Manager, Visual Merchandising

Summary Leads the Visual Merchandising team responsible for translating merchandising strategies into customer-focused, operationally executable planograms for assigned categories. Uses space-planning technology, analytics, store and product data, and visual merchandising principles to optimize assortment, shelf allocation, inventory capacity, sales, margin, and the shopping experience across core and alternate store formats. Serves as a cross-functional leader and subject matter expert for planogram strategy, execution, and continuous improvement. Principal Duties and Responsibilities Leadership and Team Development Lead, coach, and develop 3–5 Planogram Analysts; establish priorities, performance expectations, accountability, and development plans. Manage workload, resources, timelines, and quality across multiple categories and initiatives; maintain department onboarding, process, and systems training. Build an inclusive, collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team; maintain development and succession plans. Planogram Strategy, Development, and Analytics Partner with Merchandising to define category shelf strategies and translate them into core, template, clustered, alternate, and store-specific planograms. Optimize assortment, product placement, shelf allocation, and facings using sales, margin, rate of sale, case pack, capacity, weeks of supply, replenishment, and space-productivity metrics. Review version-specific assortments for strategic alignment, profitability, capacity feasibility, store traits, customer demand, and appropriate differentiation by format and cluster. Ensure planograms reflect visual presentation standards, fixture constraints, product dimensions and attributes, customer shopping behavior, and operational requirements. Analyze planogram performance, clustering, adjacencies, product positioning, tests, and store feedback to identify opportunities and improve results. Cross-Functional Partnership and Execution Governance Lead and participate in line reviews, assortment reviews, strategy meetings, and project kickoffs; communicate recommendations, risks, tradeoffs, and required actions. Partner with Space Planning to establish accurate store-assignment logic based on assortment eligibility, format, space, and store traits. Collaborate with Store Operations, Store Planning, Strategy, Marketing, Pricing, Replenishment, suppliers, and other partners on store concepts, fixtures, signing, security, displays, and execution requirements. Establish quality-control processes and approve planograms, PDFs, shelf strips, labels, communications, and related materials before print or distribution. Provide clear store communications and training; respond to field requests, identify recurring issues, and lead root-cause resolution and sustainable process improvements.

Education and Experience Bachelor’s degree in merchandising, business, marketing, retail management, analytics, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience. Five to eight years of experience in category management, merchandising, visual merchandising, space planning, or a related retail function. At least three years of people-leadership experience, including coaching and performance management. Demonstrated knowledge of visual merchandising principles, category strategy, planogram development, presentation standards, and retail store execution. Technology Advanced Microsoft Office proficiency, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Access or comparable data-management tools. At least three years of hands-on experience with space-planning software such as Blue Yonder, Spaceman or a comparable platform. Experience with reporting, analytics, workflow, or visualization tools used for data-driven decisions and process improvement. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Strong leadership and coaching skills with the ability to motivate teams, set clear direction, and build