THE ORGANIZATION
Purdys Chocolatier is a Canadian chocolatier with a rich history. Their founder, Richard Carmon Purdy, started selling homemade chocolates in downtown Vancouver, Canada in 1907.
Today, Purdys has grown to over 81 retail stores across Canada, over 1000+ employees, and they have an ever-increasing digital presence with Purdys.com in which consumer and corporate customers are enjoying the ease of gifting. In addition, Purdys supports Canadian communities through its fundraising program in which they have contributed millions to communities through the numerous charitable organizations in which they support.

Purdys Chocolatier is delighted to have been voted by their employees as one of the AON Best Employers in Canada for the 9th time. This esteemed award is a testament to the rich texture of their history and their 115+ years of dedication to quality, trust, tradition, and innovation.  In addition, their CEO Karen Flavelle was awarded a Top CEO award by Glassdoor.

At Purdys, everyone – from their chocolatiers to their in-shop chocolate connoisseurs – are always inspired to take you away from the ordinary giving you a personal chocolate experience. Sourcing only premium-quality ingredients from around the world, choosing local options whenever possible and never compromising on quality, you will know its Purdys as you can taste it. They source the very best ingredients to create the perfect chocolate moment. Purdys’ chocolates are made fresh in their Vancouver chocolate factory kitchen.

Their chocolates are made with sustainable cocoa in which they pay a premium to ensure their farmer partners and co-ops are supported by programs that improve their profit and the livelihoods of their families. It’s really quite simple, Purdys has made this choice because it’s the right choice to make.

At Purdys they have been crafting extraordinary chocolate experiences for Canadians for over 115+ years. With original recipes, you will always find new creations alongside your favourites to tempt and inspire you.

Everyone has a favourite. Every chocolate has a story. Truly Canadian and truly delicious, Purdys is a family-owned company that’s proudly all about chocolate.

Vision
We are Canada’s Chocolatier, cherished and renowned for the experiences we enable.

Purpose
To create connection and joy through the power of chocolate.

Core Values

We respect and support each other.

We make ourselves better every day.

We never compromise quality.

We are customer obsessed.

For further information on Purdys Chocolatier, please visit their website at www.Purdys.com.

THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting to the Vice President of Sales & Marketing, the Director, Digital & Direct Sales has full profit and loss responsibility for all digital and direct sales channels – Purdys.com, group & fundraising, year-round fundraising, and business gifting. This unique role allows for a leader to be involved in four different channels that have clear synergies and clear differences based on customer needs. Although rooted in ecommerce, and the majority of the sales transact on an ecommerce platform, this role is beyond ecommerce alone, rather a blend of ecommerce and direct selling. As a subject matter expert in the complex digital experiences landscape, the Director must have a firm grasp on emerging digital trends. Critical to the success of this position will be the ability to lead, coach and inspire a cohesive, high performing and competitive team. The role also will collaborate with cross-functional partners to manage all aspects of the digital sales channels including, business planning, content strategy and development, promotional campaigns and other online marketing, website design, customer service, web analytics and web technologies.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Be the champion for the Purdys Digital and Direct Customers

• Manage and deliver an exceptional customer experience through our digital channels which includes ecommerce sales, outbound and inbound sales, and corporate sales.
• Understand online customer behaviour and optimizing solutions to serve the customer at all touchpoints.
• Lead a team responsible for customer relationships from lead to nurture stage, including a team of customer service sales representatives.
• Collaboratively identify and drive the overall Digital and Direct strategy, partnering with relevant teams across the company to enhance the online customer experience, maximize site usability, performance, and ROI.
• Utilize strong business analytics and data to find actionable solutions to customer and business issues.
• Drive the prioritization of product enhancements to ensure that we win on customer experience.
• Plan, execute and manage a testing program to improve the customer experience.
• Build the guiding vision and lead the Digital and Direct business with customer insights, clear strategies, and articulated tactics.
• Support the company’s omni-channel efforts through the alignment and achievement of Ecommerce tactics.

Develop a Leading Digital Merchandising, and Analytics Team

• Proven leadership experience in direct to consumer and B2B online channels, ideally in a comparable premier retail environment. Perishable good experience an asset.
• Develop, lead, coach and manage a team that utilizes data and analytics, identifies customer insights, drives profitability, and builds exceptional digital customer experiences.
• Understand the current direct-to-consumer and e-comm technology landscape and evangelize, leverage, exploit those technologies to support our brand’s strategic needs.
• Cultivate within the team a strong sense of urgency and importance around the customer experience.
• Be obsessed with site metrics and scorecards – constantly analyze and distribute reports on site performance. Utilize these metrics and KPIs to effect change and improvement inside the organization.
• Assess the effectiveness of existing online operations and current trends in new technology, lead technology innovation in digital marketplace.
• Drive results through strong collaborative leadership.
• Works cross functionally to ensure consistency of the omni-channel customer and brand experience by leveraging the strengths of our Ecommerce businesses.
• Work with key partners to establish goals and strategies to drive growth in key omni-channel initiatives.
• Build cross-functional relationships with Merchandising, Marketing and Supply Chain teams to deliver the Ecommerce channel plan and to improve traffic, engagement, and conversion.
• Partner with Marketing to define, gain funding and execute improvements in support of the overall customer experience.
• Work with the Pricing team to ensure competitiveness and application of the appropriate level of promotions to drive revenue and margin.
• Communicate Ecommerce strategies, performance, trade-offs, and competitive benchmarking to executive team.
• Influence cross functionally with data-based and customer centric insights.
• Work cross functionally with 3rd party vendors.
• Familiarly with web UI/UX best practices.
• Collaborate with technology capability enablers, product owners and project managers on initiatives in alignment with business strategic needs.
• Be a trusted advisor with our brand leadership teams in order to provide end-to-end direct-to-consumer and e-comm technology consultation.

Drive Revenue and Profitability for the Digital and Direct Channels

• Partner with Merchandising and Marketing to create financial plans for the Ecommerce business and manage both direct and indirect resources to achieve these goals. These plans should deliver disproportionate top and bottom-line growth favoring profitability while aligning with company initiatives and brand strategies.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Retail to develop a robust plan to support new product launches.
• Measure the efficacy of programs through testing and adapting to promote growth in all channels.
• Manages the P&L for Ecommerce in partnership with Finance, Merchandising and Marketing, and Ecommerce fulfillment.
• Develop metrics-driven management system to monitor revenue profitability, cost management and customer satisfaction.
• Plan promotional tactics to drive Ecommerce sales and omni-channel engagement.
• Provide regular communication to executive leadership on results against financial plan.
• Complete P/L responsibility including bottom line expectations, top line sales and inputs to the budget from support functions.

FIRST YEAR – MEASURES OF SUCCESS

• Learn the current state of Purdys digital and direct sales gaining insight on Purdys.com, the team, the budget, and the seasonality of the business.
• Contribute and work alongside the current leadership to build strategy while also supporting the digital business as it transitions to a new Ecommerce platform.

THE INDIVIDUAL                                                                                                
To successfully achieve the strategic objectives of the organization and ensure its success, the successful individual must possess have the following core competencies, experience, and attributes.

Education

• Post-secondary education in marketing, commerce, business administration, and/or related education with a Bachelors’ degree ideal.
• An equivalent mix of education and experience will be considered.

Experience

• 6+ years of experience in Direct sales, with ecommerce experience and with 3-5 years having operated in a leadership capacity.
• Experience in leading a department or business unit including strategy development (in partnership with the business), coaching and developing people, and having full responsibility for top line revenue and bottom-line profitability.
• You will have experience in business to consumer Ecommerce marketing with the ideal candidate also having business to business experience.
• Subject matter expertise in the areas of building Ecommerce, omni-channel, direct-to-consumer and digital strategies and capabilities with the ideal candidate having done this for premier brands and retailers.
• Expert knowledge of product and sales optimization digital joint business planning, how to manage both online and offline product assortment and winning clicks and mortar strategies.

Competencies and Knowledge

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with proven ability to create and present compelling content and action-oriented commercial insights to brands and retailers.
• Qualitative and quantitative research and analysis experience, including shopper and financial analysis.
• Effective people and project management skills, with strong influencing skills, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to perform independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated strong business judgement and decision-making skills; ability to identify, prioritize, and articulate highest impact initiatives.
• A results-oriented leader who develops strong digital merchandising and operational teams that focus on the customer through insights, research, and analytics.
• Previous success managing cross-functional Ecommerce business initiatives from concept to implementation with quantifiable results.
• Proven track record in running a profitable Ecommerce business with growth in customer engagement, acquisition, and conversion in a highly competitive industry.

Personal Profile

• Collaborative and a team player.
• Can “roll up their sleeves” and get things done.
• Will do anything that you expect of your team.
• A coach and a mentor that dedicates time to team development.
• An entrepreneurial spirit.
• Exceptional communication skills.
• Respectful of others.
• Work hard, play hard mentality.
• Strategic and operational performer.
• Highly organized with good time management skills.
• Critical thinker with problem solving skills.
• A positive attitude when faced with adversarial situations.
• Exhibits sound judgment.

COMPENSATION
An excellent compensation package awaits the successful candidate.

LOCATION
Vancouver, British Columbia

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Purdys operates in a hybrid environment. For the first year, it is critical this role is primarily in the office for onboarding, team development and for role transition.

HOW TO APPLY
For the opportunity to join the Purdys Chocolatier in the role of Director, Digital & Direct Sales please email your resume to DreamBig@profoundtalent.com referencing Position ID # AOWQ-801434.

Should you have an inquiry regarding this position, please contact Tammy Berge at 587-200-0114 ext. 103.

For further information on ProFound Talent Inc. please visit: www.profoundtalent.com

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY                                                                                           

ProFound Talent is a woman owned and operated business, recognized and certified by Women Business Enterprise (WBE). We pride ourselves in supporting equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in our recruitment processes and in our work environment, where every individual feels valued and respected. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals to which you may confidentially share your accommodation needs at time of application. We will adjust our processes to ensure you have an inclusive, fair, and respectful experience that allows you to represent yourself in your unique and most authentic way.

* We thank all applicants for your submissions, however only candidates being considered for this role will be contacted. *