Business Operations Internship

Arlettie is offering a cross-functional Business Operations Internship providing practical exposure to the luxury fashion and private sales industry.

Unlike a traditional single-department internship, this placement offers a 360° view of the business. The intern will work across multiple teams, gaining hands-on experience and an understanding of how different functions contribute to business performance.

Rotations include Business Development, Business Operations, Human Resources, Account Management & Brand Partnerships, Membership & Customer Experience, and Showroom & Retail Operations. Rotation lengths will depend on placement duration and business activity.

1. Business Development

Purpose: Understand how businesses identify growth opportunities and develop commercial relationships.

The intern may gain exposure to:

• Brand and partner research
• Market and competitor analysis
• Identifying commercial opportunities
• Preparing presentations and proposals
• Business development reporting
• Commercial planning meetings

Learning outcome: Develop an understanding of business growth, commercial strategy and relationship development.

2. Business Operations

Purpose: Understand how the London business is managed and how departments work together.

Working alongside the Country Manager, the intern may gain exposure to:

• Day-to-day business management
• Operational and commercial planning
• Business performance and priorities
• Cross-departmental coordination
• Projects and process improvements
• Management meetings
• Business reporting and analysis
• Operational problem-solving and decision-making

Learning outcome: Develop an understanding of business leadership, operational management and organisational decision-making.

3. Human Resources

Purpose: Understand how HR supports employees, managers and organisational objectives.

The intern may support with:

• Recruitment and interviews
• Employee onboarding and inductions
• HR administration
• Training and development
• Employee engagement
• Workforce planning
• Understanding employee relations and employment compliance

Access to confidential employee information will be restricted where appropriate.

Learning outcome: Understand the employee lifecycle and how people management supports business performance.

4. Account Management & Brand Partnerships

Purpose: Understand how Arlettie manages luxury brand relationships and coordinates private sales.

The intern may gain exposure to:

• Planning upcoming brand sales
• Brand administration and requirements
• Cross-departmental coordination
• Client expectations and commercial relationships
• Following a sale from planning through to completion

Learning outcome: Develop an understanding of client relationships, stakeholder communication and commercial project delivery.

5. Membership & Customer Experience

Purpose: Understand how Arlettie develops and engages its member community.

The intern may support with:

• Member acquisition and registration
• Customer communications and enquiries
• Telephone and email engagement
• Membership administration
• Customer engagement and retention
• Understanding customer profiles
• Reviewing membership data
• VIP member engagement where appropriate
• Customer feedback and targeted communications

Learning outcome: Develop an understanding of customer acquisition, retention, data and customer experience.

6. Showroom & Retail Operations

Purpose: Gain practical experience of Arlettie’s core operation and understand how commercial planning translates into a live sale.

The intern will gain exposure to:

• Showroom preparation and sale set-up
• Stock and inventory processes
• Customer service and member experience
• Floor and till operations
• Staffing requirements
• Health & safety and security
• Operational problem-solving
• Sale breakdown and post-sale reviews

The intern will take a hands-on approach and support the team during live sales.

Learning outcome: Understand the requirements of managing a fast-paced retail operation and delivering an excellent customer experience.

Overall Learning Objectives

By the end of the placement, the intern should be able to:

• Understand how key business functions work together
• Understand commercial strategy and operational delivery
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholders
• Understand basic commercial performance measures
• Apply business theory in a practical environment
• Conduct research and analyse information
• Contribute to projects and business improvements
• Understand customer acquisition and retention
• Understand the fundamentals of people management
• Demonstrate organisation and time management
• Develop confidence within a professional environmentCandidate Profile

This placement would be particularly suitable for a student studying:

• Business Management
• Business Administration
• International Business
• Retail or Fashion Business
• Entrepreneurship
• A related business discipline

The successful candidate should be:

• Commercially curious
• Proactive and enthusiastic
• Organised with strong attention to detail
• Confident communicating with different people
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment
• Interested in luxury fashion, retail and business
• Willing to take a hands-on approach
• Able to work both independently and collaboratively
• Professional when handling confidential information
• Comfortable using Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook

What the Intern Will Gain

This placement provides an opportunity to experience the full lifecycle of a business rather than one individual function.

The intern will see how Arlettie develops relationships with luxury brands, plans commercial activity, markets its sales, engages its member community, recruits and manages its workforce, operates its showroom and ultimately delivers and reviews each sale.

By working across both commercial and operational departments, the intern will leave the placement with a broad understanding of how the different elements of a business connect and contribute to its overall success.