Essense of Australia

Retail Operations Specialist

Essense of Australia  •  Lenexa, KS (Onsite)  •  1 month ago
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Job Description

For over 25 years, Essense of Australia has led the way in bridal fashion as a dynamic, international bridal wholesaler and retailer with key offices in Lenexa, Kansas (U.S.), Perth, Australia, and Zug, Switzerland. Our reach extends across the globe, also operating in the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, New Zealand, and beyond. With nearly 1,000 stores carrying our exquisite designs, we are one of the most trusted and innovative brands in bridal fashion today. At Essense, every gown we create is crafted with passion, and every partnership we forge is built on trust. We are more than just a global bridal brand—we are an experience, woven into wedding celebrations around the world.

Building on decades of success in wholesale, Essense of Australia expanded its expertise in 2019 with the launch of True Society, a global bridal collective. Today, True Society is one of the fastest-growing names in bridal retail, with a worldwide network of stores offering brides the ultimate wedding dress shopping experience. With locations across the U.S., Australia and Europe, we help brides celebrate their personal style and discover the dress of their dreams.

About the Job

We are seeking a Retail Operations Specialist to join our Retail Operations team. This role provides critical project support, process development, reporting, training, and compliance oversight across numerous retail initiatives. The Retail Operations Specialist will work closely with the Director of Retail Operations and cross-functional partners to support new and existing programs, events, and promotions.

This role will regularly leverage AI and technology-enabled tools to streamline execution, improve efficiency, and enhance the creation and review of retail communications, reporting, and operational deliverables. The ideal candidate brings strong critical thinking, project management, and communication skills, and is comfortable flexing their approach to effectively partner with diverse stakeholders. This role operates as a true “Swiss army knife” within Retail Operations, supporting a broad mix of priorities, adapting quickly to changing needs, and keeping the work varied, fast-paced, and engaging.

Responsibilities

What You’ll Do

  • Support and drive end-to-end execution of retail programs, events, promotions, and beta testing, including planning, process documentation, testing, and launch.
  • Create executive reporting, presentations, and proposals by pulling and analyzing data across retail initiatives.
  • Own the intake and management of store submissions, requests and inquiries through Zipline Forms, driving timely responses, cross-functional coordination and resolution to support store operations.
  • Monitor store performance, audits, dashboards, and scorecards, and provide actionable guidance to Regional Directors and store leadership to drive compliance and improvement.
  • Support the execution of retail communications, including development and review of operational messaging, task coordination, and communication scheduling.
  • Collaborate directly with store leadership and field teams to support in-store execution, gather insights, and drive operational improvements.
  • Own and support monthly and weekly retail communications deliverables.
  • Ensure business-as-usual retail operational activities are executed, reported, and supported, including onboarding/offboarding processes and store inquiries.
  • Conduct reporting and analysis on store engagement, task completion, communication readership, and content usage to inform insights and improvements.
  • Support the creation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of retail training materials, manuals, and content libraries using tools such as Zipline, Articulate, Canva, and AI.
  • Partner with Training, Retail Development, Marketing, Finance, Visual, and Supply Chain teams to ensure aligned execution and information flow.
  • Support special projects and seasonal initiatives as business needs evolve.

Qualifications

What You’ll Need

  • Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field required; equivalent relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
  • 3–4 years of experience in a retail environment or in an operational, marketing, or analyst role.
  • Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to contribute both independently and as part of a team
  • Strong research and analytical skills, with confidence in presenting concise findings and recommendations
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present professionally across phone, email, and in-person interactions
  • Collaborative team player with experience working across cross-functional teams
  • Able to quickly learn, adapt, and perform effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while managing competing priorities
  • Flexible and willing to work outside standard business hours as needed to support international collaboration
  • Technology-savvy with a strong ability to learn new systems, leverage tools for efficiency, and proficiency in Microsoft Office
  • Understanding of retail sales processes, with client-facing or retail industry experience preferred
  • Strong product and industry awareness, with a proactive approach to staying current on trends

What We Offer

Essense of Australia is a company with heart. We value creativity, innovation, and dedication, and we’re looking for someone who shares our passion for delivering exceptional bridal fashion to brides and partners alike. In return for your skills, we offer you the opportunity to join an international industry leader and be part of a creative and collaborative culture that empowers its people, promotes teamwork and embraces sustainability. We recognize and reward excellence, innovation, and loyalty. As such, we provide competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package.

If you have the skills, spark and drive to help us further our growth, please go to https://www.essensedesigns.com/careers/ and follow the prompts to submit your cover letter addressing the above criteria along with a resume and salary expectations.

Join Essense of Australia and be part of a passionate team dedicated to helping brides around the world find their dream wedding gowns. If you're ready to make an impact and drive success in a global bridal fashion powerhouse, apply now and let's shape the future of bridal together!

Essense of Australia

About Essense of Australia

Essense of Australia is a leading international bridal gown design house and wholesaler that creates and manufactures award-winning wedding dresses for independent bridal retailers throughout the world under labels Stella York, All Who Wander, Essense of Australia and Martina Liana, as well as private label collection, Oxford Street, and bridesmaid label, Sorella Vita. ​

The Essense of Australia journey began nearly 30 years ago as a shared adventure that took place when co-owners Wayne and Martine Harris met and grew to become the worldwide industry leader that is Essense of Australia and its family of brands. ​

Partners in life and in business, their shared dream grew into a global bridal company blending Wayne’s talent for business and Martine’s experience in bridal design. Ever since, the Harris’ have changed the way the bridal industry approaches and values the relationship between designers, retailers and brides. ​

Innovative design combined with a passion for delivering an exceptional experience has propelled Essense of Australia forward as a world-renowned company, allowing its international team to flourish in an environment that encourages living one’s best professional and personal life. Now employing more than 400 team members worldwide, the Essense team is truly valued as the heart of its growing success as a global company. ​

The company’s Lenexa, Kansas office serves as northern hemisphere headquarters and showroom, while its office in Perth, WA, Australia serves as the southern hemisphere headquarters and showroom. Additional offices located in the UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Canada help complete the Essense global footprint. ​

The Essense of Australia family of brands can be found at more than 1,200 retailers worldwide, including the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand and throughout Europe. ​

For more information about Essense of Australia and available positions, please visit www.essensedesigns.com/careers.

Industry
Unknown
Company Size
201-500 employees
Headquarters
Lenexa, Kansas
Year Founded
1996
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