Visual Merchandising Specialist - Operations at Pepkor Speciality

Qualifications    

• Grade 12 Certificate/Matric
• Relevant Tertiary education with communication & project management
• DTP Programming knowledge would be advantageous.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience    

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in Visual Merchandising role with a reputable branded retailer.
• Exposure within a Merchandise environment (Buying/Planning/Marketing) & Store Development/Shopfitting environment would be advantageous.
• Knowledge of VM best practices & principles, techniques & VM trends as well as an excellent grasp of customer behavior. 
• Knowledge of store design elements: fixtures & fittings, substrates, etc. 
• Excellent Communication skills (English) written and verbal.
• Excellent comprehension of the marketing strategies, branding, customer behavior & principles relevant to branded retailing as well as a practical grasp of the SA industry. 
• Working knowledge of electronic and print communications. 
• Excellent organizational, planning, project management & time management. 
• Self-reliant and results-orientated 
• Well-developed interpersonal skills & A strong creative flair
• Effective problem-solving, ability to think out of the box
• Practical thinking style 
• Facilitation Skills
• Project management
• Work well under pressure & with tight deadlines.
• Ability to translate VM specifications into specific store environments, displays & VM Manuals. 
• Evaluate research, market conditions, competitor data & implement marketing plan alterations as needed.
• Computer Literacy (MS Word, Excel & PowerPoint & Google Suite)
• Basic Design Platform Literacy (Illustrator, Coral Draw, SketchUp, Photoshop)

Key Responsibilities    

VM Execution & Store Actions:

• Responsible for execution of the Tekkie Town VM Strategy
• Lead effective merchandising of stock to encourage maximum sales
• Make recommendations to ensure what has been developed is the right look and feel to enhance branding and current signage in store
• Promote healthy business relationships between Operations, Marketing & Divisions through constant alignment
• Application of relevant interventions to be focused on ease of execution for store warriors & field teams

Manage Visual Merchandising Manual Process:

• Research & offer practical/relevant solutions/advice to the internal stakeholders.
• Liaising with internal & external stakeholders to produce & communicate the VM Manual 
• Provide relevant and practical merchandising standards and guidelines to stores.
• Manage the monthly promotional /VM bulletin process:
• Participate in the creation of a VM Calendar as it integrates with the business Promotional Calendar 
• Offer practical & relevant advice/solutions to internal stakeholder in support of user-friendly promotional guidelines and bulletins to stores.
• Agile response to market trends & business needs
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to communicate and produce monthly Promo /VM manuals.

Promotional & Seasonal POS:

• Create and manage VM Operational Plan in accordance with VM Strategy and report / monitor on an ongoing basis.
• Manage delivery of the visual language for stores (existing and new) according to campaigns and seasonal VM strategies (POS, In-Store, Window Execution etc).
• Liaison with Store design & Merchandise teams to translate approved concepts into VM stores and monthly plans and documentation including operational displays which are executable at store level.

Store Development:

• Support with the drafting and execution of a VM overlay for store actions i.e. New stores, Revamps, Relocations, Enlargements, etc. 
• Support in the execution of project rollouts, costings, distribution and closing the loop on such actions. 
• Support & give input to R&D on F&F and VM assets. 

Governance:

• Manage supplier relationships and contracts of VM suppliers - alignment on all parties.
• Coordinate and facilitate roadshows and workshops to assist VM training into stores.
• End to end VM process management.

Inherent job requirements:

• Willingness to travel extensively.
• Valid Driver's license