Communication and Interior Design Leader

AlFuttaim; Dubai; On-site; AED 134,000 - 223,000; Full time

Job summary

Al-Futtaim Retail in Dubai seeks a Communications and Interior Design Leader to guide visual merchandising and interior design, influencing store messaging and commercial priorities. You will lead cross-functional teams to deliver inspiring home furnishing solutions and drive customer engagement across seasonal campaigns.

Ideal candidates bring strong English, retail design experience, and the ability to translate commercial goals into effective in-store experiences that align with the IKEA

Qualifications

• University degree or higher education preferred.
• Qualification in Interior Design, Visual Merchandising, Retail Design, or related creative field preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in retail marketing, visual merchandising, interior design, store communication, or commercial activity planning.
• IKEA store experience or home furnishing retail experience is an advantage.
• Strong understanding of store presentation, range communication, customer flow, and commercial display principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and inspire Visual Merchandising, Interior Design, and Activity teams to improve store presentation, range display, and home furnishing communication.
• Develop engaging home furnishing solutions reflecting seasonal priorities and local customer needs.
• Manage store vitality calendar and coordinate with Sales Activity Manager, marketing teams, and store departments.
• Support department action plan with store design initiatives, layout improvements, and commercial calendar execution.
• Participate in commercial activity planning to improve customer journey and store navigation.

Skills

Visual merchandising

Interior design

Store communication

Range presentation

Store vitality planning

Customer journey improvement

Retail marketing

Commercial activity planning

Home furnishing solutions

Product launch coordination

Seasonal campaign execution

Internal communication

IKEA FAMILY initiative support

Microsoft Office

Strategic planning

Cross-functional teamwork

Creative team leadership

Education

University degree or higher education

Interior Design / Visual Merchandising / Retail Design related qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Communication and Interior Design Leader Job Snapshot

Role: Communication and Interior Design Leader

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Retail

Function: Visual-Display Merchandising

Experience: 3 years

Job Type: Full-time

Position Overview

Communication and Interior Design Leader in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a full-time opportunity in the Retail industry for a creative and commercially focused professional with experience in visual merchandising, interior design, store communication, retail marketing, and customer experience. The role supports IKEA store presentation by leading visual merchandising and interior design activities, developing inspiring home furnishing solutions, managing store vitality plans, and strengthening the customer journey through effective communication and range presentation. This position is suited for a retail design professional who can guide creative teams, connect commercial priorities with store layout and messaging, and help turn store visitors into engaged customers through strong visual impact and practical home furnishing inspiration.

Job Details

Country: United Arab Emirates

City: Dubai

Industry: Retail

Function: Visual-Display Merchandising

Salary: 12000-20000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.

Gender: Any

Candidate Nationality: Any

Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Communication and Interior Design Leader will play an important role in building a strong retail experience by combining interior design, visual merchandising, local marketing, store communication, and commercial activity planning. The role helps ensure the store remains inspiring, seasonally relevant, easy to navigate, and aligned with the IKEA concept, while supporting sales growth, customer engagement, and brand consistency.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and inspire the Visual Merchandising, Interior Design, and Activity teams to improve store presentation, range display, and home furnishing communication.
• Develop engaging home furnishing solutions that reflect seasonal priorities, local customer needs, life-at-home themes, and commercial activities.
• Manage the store vitality calendar and coordinate implementation with the Sales Activity Manager, marketing teams, and store departments.
• Support the department action plan by contributing to store design initiatives, layout improvements, activity planning, and commercial calendar execution.
• Participate in commercial activity planning to improve the customer journey, strengthen store navigation, and create a more inspiring shopping experience.
• Maintain the integrity of the IKEA brand through consistent range presentation, clear communication, and distinctive visual merchandising standards.
• Plan and execute store solutions using the IKEA concept, commercial priorities, strategic messaging, and customer-focused design thinking.
• Work with Communication and Interior Design teams and marketing stakeholders to support local campaigns, store traffic initiatives, product launches, and seasonal events.
• Organize and lead vitality and activity meetings to align teams on new collections, celebrations, promotions, and customer engagement activities.
• Collect, update, and communicate product and service information so store teams can share accurate details with customers.
• Develop internal communication channels such as newsletters, intranet updates, and key messages to keep co-workers informed.
• Support store management during urgent communication needs by preparing clear messages, FAQs, and customer or team updates.
• Identify communication needs across co-worker groups and ensure key information reaches the right teams at the right time.
• Coordinate local IKEA FAMILY initiatives in-store and ensure benefits, offers, and campaign messages are visible and understood.
• Work with national marketing teams on catalogue distribution, promotions, activity planning, and marketing business plan alignment.

Ideal Profile

The ideal candidate should combine creative design ability with practical retail awareness, strong communication skills, and the confidence to lead cross-functional store activities. The role requires someone who understands how visual merchandising, interior design, store messaging, and local marketing work together to influence customer behavior and improve business performance.

• University degree or higher education qualification is preferred.
• Qualification in Interior Design, Visual Merchandising, Retail Design, or a related creative field is preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in retail marketing, visual merchandising, interior design, store communication, or commercial activity planning.
• IKEA store experience or home furnishing retail experience is an advantage.
• Strong understanding of store presentation, range communication, customer flow, and commercial display principles.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
• Strong English communication skills are required.
• Arabic language skills are preferred.
• Ability to lead creative teams, coordinate with multiple departments, and implement action plans.
• Strong planning, analytical thinking, problem-solving, and execution skills.

Skills Set

• Visual merchandising
• Interior design
• Retail store communication
• Range presentation
• Store vitality planning
• Customer journey improvement
• Retail marketing
• Commercial activity planning
• Home furnishing solutions
• Product launch coordination
• Seasonal campaign execution
• Internal communication
• IKEA FAMILY initiative support
• Microsoft Office
• Strategic planning
• Cross-functional teamwork
• Creative team leadership

Why Join Us

This role offers a strong opportunity to grow within Dubai's retail and home furnishing sector while working on creative store experiences, customer engagement activities, commercial campaigns, and visual merchandising projects. The position provides exposure to brand-led retail design, local marketing, team leadership, and store transformation initiatives that directly influence customer satisfaction and sales performance.

About the Company

Al-Futtaim Retail is part of Al-Futtaim Group, a diversified business headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Through its retail partnerships and regional operations, the group delivers customer-focused brand experiences across home furnishing, lifestyle, automotive, healthcare, real estate, and consumer sectors, with a strong focus on service quality, innovation, and long-term career development.