Apply on Employer Site

Mars · 1 day ago

Visual Merchandising Lead- Activation Development & New Product Launches

Newark, NJ

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

$77K/yr - $106K/yr

Mars is a global leader in the confectionery industry, and they are seeking a Visual Merchandising Lead to plan and execute their Visual Merchandising Strategy. This role involves developing and maintaining planograms, creating visual merchandising assets, and ensuring compliance with corporate visual standards to drive sales and enhance customer experience.

ConfectioneryConsumer GoodsFood and BeverageManufacturing

Growth Opportunities

Responsibilities

Plan and drive the workload forward against retail activation calendar, adhering to benchmarks and priorities, communicating to stores as well as monitoring and adjusting for updates

Serve as a strong team partner to stores with solution-based approach to merchandising and navigating through the retail environment and anticipating next while ensuring a flawless customer experience and creative execution

Collaborate on development of creative visual assets including fixtures and determine distribution of signage, graphics, fixtures, and merchandising that exemplify the best brand expression

Participate in evaluating and analyzing the success of merchandising plans regarding sales and achieving KPIs, implementing changes as needed across the fleet

Lead development of visual communications directives for seasonal activation execution and new product integration and disperse information through operational channels and directing store teams

Develop floor layouts, fixture plans, and activations for featured merchandising strategies across the fleet

Partner, coach, and develop store visual leads and store teams to understand corporate visual merchandising standards and provide regular, qualitative feedback and regular guidance to execute and maintain flawlessly

Will liaise with store ops in field and HQ on launch dates and development milestones through our work processes, communication distribution and regular meeting cadence

Actively seek creative visual excellence through competitive research, industry expertise, and unconventional sources of creative inspiration

Bring forward opportunities for new and cutting-edge VM implementations aligned to and for the M&M’S Brand

Qualification

Visual MerchandisingPlanogram DevelopmentAdobe Creative SuiteProject ManagementRetail Environment ExperienceGraphic Design3D Modeling SoftwareTeam LeadershipCommunication SkillsCreative Problem Solving

Required

degree in visual merchandising, fashion merchandising, marketing, industrial design, graphic design or related field or equivalent business experience

Extensive visual merchandising experience in a high paced retail store environment and corporate experience with multi store responsibility and project management required

Comprehensive understanding of merchandising principles for apparel and hardlines, building planograms and category sales management

Experience designing and producing complex visual merchandising displays, graphics, 2D/3D visual components and fixtures specifically for the retail environment as well as guide event marketing set design

Deep knowledge of prop material specs and function within a retail environment

Experience with planning floor set changes and solving for the domino effect

Advanced computer skills required, including Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite (illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop)

POG software knowledge, rendering skills in Google SketchUp or similar 3D modeling software program is required

Knowledgeable about global fashion, hospitality, design and visual merchandising trends and experienced in interpreting/applying to an iconic brand

Experience in project management in complex initiatives and launches, with critical deadlines & budgets in high pressure environments

Experience leading store teams directly and effectively leading through influence

Possesses a practical skillset (merchandising, fixturing and propping) in implementing VM initiatives in the store environment, can stand for daily shifts, climb ladders, lift boxes up to 25lbs, mannequins and props

Portfolio of previous work required