BA Excellence Manager

Job Title: BA Excellence Manager

Department: Luxe Education

Reporting To: Omni Service & Education Manager

Location: L'Oréal South Africa Woodmead Office - Johannesburg.

Role Purpose: The BA Excellence Manager is a strategic and operational role dedicated to championing and elevating the Beauty Advisor (BA) experience across the Luxe division. This role is crucial in ensuring that Beauty Advisors are exceptionally trained, motivated, and equipped with the tools and resources needed to deliver unparalleled luxury service and drive sales performance. By focusing on comprehensive support from onboarding through ongoing development, this role directly contributes to enhanced BA satisfaction, retention, and superior brand representation and customer loyalty within the luxury market.

Key Responsibilities:

• BA Onboarding & Integration:
• Develop, implement, and continuously refine comprehensive onboarding programs for new Beauty Advisors, ensuring a deep understanding of L'Oréal Luxe brands, products, service protocols, and company culture from day one.
• Create structured day integration plans to support new BAs in their initial learning journey and successful transition into their roles.
• Learning & Development Strategy (One Retail Learning):
• Oversee the development and curation of learning content and resources available through "One Retail Learning," ensuring alignment with Luxe brand standards and evolving market needs.
• Manage the "Gift Shop" concept for BA recognition and incentives, ensuring it motivates performance and aligns with brand values.
• Identify ongoing training needs and develop engaging, innovative training modules covering luxury sales techniques and customer service excellence that aligns with storytelling, and brand heritage.
• Implement blended learning approaches, including e-learning, in-person workshops, one-on-one, and mentorship programs.
• Training Reports & Performance Analysis:
• Consolidate, analyse, and interpret training reports to assess program effectiveness, identify knowledge gaps, and measure the impact of training initiatives on BA performance and sales.
• Develop actionable insights from data to continuously improve training strategies and content.
• Beauty Tech Integration & Adoption:
• Lead the integration and optimization of beauty tech tools within the BA workflow to enhance customer experience and sales efficiency.
• Provide training and support to BAs on how to effectively leverage these technologies.
• Training Schedules & Logistics:
• Assist in managing the annual training calendar, including scheduling, venue selection, material preparation, and coordination with regional and national teams.
• Ensure efficient allocation of training resources and timely communication of schedules to all stakeholders.

6.Point of Sale (POS) Services & Operations & Conversion Tracking:

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• Define, standardize, and optimize premium on-counter services such as makeup applications, skincare consultations, fragrance discovery experiences, and other personalized client services, ensuring they align with brand standards and elevate the customer experience.
• Develop and implement clear guidelines and training for Beauty Advisors to execute these services flawlessly, focusing on both technical skill and luxury client engagement.
• Crucially, establish metrics and systems for tracking the conversion rate of these services into product sales, client loyalty, and average transaction value.
• Analyse service performance data to identify areas for improvement, optimize service offerings, and demonstrate the tangible business impact of high-quality service delivery.
• Collaborate with retail operations to ensure BAs are proficient in POS systems for accurate service booking, client history tracking, and transaction processing.

8.Eventing Guidelines & Planning:

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• Develop clear guidelines and support materials that assist and elevate in-store event planning and execution by BAs in accordance with Luxe brand standards.
• Support Regional Education Managers in event conceptualization, promotion, and post-event analyse.

9.BA Uniforms & Grooming Standards:

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• Establish and maintain the Luxe division's uniform and grooming policies, ensuring they reflect brand prestige, professionalism, and hygiene standards.
• Manage uniform procurement, distribution, and maintenance processes.

10.BA Recognition & Engagement:

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• Develop and implement programs to recognize and reward high-performing BAs, fostering a culture of excellence and appreciation.
• Gather feedback from to continuously improve the work environment and overall experience of our BA community.

11.Communication & Advocacy:

• Serve as the primary point of contact and advocate for Beauty Advisors within the Luxe division, ensuring their education needs and feedback are heard and addressed.

Hard Skills:

• Learning & Development Expertise: Proven experience in instructional design, curriculum development, and adult learning principles, preferably in a luxury retail or beauty context.
• Project Management: Strong ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, from conception to execution, with a keen eye for detail and deadlines.
• Data Analysis & Reporting: Proficiency in analysing training effectiveness metrics, sales data, and other KPIs to derive actionable insights. Experience with reporting tools and platforms.
• Technology Fluency: Familiarity with e-learning platforms (LMS), retail POS systems, CRM tools, and emerging beauty technologies.
• Retail Operations Knowledge: Understanding of retail processes, store operations, and clienteling practices in a luxury environment.
• Presentation & Facilitation: Excellent public speaking and presentation skills, with the ability to engage and inspire large groups.
• Budget Management: Experience in managing budgets for training programs, events, and resources.
• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency: Advanced skills in PowerPoint, Excel, and Word for creating presentations, reports, and documentation.

Soft Skills:

• Exceptional Communication: Articulate, persuasive, and empathetic communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to tailor messages to diverse audiences (BAs, management, cross-functional teams).
• Leadership & Influence: Ability to inspire, motivate, and guide Beauty Advisors and colleagues towards shared goals, without direct hierarchical authority over all BAs.
• Strategic Thinking: Capacity to connect BA experience initiatives with broader business objectives and long-term Luxe division strategy.
• Customer-Centricity: A deep understanding and passion for delivering exceptional luxury customer service and empowering BAs to do the same.
• Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Ability to identify challenges, propose innovative solutions, and adapt to evolving business needs and market trends.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Strong interpersonal skills to build rapport and work effectively with cross-functional teams (marketing, sales, commercial, retail operations).
• Proactivity & Initiative: Self-starter with a strong sense of ownership and a drive to continuously improve and innovate.
• Empathy & Coaching: Ability to understand the daily realities and challenges faced by Beauty Advisors and provide supportive coaching and guidance.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous in developing content, managing logistics, and ensuring high-quality execution of all initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business management, Marketing, or a related field; equivalent professional experience will be considered.
• Specialized certifications in coaching and assessments are highly advantageous.

Requirements:

• Minimum of 3-5 years of dedicated experience in cosmetic category education, or a similar expert role within the beauty or luxury industry.
• Demonstrated success in developing and delivering national-level or large-scale training programs.
• Proven track record as a recognized subject matter expert in the cosmetic retail field.
• Valid driver's licence and own vehicle.