Retail Business Development Executive

Industry:
Designer toys and collectible pieces

Location:
Milan, Italy

Job type:
Full time - Permanent

About POP MART

Founded in 2010, POP MART is a market-leading entertainment company and a global champion of designer toy culture. Through global artist development, IP operations, and designer toy culture evangelism, we have built an integrated platform covering the entire designer toy value chain. Besides our original and iconic IPs such as Molly, Hirono, SKULLPANDA, and LABUBU, POP MART collaborates with top-tier toys and lifestyle brands including Disney, Universal Studios, and Sanrio to create collectible art toys featuring their iconic characters.

POP MART has established a strong presence across key European markets, including the UK, France, Italy, Netherlands, Germany and Spain. As part of our strategic growth initiatives, we are focused on expanding our retail network into additional high-potential markets across Europe, continuing to strengthen our brand's position in the region.

For more information, please visit

and our LinkedIn Career page.

What to Expect

POP MART is a boutique-sized company with a young and multicultural team where you can expect to:

• Gain valuable professional experience covering the entire retail life cycle
• Have the opportunity to work with people from different countries and cultures in a collaborative environment
• Receive structured customer service, retail operations, and product training
• Be proactively involved in the company's growth

Benefits

POP MART offers our employees:

• Selected POP MART toys as appreciation gifts every month
• A structured bonus scheme in line with the company's and the individual's performance
• Comprehensive training and development programs
• Regular team social events
• Corporate discounts
• Employee Assistance Program

The Role and Candidate

The Retail Business Development Executive will serve as POP MART's on-the-ground representative in assigned countries or territories, directly supporting the brand's retail expansion efforts. Reporting to the regional Retail Expansion team based in London, this role is responsible for driving local growth by identifying new market opportunities, leading site acquisition processes, and coordinating cross-functional efforts for successful store openings.

The ideal candidate is commercially driven, hands-on, and capable of navigating local market dynamics while ensuring alignment with POP MART's overall retail strategy in Europe.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the primary in-country representative for retail expansion initiatives within assigned markets
• Lead the identification and evaluation of new retail locations, including high streets, malls, travel hubs and other high-footfall venues
• Drive end-to-end site acquisition processes: conduct market scouting, initiate landlord or agent discussions, coordinate lease negotiations with legal and commercial teams
• Represent POP MART in local landlord, developer, or agent meetings and industry events
• Conduct due diligence on new markets, including market entry barriers, location feasibility, and retail trends
• Develop and present business cases and recommendations for new store openings to the regional Retail Expansion team
• Monitor and track project timelines, ensuring pre-opening milestones are met in coordination with construction, visual merchandising, HR and logistics teams
• Build relationships with local stakeholders including city authorities, landlords, vendors, and service partners
• Serve as the first point of contact for operational handover once stores are opened
• Contribute insights to strengthen POP MART's country-level retail strategy and inform regional decision-making

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Real Estate, Retail Management, or a related field
• Minimum 3 years' experience in retail expansion, leasing, or business development roles
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to assess site viability and build solid financial justifications
• Solid negotiation and stakeholder management skills
• Track record of managing projects in a cross-functional and fast-paced environment
• Familiarity with leasing terms, site assessment, and property negotiations
• Able to work independently, with strong self-discipline and ownership mindset
• Fluent in English; local market language proficiency is a plus
• Willingness to travel frequently within the assigned market

Desirable but Not Essential

• Prior experience in multi-country expansion or international retail operations
• Familiarity with the toy, fashion, or lifestyle retail sectors
• Knowledge of relevant retail regulations and permitting processes in assigned countries
• Existing relationships with landlords, developers, or real estate agents in the region

Your Application

If the opportunity sounds interesting to you, please apply with your updated CV via "Apply Now" or email to ita

.