Senior Visual Merchandising Manager (maternity cover contract)

We are looking for a Senior Visual Merchandising Manager to join Team OB in our Support Office on a 12 month maternity cover contract.

As a Senior Visual Merchandising Manager at OB you will be responsible for delivering OB’s visual brand identity to stores, using a commercial and creative approach.

By understanding the complexities of each store and working closely with Store Design, Buying, Merchandising, Retail and VM teams, you will take steps to elevate the customer journey. You will create visual ideas having analysed trade requirements and design strategies and communicate these to the VM team to deliver.

You will be a key member in directing the VM execution of new store set ups and education of visual fixtures and props in new stores. You will work with the VM Product Managers to ensure VM direction is in line with the brand vision and communicated effectively to our stores. Work with the VM Field Manager to support the development of the Area Visual Merchandisers.

Our Support Office is based in Tolworth, near Chessington, only a 30-minute journey from London Waterloo. We offer hybrid working of 3 days per week in the office / out in stores. This role covers all OB stores including new openings so involves travel across the UK and Ireland.

A bit about us …

At Oliver Bonas (OB), our values of Work Hard, Play Hard & Be Kind are integral to everything we do. Collaboration, imagination, curiosity, and teamwork are key to our success, and everyone has their part to play in making OB a special place to work.

Having fun is key, and a playful and positive approach creates an optimistic environment. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we are serious about what we do.

Our team knows their stuff. They’re confident and creative and unafraid to challenge convention to find solutions, taking accountability for their actions, but always with kindness and humility.

More about the role …

An OB Senior Visual Merchandising Manager will:

• Develop the VM strategy, with the Head of Retail and wider VM team to support the overall brand strategy and vision
• Deliver the VM strategy through working collaboratively with the VM team and wider business
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to ensure the OB vision is translated into our visual schemes
• Oversee the creative output of the VM product managers, ensuring all tools are in line with VM strategy
• Research and keep up to date with current and emerging trends, gathering inspiration from comp shops, design days and days out with others in the design team
• Regularly review VM ways of working to improve efficiencies, suggesting ideas and collaborating with others to make improvements
• Work closely with the Merchandising and Buying teams to ensure strategies and objectives are aligned
• Attend weekly trade meetings and contribute any information relevant to business performance and communicate commercial objectives for the week to the team
• Work closely with the Retail team to support sales growth in our stores
• Work closely with VM Stylist team to ensure both teams work collaboratively
• Coach and develop the Senior VM team creating succession plans and supporting with recruitment when needed
• Carry out store visits with all member of the VM team leading by example in store to ensure that customer service is prioritised
• Support the VM Product managers to develop tools and materials that aid in successful new store openings and VM execution
• Lead new store opening layout meetings, providing commercial pre-opening and new location insight ensuring the layout is maximised in line with company performance and trends
• Collaborate with the Head of Store Design to ensure we maximise fixtures to their full capacity
• Work with the Senior VM team to find more efficient and effective ways of working on NSO’s
• Attend property meetings to support with planning, spacing and NSO roll out
• Oversee the VM Product Managers to ensure that new props are designed and developed in line product strategy and sustainability
• Oversee VM field manager to ensure our existing props stock hold and budget is managed effectively, ensuring any new orders are communicated
• Seek out new suppliers for VM props ensuring they are cost effective, sustainable and can be delivered in a timely manner
• Attend VM trade shows to assist with the sourcing of new materials that inspire new fixture and concept design

Bonas Benefits:

• Generous employee discount up to 50% off all OB products
• Free access to our 24 hour employee assistance programme with Care First – offering financial, emotional and vocational support
• Flexible holiday – 33 days (including bank holidays) – increasing to 35 days with length of service
• Annual discretionary profit related bonus scheme
• Free membership for our Westfield Health Cash Plan or Private Medical
• Auto-enrolment into our pension plan
• Free access to our onsite gym
• Cycle to work scheme
• Refer a Friend incentive
• Quarterly free lunch
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Voice network and EDI team
• Mental Health First Aider support
• Education and support throughout Looop eLearning platform

What we look for:

• Visual Merchandising experience at manager level
• Excellent people management skills
• Experienced in developing a team
• Self-motivated and practical
• Attention to detail
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Design-led
• Experience working with varied product groups
• Ability to prioritise and adapt to changing focuses
• Intermediate computer literacy skills including Outlook/In-design/Excel/PowerPoint

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at OB

At Oliver Bonas, our promise is to do our bit to make living a joyful experience and give cause for optimism. This promise is central to our work in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). To bring joy to others, we must first ensure everyone at OB feels valued, included and most importantly, can be themselves at work.

It is important to us that our brand reflects wider society and the communities in which we operate. As a result, we welcome all eligible applicants for this role however we are particularly interested in speaking to eligible candidates from the Black, Asian & Mixed Heritage communities.

Oliver Bonas is a Disability Confident Committed employer under the Disability Confident employer scheme.

To read more about our ED&I commitments, head over to the EDI page on our website: https://www.oliverbonas.com/meet-the-team/diversity