Senior Manager/Lead - Visual Merchandising - Retail Stores (12-15 yrs)

Senior Manager - Visual Merchandising Lead - Retail

About the Role:

We are looking for a creative and detail-oriented Visual Merchandising Lead to head the VM strategy and execution across all retail stores. This role will drive visual consistency, enhance customer experience, and bring the brand to life across stores, especially during new store openings (NSO), seasonal campaigns, and brand initiatives. The ideal candidate is a visual storyteller with strong design sensibility and retail awareness.

Key Responsibilities:

NSO (New Store Opening) VM Execution:

- Lead end-to-end visual setup for new store launches: from layout planning to final execution.

- Coordinate with design, project, and procurement teams for timely execution of VM elements.

- Ensure brand identity and visual standards are met from Day 1 of store opening.

VM Planning & Strategy:

- Develop seasonal VM calendars and window concepts aligned with marketing campaigns.

- Create VM guidelines and SOPs for all formats: flagship, high-street, mall stores, etc.

- Partner with the merchandising team to plan product displays based on category performance.

Creative Direction & Innovation:

- Design new concepts, props, themes, and visual stories to keep store experience fresh and engaging.

- Experiment with sustainable materials, tech-integrated displays, or digital VM as applicable.

Team & Vendor Management:

- Lead a team of regional/store VMs and train them on brand VM standards.

- Work with external vendors, artists, and agencies for execution of props and installs.

Audit, Monitoring & Feedback:

- Conduct regular VM audits across stores and take corrective actions.

- Collect customer and team feedback to refine VM approach.

- Track the impact of VM changes on customer engagement and sales uplift.

Cross-functional Collaboration:

- Collaborate with Marketing, Design, Ops, and Store Teams to ensure 360- brand representation.

- Align VM plans with store layouts, lighting, fixtures, and planograms.

What We're Looking For:

- Expertise in 3D visualization, mood boards, planograms, and VM software (SketchUp, CorelDraw, Photoshop, etc.).

- Strong understanding of space planning, store flow, and consumer behavior.

- Hands-on approach to execution with an eye for detail.

- Ability to travel for store openings, audits, and regional execution.