Retail Learning and Development Partner - FSN, WFJ

Job Mission:

• The mission of the FWFJ Retail L&D Partner to develop and execute a holistic vision and strategy for the learning, training, and career development of our Retail Talents—engaging, empowering, and inspiring our retail teams to deliver the ultimate client experience and to become true Brand Advocates for CHANEL. This role is aimed become FA’s trusted “go-to” advisor in Learning and Development, empower FAs to raise their concerns in a structured and logical manner.

  By partnering closely with Retail Management, HR, and the RLDP function, the FWFJ Retail L&D Partner will:

• Build a world-class workforce that sets new industry standards, while staying true to our vision of being the ultimate house of luxury—defining style and creating desire, now and forever.

• Infuse Brand DNA and key messages throughout all learning and development initiatives, ensuring that every retail employee embodies the Chanel difference.

• Develop and implement a robust career and capabilities development framework, collaborating across teams to support people development, FA capabilities development, career progression, and recognition initiatives.

• Coach and enable Fashion Advisors (FAs) to be the front face of CHANEL—empowering them to adapt to client needs, build emotional connections, and confidently represent the brand with presence and prestige.

• Customize and deliver learning programs using a blended approach, tailoring content to individual needs, monitoring progress, and providing ongoing, on-the-floor coaching to motivate and engage teams.

• Amplify the voice of FAs, making them feel heard, valued, and empowered, while fostering a culture of long-term engagement, client centricity, and boutique energy.

• Ultimately, the Retail L&D Partner’s mission is to position CHANEL as a unique and desirable place for growth—where retail talents are inspired, developed, and celebrated as the driving force behind our brand’s enduring excellence and client experience.

Key Responsibilities  

Future Capabilities Identification and Learning Needs Prioritization

• Assist to define the holistic view of all learning needs in Fashion Division, in alignment with the Strategic Direction and to support the evolution and speed of business. In synergy with ODHR and Retail Management,

• Curate relevant learning and development content that will support Boutique Talents to identify with the Brand and go beyond work to build personal capabilities to feel confident and contribute the best they can

• Together with HRBP to ensure Boutique Management as well as key potential have an individual development plan on an annual basis.

• Take in charge of retail capabilities development programs to identify key capabilities gaps & development opportunities for retail team.

• Customize, deliver, and monitor the Retail Learning Path by observing on-floor FA activities and client interactions, providing timely feedback, and identifying coaching and training needs.

• Design and facilitate service excellence, client softskill and selling techniques sessions to strengthen FA capabilities and elevate the client experience.

• Partner with Boutique Management, HR, and Retail Managers to understand boutique strategy, manpower needs, and people challenges, and translate them into relevant people development actions.

Support FA career development by contributing to key people discussions, including performance reviews, promotion decisions, career pathing, and recognition opportunities.

Customize, deliver, and follow up on Learning Path for Retail Team  

• Observe client-staff interactions frequently, maintain close relationship with Retail Team to identify gaps in learning and development

• Maintain close relationship with FAs to identify and escalate their needs and concerns accordingly

• Identify and analyze learning and coaching requirements based on individual and collective needs for the boutique

• Co-owns/develop customized learning roadmaps and content with “office” L&D team

• Recommend action plans and coaching plans for boutique staff

• Create, maintain, and monitor the progress of learning and coaching plans

• Deliver in-boutique learning sessions (e.g. Flash Training, MM sessions, collection briefing) on product, services and strategy

• Implement learning solutions (including digital ones) and drive digital learning

Coach FAs (Fashion Advisors) on adaptability and flexibility (in-floor coaching):

Guiding principle: To enable FAs (as the face of CHANEL) to build emotional connection with clients by customizing their behaviors for different client personalities

• Observe client-staff interactions closely and frequently to identify areas of improvement in FA’s interactions with clients and other retail staff

• Provide near-real time feedback to FAs based on coach’s experience, industry best practices, Chanel’s FA competency framework, Chanel’s vital behavior framework, etc.

• Plan and track coaching conversations with boutique staff, with the objective of helping them to meet performance objectives and create client-centric experiences

• Engage in regular coaching conversations with boutique staff to assist in their learning and development journeys

• Prioritize adaptability and flexibility coaching (i.e. are FAs customizing their behavior based on various client’s personality / flexible on selling approach based on client’s needs)

• Prioritize coaching on FA development (e.g. understanding their needs and concerns with personal and professional growth) to motivate and retain FAs

• With understanding of both client needs and FA strengths and improvement areas, assist FAs to execute client action plans (created by Client Engagement Management Expert)

• Monitor progress and feedback to both CEM expert and FA on client action plans

• To be the reference within the boutique of all WFJ selling ceremonies and soft skills

• Ensuring appropriate selling ceremony is carried out  e.g. WFJ products are always offered to clients as part of the Chanel allure, from the beginning of the presentation

• Ensuring appropriate application of soft skills to support the Client Experience   e.g. Story making to connect with clients

Onboarding Planning for New Hires

• Put together customized on boarding experience for new hires and deploy accordingly

• Coach new hires in product knowledge, selling skills and client service (from My CHANEL Essentials and The CHANEL Experience contents) using blended learning approaches

• Equip on boarding buddy to support new hires

• Monitor and track progress of integration for new hires

Retail Operations Excellence

• Collaborate with CEE expert to refine, customize and execute client action plans based on FA profile

• Partner with CEE to follow-up & coach FAs on clienteling mindset, skills

• Partner with other relevant stakeholders to implement and track the efficiency of operations projects

• WFJ: Will identify areas of improvements(FA/TFJS/TFJE) and work with relevant SME (TFJS/TFJE/FAS Learning/WFJ Learning) to prescribe follow up actions

• WFJ: Complement TFJS/TFJE roles (Product expertise) to ensure WFJ learning is holistically & consistently applied

Measuring Effectiveness and Feedback on People and Client Intelligence

• Be accountable for client and employee loyalty quantitative and qualitative KPIs (TBC) , such as:

  • Client survey satisfaction scores

  • Client retention / loyalty

  • Staff turnover

  • Feedback from Fashion Advisors

  • Etc.

• Track learning and coaching effectiveness by defined KPIs

• Share observations and feedback regarding staff performance with Btq Mgt

• Share observations and feedback regarding client trends, behavior, and other insights

• Proactively bringing people/client intelligence/pulse of the retail teams to retail and business GMs

• Use CSS reports to define/refine learning plans for staff

• Lead change and transform current manager / FA capabilities to excellent Boutique coach

Work Experience

Academic / Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor degree or tertiary diploma

Work Experience

• At least 5 years’ work experience in a coaching/training role

• At least three years’ retail or retail management experience with a client-centric mindset

• Experience in the luxury retail / luxury hospitality industry is a plus

• Proficient in written and verbal communication in both English and Vietnamese

​​Required Competencies

• Strong passion for people development and client service excellence

• Strong belief in investing in personalized learning paths for employees

• Open-minded, adaptable and able to exercise flexibility

• Strong presentation and communication skills

• Pleasant personality, energetic with sound interpersonal skills

• Strong planning skills

• Client-centric mindset

• Organized and works independently with minimal supervision

• Able to exercise assertiveness when required

• Able to work at the POS and retail hours

Preferred Competencies

• Learning Cycle and Adult Learning Principles

• Coaching principles and practices

• Strong feedback skills

• Instructional design skills is a plus 

• Possesses an innovative mindset

Key Interactions / Stakeholders:

Internal

• Local Retail team (Retail Managers / Head of Retail)

• Local Boutique teams (HOB / DHOB, CEM)

• Local Fashion Learning & Development team

• Local Fashion Team  (Product, Marketing, VM, Retail, Styling)

• Regional Learning Team / HR Business Partner

• Regional Fashion Team (Product, Marketing, VM, Retail, Styling)

• FBP division stakeholders (when required)

• HR, IT, Finance stakeholders

External

• Training vendors and consultants

• Hotels

• F&B providers

• Printers