Visual Merchandising Lead

Heads Up For Tails; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Heads Up For Tails (HUFT) is seeking a seasoned Visual Merchandising/VM Lead to shape in-store experiences across formats. You will define a clear store identity, build storytelling guidelines, and create modular VM systems that scale from small boutiques to larger formats.

Collaborate with brand, retail, product and design teams to bring campaigns to life and elevate customer journeys. The right candidate combines aesthetic sense with practical systems thinking, enjoys hands-on shelving fixes,

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of relevant experience.
• Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in the relevant field.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal & written).
• Proven working experience in retail sales.
• Animal lover preferred.
• Strong aesthetic sense and ability to design scalable VM systems.

Responsibilities

• Define a clear, ownable visual identity for stores.
• Build guidelines for storytelling across zones: food, treats, toys, grooming, wellness, etc.
• Develop modular planograms that work across different store formats.
• Create display logic frameworks that teams can adapt.
• Standardize fixtures, signage, storytelling blocks, and key focal points.
• Train store teams on VM basics and ongoing upkeep.
• Build simple, usable VM playbooks for teams on the ground.
• Conduct audits and continuously elevate store standards.
• Design seasonal themes, campaigns, and in-store experiences.
• Bring campaigns to life across stores.
• Partner cross-functionally with brand, retail, product, and design teams.

Skills

Visual merchandising

Store design

Retail

Customer experience

Brand alignment

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

• Define a clear, ownable visual identity for stores
• Build guidelines for storytelling across zones: food, treats, toys, grooming, wellness, etc.
• Ensure every store feels like HUFT, regardless of size or city

Key Responsibilities/What You Will Do

Create the HUFT Retail Visual Language

• Define a clear, ownable visual identity for stores
• Build guidelines for storytelling across zones: food, treats, toys, grooming, wellness, etc.
• Ensure every store feels like HUFT, regardless of size or city

Build Scalable VM Systems

• Develop modular planograms that work across different store formats
• Create display logic frameworks (not rigid layouts) that teams can adapt
• Standardize fixtures, signage, storytelling blocks, and key focal points

Turn Stores from “Cluttered” to “Curated”

• Simplify and declutter merchandising across categories
• Improve product visibility, navigation, and storytelling
• Create clear “moments” in-store

Drive Execution Excellence Across Stores

• Train store teams on VM basics + ongoing upkeep
• Build simple, usable VM playbooks for teams on the ground
• Conduct audits and continuously elevate store standards

Create High-Impact Retail Moments

• Design seasonal themes, campaigns, and in-store experiences
• Bring campaigns to life
• Introduce small but powerful details that create delight and discovery

Partner Cross-Functionally

• Work closely with brand, retail, product, and design teams
• Ensure VM aligns with product launches, campaigns, and business priorities

Who You Are

• You have strong aesthetic sensibility—you can walk into a space and instantly know what’s off
• You’ve worked in retail, lifestyle, fashion, or experience-led brands
• You understand that great VM is both art and system
• You’re obsessed with details, flow, and customer experience
• You can simplify complexity and build scalable frameworks
• You’re hands-on—you don’t just design decks, you fix shelves
• You care deeply about how spaces make people feel

What Will Set You Apart

• Experience working across multiple store formats
• Ability to create modular, flexible VM systems
• Strong understanding of customer behavior in physical retail
• A portfolio that shows before/after transformations
• A love for animals (this one matters to us)

Qualifications & Skills/What You Need

• 5-10 years of relevant experience
• Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in the relevant field
• Excellent communication skills (verbal & written)
• Proven working experience in retail sales
• Customer service focused
• Animal Lover Preferred

Skills: store,design,vm,retail,visual merchandising