I was a Sari | Certified B Corp
Website:
iwasasari.com
Job details:
Are you passionate about sustainable fashion, retail, brand building, and creating meaningful customer experiences? At I was a Sari, we are looking for a commercially driven and entrepreneurial Retail & Business Development Manager to help grow our presence in India across retail, B2B, partnerships, pop-ups, and community-led experiences.
This role is ideal for someone with a strong understanding of fashion retail, merchandising, and the lifestyle market in India, combined with a sharp sales mindset and strong product sensibility. You will play a key role in driving offline sales, building strategic partnerships, shaping product assortments, and helping establish I was a Sari’s presence within the Indian market.
The ideal candidate is proactive, culturally aware, relationship-driven, and comfortable operating in a fast-moving environment where commercial thinking, creativity, and execution go hand in hand.
Company Overview
I was a Sari is a Mumbai-based sustainable fashion brand that transforms pre-loved saris into contemporary accessories, garments, and lifestyle products, handcrafted by local women artisans.
The brand sits at the intersection of craftsmanship, women’s empowerment, and circularity, giving skilled artisans dignified livelihoods and forgotten fabrics a second story. I was a Sari is a Certified B Corp and a Guaranteed Member of the WFTO. We prioritize ethical fashion, ensuring our process respects both the planet and its people.
As we enter a new phase of growth in the Indian market, we are looking for someone who can help shape and execute our retail and brand expansion strategy locally.
Key Responsibilities
Retail Growth & Sales
- Drive offline sales growth across retail partnerships, pop-ups, exhibitions, and partner stores.
- Identify and initiate conversations with premium concept stores, boutiques, hospitality partners, and lifestyle retailers.
- Build and maintain a pipeline of strategic retail and distribution partnerships with long-term growth opportunities within India.
- Assess store performance and sell-through to optimize business outcomes.
Merchandising & Product Strategy
- Curate product assortments based on customer preferences, sales trends, and retail performance.
- Work closely with design and ecommerce teams to align product offerings with market demand.
- Support pricing strategy and category planning aligned with premium brand positioning.
- Monitor product performance and provide insights on bestsellers, pricing, and category opportunities.
- Contribute to assortment planning across offline and online channels.
Partnership & Events
- Conceptualize and support retail activations, and events with partner stores and brands.
- Develop event and workshop formats tailored for concept store and retail audiences.
- Plan and coordinate pop-ups including venue selection, product curation, customer experience, visual merchandising, and guest engagement.
- Identify and coordinate with agencies or partners that support popup execution and retail activations.
- Research and evaluate participation opportunities across relevant design, art, fashion, and cultural events.
- Identify and approach potential PR partners, agencies, and collaborators within the premium lifestyle and fashion space.
- Ensure all customer-facing experiences reflect the brand’s premium, impact driven, and sustainable positioning.
Business & Operational Coordination
- Track sales, support forecasting, inventory coordination, and retail KPIs.
- Contribute to budgeting, retail planning, and market expansion initiatives.
- Coordinate cross-functionally with operations, design, production, and leadership teams to ensure smooth execution.
Skills & Qualification
Essential
- 4 - 6 years of experience in fashion retail, merchandising, partnerships, brand marketing, or category management.
- Strong understanding of the Indian fashion, retail, and premium lifestyle market.
- Strong product sensibility and understanding of consumer buying behavior.
- Experience working across retail operations, sales, merchandising, or brand partnerships.
- Experience planning retail activations, pop-ups, exhibitions, events.
- Commercial mindset with some exposure to business performance, budgeting, or P&L management.
- Strong relationship-building, communication, and organizational skills.
- Ability to work independently and manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with strong execution capabilities.
- Proficiency in Excel and retail reporting tools.
- Mumbai-based candidates only
Preferred
- Existing network across premium retail, concept stores, PR, or lifestyle communities in India.
- Experience in contemporary fashion, lifestyle, hospitality, or sustainable brands.
What we're looking for
We are looking for someone who:
- Has a strong sales attitude and understanding of retail markets.
- Has a sharp merchandising eye and strong product intuition.
- Understands Indian consumer behavior and cultural positioning.
- Is proactive, resourceful, and relationship-driven.
- Can balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
- Thrives in entrepreneurial and collaborative environments.
- Enjoys building brands, partnerships, and customer experiences from the ground up.
What's in it for you
- Opportunity to play a key role in shaping the India growth journey of a globally recognized sustainable fashion brand.
- Close collaboration with founders and leadership.
- Exposure across retail, merchandising, partnerships, brand building, and business strategy.
- Meaningful work at the intersection of fashion, sustainability, craftsmanship, and social impact.
- The opportunity to build and grow new market initiatives from the ground up.
If you are excited about building meaningful retail experiences, driving brand growth, and shaping the future of sustainable fashion in India, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your resume with the application. I was a Sari is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.
Join us in building a more sustainable and impact-driven future for fashion.
Click on Apply to know more.