Makeup Manager – St James, Edinburgh

Job Description

At SEPHORA UK, beauty isn’t just what we sell – it’s who we are. It’s the freedom to express yourself, the thrill of discovering something new, and the power of belonging to a community that celebrates every identity. From our beginnings in France in 1969 to becoming part of the LVMH family, we’ve always pushed boundaries through creativity, innovation, and inclusivity.

Today, with nearly 500 iconic brands and our own SEPHORA Collection, we’re redefining the future of prestige beauty as we continue our bold expansion across the UK. If you’re ready to bring passion, energy, and a love for immersive retail experiences to one of the world’s most dynamic beauty markets, this is your moment to shape what comes next.

The Opportunity

As a Makeup Manager, you’ll play a defining role in bringing the makeup universe of your store to life. You’ll lead with expertise and inspiration – shaping a department that empowers customers to explore, express and celebrate their beauty.

As a people leader, you’ll develop a confident, high performing team of Beauty Advisors, fostering a culture grounded in creativity, education and exceptional service. From coaching artistry skills to elevating operational excellence, you’ll ensure the makeup department stands out as a destination for discovery, storytelling and personalised experiences.

If you thrive in a fast paced, high growth environment, love nurturing talent and enjoy blending creativity with commercial impact, this is your moment to shape one of SEPHORA’s most iconic categories in our newest flagship.

What you’ll be doing

• Leading, coaching and inspiring Beauty Advisors to deliver exceptional service, expert artistry and a warm, engaging customer experience.
• Providing ongoing training in makeup techniques, product knowledge, artistry services and selling skills to develop talent and deepen expertise.
• Staying up to date with makeup trends, product innovation and techniques to guide customers, inspire the team and build continuous learning.
• Driving service and sales performance through personalised consultations, artistry services, proactive engagement and thoughtful upselling.
• Overseeing the Booxi appointment system, ensuring seamless service bookings and strong team availability.
• Building advanced expertise in My Skin Diag and ensuring consistent, high quality consultations across skin tone, type and artistry needs.
• Leading Beauty Hub standards and activations, ensuring stock, consumables and service areas are maintained to the highest level.
• Ensuring operational excellence across stock management, replenishment, merchandising and department presentation.
• Partnering with store leadership to deliver impactful campaigns, activations and seasonal makeup moments.
• Conducting regular performance conversations, setting clear goals and supporting team member development plans.
• Managing Employee Relations processes professionally, including attendance, performance and follow up actions.
• Assist with new store opening activities such as unboxing, organising and preparing stock (where applicable).

What you’ll bring

• Proven experience in beauty or retail leadership with strong artistry knowledge and service delivery.
• Expertise in makeup techniques, trends and product knowledge, with the ability to coach and develop others.
• Strong leadership and team development skills with a focus on motivation, coaching and performance management.
• A passion for SEPHORA, education and creating an inclusive, empowering team culture.
• Strong sales acumen and experience driving performance across services and product sales.
• Excellent communication and customer relationship skills with a focus on tailored beauty experiences.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast paced environment.
• Confidence navigating ER matters where required.
• Comfort with in store technology including appointment systems, sales tools and inventory platforms.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and peak periods.

Beautiful Benefits at SEPHORA UK

When you join SEPHORA, you’re joining a team that we truly value – and our benefits reflect that. Here’s what you can look forward to:

• SEPHORA University – receive industry leading product, customer care and development training to help you grow your skills and your career.
• Allowances tailored to your role and location – including shoes, lunch and more.
• Competitive pay that grows with you – including annual salary reviews based on your performance and our company results.
• Performance based commission tied to collective store success.
• A generous employee discount across the world’s best beauty brands.
• A paid day off on your birthday – because you deserve to celebrate!
• Access to a perks and wellbeing platform offering discounts, wellness support, and more.
• Generous holiday allowance, plus the option to buy extra days.
• And more!

Start a beautiful career with us. Together, we belong to something beautiful.

SEPHORA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace for all. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, advancement, or other employment practices. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating and fostering an inclusive environment for all employees.