Senior Project Manager Retail Activation & Experience

APS Group; Halfweg; Hybrid; EUR 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

29 vacation days

Pension scheme

Commuting allowance

Travel expense reimbursement

Partial remote work

Job summary

APS Group is seeking a Senior Project Manager Retail Activation & Experience to lead end-to-end retail campaigns for international brands across stores and markets.

You will translate briefs into engaging in-store experiences, coordinate creative and production teams, manage budgets and timelines, and act as the primary client contact to ensure campaigns are delivered on time, on brief and to the highest quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree level or equivalent through experience.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Retail Marketing, Activation or Brand Experience.
• Experience delivering campaigns for international brands or retailers.
• Strong understanding of retail environments and consumer engagement.
• Proven ability to manage creative, client, suppliers and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end retail activation and brand experience projects from briefing to implementation.
• Translate briefs into impactful retail experiences and activation solutions.
• Collaborate with creative and production teams to develop concepts into campaigns.
• Ensure rollout of global campaigns across multiple markets.
• Balance creativity, budgets, timelines and operational feasibility.
• Act as primary day-to-day contact for client stakeholders and internal teams.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams including Creative, Procurement, Production, Logistics and Client Services.
• Manage external suppliers and production partners throughout delivery.

Skills

Project management

Retail activation

Client management

Stakeholder management

Budgeting

Organizational skills

English communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

ERP

CRM

Project management systems

Job description

Bringing global retail campaigns to life In-Store

Are you an experienced project manager with a passion for retail, brand experiences and consumer engagement? Do you thrive on turning creative ideas into impactful retail activations that attract consumers, enhance the shopping experience and bring brands to life in-store? If so, we would love to meet you!

At APS Group, we work with some of the world's leading brands and retailers. As a Senior Project Manager Retail Activation & Experience, you will play a key role in delivering retail campaigns that create meaningful consumer experiences across stores and markets. From eye-catching window campaigns and store takeovers to seasonal brand activations and in-store experiences, you will be responsible for managing projects from briefing through to implementation, ensuring creative ideas are executed successfully in retail environments.

Working at the intersection of client management, creative development, production and execution, you will help translate global brand strategies into compelling retail experiences that drive consumer engagement and commercial impact.

What will you be doing?

As a Senior Project Manager Retail Activation & Experience, you will work on the development, coordination and delivery of retail activation projects for one of our largest international clients.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing end-to-end retail activation and brand experience projects from briefing through to implementation
• Translating campaign and brand briefs into impactful retail experiences and activation solutions
• Collaborating closely with creative and production teams to develop concepts into executable retail campaigns
• Ensuring the successful rollout of global retail campaigns across multiple markets
• Balancing creativity, brand ambition, operational feasibility, budgets and timelines
• Acting as the primary day-to-day contact for client stakeholders and internal teams
• Working closely together with cross-functional teams including Creative, Procurement, Production, Logistics and Client Services
• Managing external suppliers and production partners throughout project delivery
• Challenging briefs and concepts to ensure they are achievable, impactful and commercially viable
• Proactively identifying risks and driving solutions when timelines, budgets or deliverables come under pressure
• Supporting the execution of window campaigns, visual merchandising initiatives, POS materials and in-store activations
• Ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards
• Providing project reporting, forecasting and stakeholder updates
• Continuously identifying opportunities to improve ways of working, execution processes and campaign delivery

Your role within APS

You will be the link between retail design, creative development and execution.

You understand what makes a retail environment engaging and how to translate and manage creative concepts into meaningful in-store experiences that strengthen brand visibility and drive consumer interaction. You will work closely with:

• Creative Teams
• Client Services
• Procurement
• Production
• Logistics
• Order Management
• International Client Teams
• External Suppliers and Production Partners

Through your project leadership, retail expertise and strong communication skills, you ensure campaigns are delivered successfully while keeping all stakeholders aligned throughout the process.

What do you bring?

• Bachelor's degree level or equivalent through experience
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Retail Marketing, Retail Activation, Brand Experience, Retail Design, Marketing Execution or a similar project management role
• Experience managing retail campaigns for international brands or retailers preferably in the field of fashion
• Strong understanding of retail environments, consumer engagement and brand experience
• Experience delivering campaigns from briefing and concept development through to implementation
• Proven ability to work effectively with creative teams, clients, suppliers and operational stakeholders
• Experience working in fast-paced environments with tight deadlines and multiple stakeholders
• Understanding of retail execution, visual merchandising, POS materials and in-store campaign implementation
• Strong project management and organisational skills
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously
• Experience with ERP, CRM or project management systems is an advantage
• Excellent communication skills in English, additional European languages are a plus

Desired skills

• Strong affinity with retail, branding and consumer behaviour
• Experience developing and delivering retail activations and brand experiences
• Ability to challenge and improve creative concepts while maintaining brand integrity
• Strong stakeholder management skills across multiple departments and seniority levels
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Strong planning, organisation and prioritisation capabilities
• Commercial awareness combined with a pragmatic approach
• Solution-oriented mindset and ability to perform under pressure
• Attention to detail while maintaining a clear overview of project objectives
• Ability to adapt quickly in an environment where priorities and creative directions may evolve throughout a project lifecycle

Who are you?

You are energised by bringing brands to life in physical retail environments while collaborating with colleagues across regions. You understand what creates a memorable retail experience and how creative ideas can be transformed into impactful executions that strengthen brand presence.

You enjoy working in a fast-moving environment, can manage change effectively and remain calm and organised when deadlines are demanding. You are:

• Highly organised
• Results-driven
• Relationship-focused
• Commercially aware
• Solution-oriented
• Detail-oriented
• Proactive
• Positive and enthusiastic
• Comfortable working in an international environment
• Able to confidently engage with clients, creatives and suppliers

What we are looking for

We are not looking for a traditional project manager. We are looking for someone who understands how brands come to life in retail. Someone with experience in retail activation, brand experience, retail design or marketing execution who can successfully navigate the space between client expectations, creative ambition and operational delivery.

Ideally, you have experience working with global brands in fashion, sports, lifestyle, beauty or other consumer-driven sectors, and you understand the challenges of delivering ambitious retail campaigns across multiple markets and tight timelines. This role offers the opportunity to work with leading international brands and play a key role in shaping how consumers experience those brands in-store.

What do we offer?

• A competitive salary and benefits package that reflects the responsibilities of this challenging role
• 29 vacation days based on a full-time (40-hour) contract
• A pension scheme and commuting allowance
• A fixed-term contract with the prospect of a permanent position upon satisfactory performance
• The opportunity to work for a fast-growing organization in an international environment
• Plenty of room to grow and develop your talents
• The possibility to work partly from home
• Travel expense reimbursement of up to 100 km per day

Does this sound like your next career move?