Visual Merchandising Associate (Full-time)-Michigan Ave, Chicago IL

FAST RETAILING CO., LTD.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 21,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401K with employer matching

Paid vacation

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

UNIQLO in Chicago seeks a Visual Associate to translate brand standards into store displays and layouts. Reporting to the Visual Manager, you will support seasonal merchandising, ensure signage, and create compelling displays that drive sales.

You will work with store teams to maintain visual integrity, adjust lighting, and present merchandise in full-size runs. The role demands a keen eye for detail, teamwork, and a commitment to Uniqlo's customer-first service standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum one year in retail visual merchandising or display.
• Ability to create compelling visual presentations according to brand guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Maintain brand standards for visual presentation, cleanliness and organization throughout the store.
• Ensure merchandise is on floor in full size runs with proper signage.
• Assist management with seasonal merchandising and new visual initiatives.
• Monitor sell-through and replenishment using sales reports.
• Create appealing displays to drive sales and follow styling directives.

Skills

Visual Merchandising

Brand Standards

Merchandise Placement

Team Collaboration

Attention to Detail

Customer Service

Lighting Adjustment

Job description

Position Overview

Reporting to the Visual Manager, the Visual Associate provides solutions to store specific visual and merchandising challenges using brand standards and corporate visual guidelines to maintain brand integrity. The Visual Associate adapts corporate visual direction based on individual store need and inventory levels to drive sales through strategic merchandise placement, impactful styling and compelling displays.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide a consistent customer experience by maintaining brand standards for visual presentation, cleanliness and organization throughout the store.
• Ensure all merchandise is represented on the floor in full size runs and proper signage is present.
• Partner with management to prepare for and implement seasonal merchandising presentations and new visual merchandising initiatives.
• Partner with store management team to monitor merchandise sell through and replenishment utilizing sales reports.
• Create visually appealing and brand appropriate displays to drive sales and react to the needs of the business in the store.
• Follow company styling directives to style on trend displays.
• Adjust lighting to highlight merchandise and displays per company standard.
• Pro-actively manage customer needs and exceed expectations by utilizing the U.N.I.Q.L.O. service standard, following the Uniqlo Fundamental Principles and saying the 6 standard phrases.
• Provide product and brand knowledge to employees and customers.
• Follow all company policy and procedure & notify management of any infractions.
• Assist management to identify and resolve issues in the store.
• Support store team to meet and exceed sales goals.
• Assist with special projects as assigned by management.

Required Skills And Abilities

• Ability to create compelling visual presentations according to company guidelines and brand standards.
• Ability to use creative freedom when styling mannequins.
• Ability to drive sales through effective merchandise placement and display.
• Excellent eye for detail.
• Ability to offer solutions to store specific visual and merchandising challenges using brand standards and HQ direction as a guideline.
• Ability to identify potential visual merchandising opportunities and provide creative solutions.
• Ability to work within teams and create partnerships.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and work with a sense of urgency.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work on ladders (i.e. carry mannequins, product or display props up ladders).
• Ability to effectively communicate with customers and store personnel.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to stand for long periods of time, read computer terminals, push, pull or move objects of at least 25 pounds.
• Ability to effectively maneuver around sales floor and stockroom by repetitive bending, twisting, stooping, squatting, and climbing.

Schedule Requirements

Open availability to work a flexible schedule that meets the business needs, including evenings, overnights and weekends.

Experience

Minimum one (1) year in retail visual merchandising or display.

Salary

$17/hr

Benefits

Full-Time, hourly position, the Company provides: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life & ADD, Short and Long Term Disability Flexible spending and commuter benefits accounts 15 days of paid vacation/personal leave and 9 days of sick leave per calendar year, pro-rated based on hire date; 8 days of paid holidays and 1.5 times the employee’s regular rate for all hours worked on stated holidays 401K (with employer matching); We offer competitive compensation for visual merchandising associates starting at $20.00 along with a clear path to promotion opportunities every 3 months based on individual performance! Career advancement opportunities for driven team members who consistently deliver strong results.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Fast Retailing does not discriminate against applicants or employees because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, disability, age, citizenship, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or because of any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state or local law. The Company is committed to equal pay initiatives and will not ask candidates for their current or past salary. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Fast Retailing does not discriminate against applicants or employees because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, disability, age, citizenship, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or because of any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

About the Company

UNIQLO is a brand of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., a leading Japanese retail holding company with global headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. UNIQLO is the largest of eight brands in the Fast Retailing Group, the others being GU, Theory, PLST, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse tam.tam, J Brand and Helmut Lang. Fast Retailing is one of the world’s largest apparel retail companies, and UNIQLO is Japan’s leading specialty retailer. UNIQLO continues to open large-scale stores in some of the world's most important cities and locations, as part of its ongoing efforts to solidify its status as a global brand. Today the company has a total of more than 2,500 UNIQLO stores across the world, including Japan, Asia, Europe and North America. The total number of stores across Fast Retailing's brands is now over 3,600. With a corporate statement committed to changing clothes, changing conventional wisdom and change the world, Fast Retailing is dedicated to creating great clothing with new and unique value to enrich the lives of people everywhere. For more information about UNIQLO and Fast Retailing, please visit www.uniqlo.com and www.fastretailing.com. For additional information regarding Uniqlo Careers please visit our Global Career Page. Apparel that comes from the Japanese values of simplicity, quality and longevity. Designed to be of the time and for the time, LifeWear is made with such modern elegance that it becomes the building blocks of each individual’s style. A perfect shirt that is always being made more perfect. The simplest design hiding the most thoughtful and modern details. The best in fit and fabric made to be affordable and accessible to all. LifeWear is clothing that is constantly being innovated, bringing more warmth, more lightness, better design, and better comfort to people’s lives. Unlocking The Power Of Clothing We believe we can turn the power of clothing into a force for good. By designing, making and selling good clothing, we can make the world a better place. Good clothing means simple clothing, high in quality, and built to last. It's clothing that enriches the lives of people who wear it by giving them comfort, protection and pleasure. It is produced in a way that is harmonious with nature, without excessive burden on the environment. Good clothing is made by people of diverse backgrounds working with energy and enthusiasm, under conditions where their health, safety and human rights are respected and upheld. And we will extend this same spirit to our customers and all our Stakeholders, working with them to aspire to a better society where we all thrive. This is our promise: to always work toward a better, more sustainable society. Fast Retailing embraces and promotes diversity and inclusion. We believe these concepts nurture our culture, helping to change our business, the people working within it, and all of society for the better. We respect and appreciate each individual’s points of difference and personality and strive to create a diverse team where every person has equal opportunity to use their greatest abilities to fulfill their potential.