Manager, Visual Merchandising

Prelude Growth; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Westman Atelier seeks a Manager, Visual Merchandising to bring product campaigns to life in retail. You will design fixtures, front‑of‑store displays and events, from concept through photoreal render to production files, leading VM design and collaborating with retailer partners like Sephora.

You will translate brand world into engaging 3D concepts, guide junior designers, and ensure quality across campaigns and installations in a fast paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Interior Design, Architecture, Graphic Design or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5 to 7+ years of experience in visual merchandising, retail design or brand environments, ideally in prestige beauty, fashion or luxury.
• Portfolio showing photoreal 3D renders and strong 2D graphic design with refined aesthetic and attention to detail.
• Proficiency in 3D modeling/rendering (Cinema 4D, Rhino, SketchUp, Blender, KeyShot, V‑Ray) and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
• Experience with AI image generation tools as part of a professional workflow.
• Experience designing for wholesale retail partners; Sephora a strong plus.
• Understanding fabrication/print processes for retail fixtures; ability to mentor others.

Responsibilities

• Design and render fixtures, focus units, front‑of‑store tables, gondolas, pop‑ups and events from concept to photoreal render.
• Produce pitch‑ready renders and visual stories for key retail partners, accurate to fixture specs.
• Build efficient rendering workflows using 3D software, AI tools and Photoshop to deliver high‑quality visuals fast.
• Integrate campaign artwork and product into 3D environments with true‑to‑life scale and materials.

Skills

Visual merchandising

Retail environment design

Leadership

End-to-end project management

Creative collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design or related field

Tools

Cinema 4D

Rhino

SketchUp

Blender

KeyShot

V-Ray

Photoshop

Illustrator

InDesign

AI image generation tools

Job description

About Westman Atelier

A new standard of clean luxury. Founded by world-renowned editorial makeup artist Gucci Westman, Westman Atelier is a curated edit of skin-loving, performance-first makeup that is always effortless, never overdone. A mother, makeup artist, and champion of holistic living, Gucci believes passionately that ‘luxury’, ‘efficacy’ and ‘clean’ can be synonymous with exceptional makeup.

• A skincare approach to high performance make-up formulated with clean ingredients and no-compromise integrity
• Balancing perfect shades and buttery textures that melt into the skin with plant-based actives and cutting-edge science

About Our Founder

Gucci Westman has more than 20 years of professional experience as a major editorial makeup artist, contributing to publications like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Gucci is known for creating dewy, supernaturally glowy looks and her highly coveted “second-skin approach” to makeup, resulting in naturally beautiful, radiantly amplified skin.

Position Summary

Westman Atelier is seeking a Manager, Visual Merchandising, to bring our product and campaigns to life in physical retail, in both 3D and 2D. This person will design and render fixtures, focus units, front-of-store tables and in-store activations, from first concept through photoreal render to production‑ready files, and will lead the VM graphic design team on in‑store and events artwork and collateral. They will be a go‑to partner for retailer pitches, including Sephora, and will set a high standard for craft, speed and ownership.

The Manager, Visual Merchandising, translates Westman Atelier’s brand world into retail environments that stop shoppers and drive product trial. Combining environmental design, visual art, and strategic business goals, this role converts creative briefs into engaging 3D concepts, photorealistic renderings, and 2D visual merchandising graphics. The candidate will lead internal creative reviews and collaborate directly with vendor partners to execute displays in retail settings. They operate with a high degree of autonomy in a fast‑paced, evolving environment. This role sits within the Store Design & Visual Merchandising team, reports to the Director, Visual Merchandising, and manages a Junior Graphic Designer.

Responsibilities:

3D Design and Rendering

• Design and render fixtures, focus units, front‑of‑store tables, gondolas, pop‑ups and events, from concept sketch to photoreal render.
• Produce pitch‑ready renders and visual stories for key retail partners, including Sephora, accurate to retailer fixture specifications and dimensions.
• Build efficient rendering workflows that combine 3D software, AI image generation tools and Photoshop compositing to deliver high‑quality visuals at speed.
• Integrate campaign artwork, packaging and product accurately into 3D environments, with true‑to‑life scale, color and materials.

2D Visual Merchandising Design

• Lead and oversee the creation of VM artwork, retailer graphics, printed collateral and in‑store signage, with the Junior Graphic Designer.
• Translate global campaigns and product launches into in‑store concepts across retailers and regions, safeguarding the brand’s look and feel.
• Develop production‑ready artwork, design files and technical drawings for fixtures, trays, risers and dimensional elements, in partnership with fabrication and print vendors.
• Bring working print production knowledge across all 2D artwork, including CMYK conversions, image resolution, paper and substrate selection, and preparing print‑ready files, partnering with the Junior Graphic Designer and print vendors to ensure accurate color and quality at retail.

Ownership and delivery

• Own projects end to end: clarify the brief at kickoff, set milestones, share work in progress at the midpoint, and deliver to the brief on time.
• Flag risks, gaps and competing priorities early, with a proposed solution, so decisions can be made together while there is time to act.
• Manage multiple projects at once, prioritizing and adapting as business needs evolve.

People leadership and collaboration

• Manage, develop and prioritize the work of a Junior Graphic Designer, providing clear direction, constructive feedback and mentorship, with the potential to grow the team.
• Manage external vendors, renderers and freelancers to maintain quality, timelines and brand consistency.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Creative, and Sales to align VM concepts with launch strategy and retailer requirements.
• Help build the team’s processes, templates and asset libraries so the function can scale.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Interior Design, Architecture, Graphic Design or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5 to 7+ years of experience in visual merchandising, retail design or brand environments, ideally in prestige beauty, fashion or luxury.
• Portfolio demonstrating both photoreal 3D renders of retail fixtures and environments and strong 2D graphic design, with a refined aesthetic and attention to detail.
• Expert proficiency in 3D modeling and rendering (such as Cinema 4D, Rhino, SketchUp, Blender, KeyShot or V‑Ray) and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
• Working fluency with AI image generation tools (such as Gemini) as part of a professional design workflow.
• Experience designing for wholesale retail partners, including retailer fixture guidelines and approval processes. Sephora experience a strong plus.
• Understanding of fabrication, print and production processes for retail fixtures and dimensional displays.
• Experience managing or mentoring a designer, plus freelancers and vendors.
• Proven ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and deliver high‑quality work in a fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environment.
• Clear, proactive communicator who raises questions early and takes ownership of outcomes.

Westman Atelier offers a holistic total compensation package designed to support employees in all aspects of life, including a robust suite of health benefits, wellness perks, 401k, and paid parental leave. The base salary for this position will range from $100,000 - $115,000. Exact compensation may vary based on job related skills, experience, and location.