce and professional wholesale channels.
This is a newly created senior commercial position with significant ownership and autonomy.
We are looking for someone who doesn't simply manage existing retail accounts. We need a commercially driven individual who knows the UK beauty retail landscape, has established buyer relationships and can open doors, build partnerships and secure new listings.
The successful candidate will take ownership of SWAY's retail and wholesale strategy from the ground up, working directly with the CEO and senior leadership team.
The Role
You will be responsible for developing and executing SWAY's UK retail and wholesale strategy across three core channels:
Beauty Retail & Department Stores
Targeting major UK beauty retailers and department stores including Boots, Selfridges, Harrods and other strategically relevant partners.
E-commerce Retail
Building relationships with leading online beauty destinations including LOOKFANTASTIC and other premium e-commerce platforms.
Professional Wholesale
Expanding SWAY's presence within the professional hair and beauty industry through partners such as Sally Beauty / Salon Services, Aston & Fincher, Capital Hair & Beauty and other national and regional distributors.
Key Responsibilities
- Create and own SWAY's UK retail and wholesale growth strategy.
- Identify and prioritise the retailers, e-commerce platforms and professional distributors with the greatest potential for the brand.
- Use your existing industry network and buyer relationships to secure meetings and introduce SWAY to key decision-makers.
- Personally lead retailer pitches, presentations and commercial negotiations.
- Secure new listings and develop commercially sustainable long-term partnerships.
- Build and manage a strong pipeline of prospective retail and wholesale accounts.
- Develop retailer-specific commercial proposals, ranging plans and launch strategies.
- Negotiate pricing, margins, promotional activity, marketing contributions and commercial terms.
- Work closely with Operations and the CEO on forecasting, stock planning and account profitability.
- Collaborate with Creative to develop retailer presentations, launch campaigns, merchandising and trade marketing support.
- Develop joint business plans with key strategic accounts.
- Own wholesale and retail revenue targets and report directly to the CEO on performance and pipeline.
- Represent SWAY at retailer meetings, industry events and commercial presentations.
- Build the future wholesale and retail commercial team as the division grows.
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Who We're Looking For
This role requires someone with significant experience within beauty, haircare, cosmetics or a closely related consumer category.
You will ideally have:
- 8-10+ years of commercial experience within beauty, haircare, cosmetics or premium consumer products.
- Senior experience within wholesale, retail partnerships, national accounts or commercial sales.
- A proven track record of personally securing major retail listings.
- Established relationships with UK beauty buyers and senior commercial decision-makers.
- Experience working with major retailers, department stores, e-commerce platforms and/or professional beauty distributors.
- Strong knowledge of retail margins, wholesale pricing, promotional strategy and commercial negotiations.
- Experience building and managing account P&Ls, forecasts and commercial targets.
- The confidence and credibility to represent SWAY at senior buyer level.
- An entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to build a new commercial division rather than inherit an established one.
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What Success Looks Like
This position is about results and relationships.
Within the first 90 days, we would expect the successful candidate to have established a clear target account strategy, created a qualified commercial pipeline and begun conversations with key retail and wholesale decision-makers.
Within the first 6–12 months, the objective will be to convert that pipeline into meaningful retail and wholesale partnerships and establish a scalable new revenue channel for SWAY.
Why SWAY?
SWAY is an established and fast-growing British hair extensions and beauty brand with an ambitious vision for its next stage of development.
Having built a strong direct-to-consumer and salon professional business, we now see a significant opportunity to take selected SWAY products into national retail, premium e-commerce and professional wholesale.
This is an opportunity to join at a pivotal point in that journey.
You won't be joining to maintain someone else's strategy.
You'll be joining to build it.
Alongside your CV, we'd love to understand:
- Which major UK beauty retailers or wholesalers you have personally worked with.
- Examples of retail accounts or listings you have personally secured.
- Your experience launching or scaling beauty brands through wholesale.
- The buyer relationships and industry network you would bring to the role.
- Your current salary expectations and notice period.
SWAY Hair Extensions is an equal opportunities employer.
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