Visual Merchandising Manager

Sabenza IT & Recruitment; Durban; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 680,000; Full time

Job summary

Sabenza IT & Recruitment seeks a visionary Visual Merchandising Manager to direct in-store presentation and seasonal campaigns across Durban. You will collaborate with Marketing, Operations, and Merch teams to create cohesive, high-impact visuals that drive foot traffic and sales while protecting brand integrity.

You will lead design-ready store layouts, manage supplier relationships and budgets, and plan shoots, while ensuring timely execution for openings and campaigns.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in a managerial role leading teams.
• 5+ years visual merchandising and design experience; clothing retail preferred.
• Qualification in visual merchandising, retail management, or fashion design.
• Experience negotiating with suppliers and managing budgets.
• Head office experience collaborating across departments in visual merchandising.
• Proficiency with visual merchandising software: Illustrator, Photoshop, Mockshop, InDesign.
• Willingness to travel to store locations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the visual presentation strategy across stores and campaigns.
• Ensure consistent product presentation across stores and marketing channels.
• Align seasonal calendars with merch and marketing teams to execute campaigns on time.
• Plan photo and video shoots to support on-brand campaigns.
• Manage signage and branding elements across locales to fit campaigns.
• Negotiate with suppliers to control costs and sourcing of fixtures and signage.
• Oversee VM budgets and reporting for nationwide execution.
• Collaborate with store designers to optimize layouts and space and support open store launches.
• Benchmark competitors and drive brand elevation through innovative visuals.

Skills

Team leadership

Vendor negotiation

Budget management

Strategic planning

Store operations

Education

Visual merchandising/retail management degree

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Mockshop

InDesign

Job description

Durban, South Africa | Posted on 17/07/2026

We are seeking a creative and strategic Visual MerchandisingManager to lead the visual presentation of our retail spaces, ensuring a cohesive brand image and an engaging customer experience. You will be responsible for working in conjunction with Marketing, Operations and Merch teams to design and implement visual displays that drive foot traffic and brand consistency to maximize sales.

Role and responsibilities

• Ensuring the Strategy is in line with the Brand and sub-brands vision for the various departments.
• Consistent product presentation in store and all marketing mediums.
• Align Merch and Marketing seasonal calendars to ensure the correct processes and timings are followed to execute the strategies on time at a high level and ensure all elements land in stores on time for each campaign.
• Plan photo and videography shoots with the team to ensure deliverables are met and campaigns launch on time.
• Manage the seasonal signage requirements based on merch requirements in store. Promotional signage, marked down/last of the best sellers signage, lifestyle, departmental and window signage.
• Build strong relationships with suppliers and negotiate pricing for fixtures, fittings, design elements and signage each season to ensure efficiencies and keeping costs low.
• Manage signage distribution to stores based on each grade’s requirement.
• Maintain efficient VM collateral for reuse and cost efficiencies.
• Support the VM Ops teams in the field with the VM strategies and enhance the store experience across all grades.
• Maximize space in stores by enhancing the store flow and create smooth shopping journeys alongside the store designers.
• Work with the store design team to plan layouts, fixtures and visuals. Lead all VM activities to ensure each store opening is executed at a high level.
• Compare competitor shops to ensure we are elevating the brand from a visual perspective, keeping up with trends and innovating to gain market share.
• Sourcing of materials and accessories for displays through a robust supply base that is cost effective.
• Manage annual/seasonal budgets to ensure no overspending.
• Reporting: keep a close eye on execution across the country, give regular feedback and present seasonal VM plans.

Strategic seasonal VM plan

1. Creating the store navigation (flow of product/departments).
2. Seasonal training videos on store layout and execution.
3. Creating seasonal and monthly merchandising guides of visual displays, mannequin dressings and product merchandising that meet the store’s visual design requirements to showcase fashion packs and clarity of offer for each grade.
4. Clear instructions around signage and placement for the season.
5. Monthly window design plans created as guides for store operations.
6. Create VM guides for key seasonal campaigns such as Black Friday and High Summer.
7. Lead training sessions with our field Ops teams to land the hottest VM strategies each season, taking the lead from our merchandiseteam.

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years’ experience within a managerial role and leading teams.
• Visual merchandising and design experience for 5+ years (clothing retail preferable).
• Qualification in the same or similar field such as visual merchandising, retail management, fashion design is beneficial.
• Experience working with, negotiating and managing suppliers.
• Head office experience working within visual merchandising, across departments and teams.
• Technical skills in visual merchandising software (e.g., Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Mockshop and InDesign).
• Proven experience in owning and managing a capex & opex budget.
• Flexibility to travel to store locations.