Visual Merchandising Lead- Activation Development & New Product Launches

Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates; Slough; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading candy manufacturer in the UK seeks a Visual Merchandising Lead to plan and execute a comprehensive merchandising strategy focusing on product launches and collaborations. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in retail and corporate visual merchandising, a relevant degree, and strong skills in graphic design and project management. This position offers a competitive salary, benefits, and opportunities for development within a diverse and innovative workplace.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Company bonus

Access to in-house learning resources

Diverse team environment

Qualifications

• Extensive visual merchandising experience in retail and corporate settings.
• Deep knowledge of merchandising principles and category management.
• Experience in designing complex visual displays and event marketing.

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage merchandising workload against retail activation calendar.
• Develop creative visual assets and distribute within stores.
• Evaluate merchandising plans for sales and KPI achievements.

Skills

Visual merchandising

Project management

Retail experience

Graphic design

Interpersonal skills

Education

Degree in visual merchandising or related field

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office

3D modeling software

Planogram software

Job description

Job Description:

Job Description

The Visual Merchandising Lead- Activation Development & New Product Launches is responsible for planning & executing Visual Merchandising Strategy around seasonal activations, new product launches and collaborations.

Newark, NJ, Las Vegas, NV or London, UK

• Primarily focused on planogram development & maintenance, VM creative development & versioning, fixture placement, sourcing and budget compliance.

• Responsible for creation of detailed VM communication and direction for POGs, VM assets and assemblage.

• Responsible for monitoring and meeting calendar benchmarks and deadlines.

• Ensures activation components and visual elements are created to spec consistently across the fleet.

• Ensures the corporate visual standards are maintained through flawless execution, operational excellence in collaboration with merchandising and multiple cross-functional retail & marketing partners.

• The role will guide the store teams in driving the overall vision and standards and provide them with the tools and direction needed for seamless execution of our merchandising strategy with the objective of driving top line sales/profits and commerciality.

What are we looking for?

• Required: degree in visual merchandising, fashion merchandising, marketing, industrial design, graphic design or related field or equivalent business experience.

• Extensive visual merchandising experience in a high paced retail store environment and corporate experience with multi store responsibility and project management required.

• Comprehensive understanding of merchandising principles for apparel and hardlines, building planograms and category sales management.

• Experience designing and producing complex visual merchandising displays, graphics, 2D/3D visual components and fixtures specifically for the retail environment as well as guide event marketing set design.

• Deep knowledge of prop material specs and function within a retail environment.

• Experience with planning floor set changes and solving for the domino effect.

• Advanced computer skills required, including Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite (illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop). POG software knowledge, rendering skills in Google SketchUp or similar 3D modeling software program is required.

• Knowledgeable about global fashion, hospitality, design and visual merchandising trends and experienced in interpreting/applying to an iconic brand.

• Experience in project management in complex initiatives and launches, with critical deadlines & budgets in high pressure environments.

• Experience leading store teams directly and effectively leading through influence.

• Possesses a practical skillset (merchandising, fixturing and propping) in implementing VM initiatives in the store environment, can stand for daily shifts, climb ladders, lift boxes up to 25lbs, mannequins and props.

• Portfolio of previous work required.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Plan and drive the workload forward against retail activation calendar, adhering to benchmarks and priorities, communicating to stores as well as monitoring and adjusting for updates.

• Serve as a strong team partner to stores with solution-based approach to merchandising and navigating through the retail environment and anticipating next while ensuring a flawless customer experience and creative execution.

• Collaborate on development of creative visual assets including fixtures and determine distribution of signage, graphics, fixtures, and merchandising that exemplify the best brand expression.

• Participate in evaluating and analyzing the success of merchandising plans regarding sales and achieving KPIs, implementing changes as needed across the fleet.

• Lead development of visual communications directives for seasonal activation execution and new product integration and disperse information through operational channels and directing store teams.

• Develop floor layouts, fixture plans, and activations for featured merchandising strategies across the fleet.

• Partner, coach, and develop store visual leads and store teams to understand corporate visual merchandising standards and provide regular, qualitative feedback and regular guidance to execute and maintain flawlessly.

• Will liaise with store ops in field and HQ on launch dates and development milestones through our work processes, communication distribution and regular meeting cadence.

• Actively seek creative visual excellence through competitive research, industry expertise, and unconventional sources of creative inspiration.

• Bring forward opportunities for new and cutting-edge VM implementations aligned to and for the M&M’S Brand.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.

• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.

• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.

• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

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