Vice President, Store Experience Design (hybrid)

Vice President Of Store Merchandise Presentation

The Vice President of Store Merchandise Presentation will lead the vision, strategy, and execution of store merchandise presentation to drive top line sales, enhance brand identity, increase customer engagement, and simplify store execution. This role combines creativity with business acumen to create cohesive, engaging, and innovative merchandise presentation experiences that resonate with customers, drive sales, and elevate the brand's identity. The VP will lead a talented team and work cross-functionally to deliver high-impact strategies across all retail locations, ensuring consistency and alignment with the brand's overall goals.

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the overarching strategy for store merchandise presentation aligned with the company's brand portfolio, space utilization and business goals.
• Analyze market trends, customer preferences, and competitive practices to inform and evolve visual merchandising strategies.
• Serve as a thought leader in the retail industry, advocating for best practices and innovative solutions for in-store presentation.
• Lead the evolution of the in-store customer journey, focusing on natural product adjacencies, simplification, and engagement.
• Stay close to stores and customers to guide strategy to address the biggest customer needs and prioritize for future opportunities.

Merchandise Presentation and Execution

• Oversee the planning and implementation of store layouts, space planning, merchandise adjacencies, seasonal priorities, seasonal displays to drive top line sales and enhance customer experience.
• Ensure all directives are simple to execute, scalable, sustainable, and adaptable to various store formats and regional needs.
• Establish and maintain merchandise standards and guidelines to ensure consistency across all retail locations.
• Build out and execute seasonal plans that take into account sales volume, store feedback, customer needs, merchandise content strategies and promotional activity.

Customer-Centric Approach

• Use customer insights, store feedback and sales data to refine merchandising strategies and optimize product presentation and space utilization.
• Create engaging and inspiring environments that promote brand loyalty and encourage repeat visits.
• Partner with the marketing to integrate branding and ISM marketing messages into the physical retail space.
• Ensure designs are inclusive, accessible, and reflective of diverse customer needs.

Collaboration and Cross-Functional Coordination

• Work closely with store leadership, merchandising, marketing, and product teams to align presentation efforts with inventory levels, marketing campaigns, growth categories and product launches.
• Collaborate with store operations and store leadership to ensure seamless implementation of merchandising plans.
• Partner with design, facilities and construction teams to incorporate visual merchandising needs into new store layouts and remodels.
• Manage external vendors and partners to deliver high-quality work within brand standards, budget and timelines.

Team Leadership and Development

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing team of category merchandisers, project managers and field merchandise managers.
• Foster a culture of creativity, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Provide clear direction and feedback to ensure team alignment and success.

Financial and Operational Oversight

• Monitor and analyze the performance of merchandise presentation initiatives, ensuring alignment with sales growth KPIs (comp sales, $ per sq foot, conversion rates, customer satisfaction).
• Develop and manage budgets for merchandising projects; Identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising on our brand standards.
• Utilize data and analytics to evaluate the effectiveness of merchandising strategies and make data-driven improvements.
• Optimize and simplify processes and workflows to increase efficiency and reduce workload without compromising quality.

What Skills You Have

Required

• Minimum 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in retail merchandise presentation, retail leadership, planogram execution or related fields
• Proven track record of delivering store merchandise presentation projects and direction for large-scale retail brands.
• Expertise in retail trends, customer behavior, and emerging technologies.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree

Special Requirements

• Occasional travel

Essential Functions

• Ability to perform the accountabilities listed in the "What You'll Do" Section
• Ability to comply with dress code requirements
• Basic math and reading skills, legible handwriting, and basic computer operation
• Ability to maintain prompt and regular attendance and meet scheduling requirements as set by the company
• Ability to learn and comply with all company policies, procedures, standards and guidelines
• Ability to give direction and to receive, understand and proactively respond to direction from leadership and other company personnel
• Ability to work as part of a team and interact effectively and appropriately with others
• Ability to maintain composure and work in a fast paced environment while accomplishing multiple tasks within established timeframes
• Ability to use a personal computer for tasks such as communicating, preparing reports, etc.
• Ability to plan, prioritize and monitor activities across business units
• Ability to complete or oversee the completion of assigned projects in a timely manner