At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the in-store experience strategy for Fashion, Home & Beauty, ensuring visual excellence.
- Company: Dynamic retail brand focused on innovation and customer experience.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, travel opportunities, and a chance to shape retail strategies.
- Other info: Field-based role with opportunities for professional growth and collaboration.
- Why this job: Be a key player in transforming retail spaces and enhancing customer journeys.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in Visual Merchandising with strong leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
The Head of Field VM is accountable for driving the instore experience strategy across Fashion Home & Beauty, encompassing the pillars of layout, product handling, kit usage and styling. Manages a clear end to process from engagement, through to training and implementation, in order to deliver a defined standard of visual excellence across our stores, which delivers to the business strategies to enable commercial growth through our UK retail spaces.
Leads through expertise of the fashion retailing sector, with a detailed lens on the evolving landscape of competitors, globally. Leads through decisive and commercial strategic planning, and provides the Field VM team with clear prioritisation and structured ways of working. Takes the central guidance and implements with an expert understanding of space, layout and market opportunity, measuring commercial impact of decision making practical implementation to inform the ongoing evolution of our stores.
Working across the UK, the Head of Field VM is an ambassador to delivering the marketing and product strategies and ensuring buy-in, to deliver the customer journey which both inspires and delivers ease of shop. This is a field based role, with travel and on site working expected as part of the remit.
Manages the plan to deliver the Model Store strategy by division which delivers in seasonal best practice and enables a format for delivering training to all VM colleagues. Leads all new store/renewal planning, including managing resource requirements. Manages the flow of trade actions both from retail and into retail (via the support centre). Proposes updates to guidance in season to maximise commercial gain.
Manages the day to day ways of working with the Field VM Team, leading by example in terms of effective movements with a cost conscious lens. Confirms the tools required to deliver the Store Experience strategy across the varied store formats and concepts - i.e kit, new formats of POS, additional information. Is the primary contact for senior leadership within Retail and works in collaboration with support centre team, to engage and knowledge share at a senior retail level (Regional Managers, Store Directors).
Manages relationships with key stakeholders and ensures the correct level of information is provided - Inform/ consult/ engage/ collaborate. Champions an open dialogue with Retail to obtain feedback on strategy, as well as initiating regular instore review enabling informed feedback/PIR, to obtain key learnings and inform the way forward. Champions a customer point of view and relates everything back to our customer, using relevant customer insight, commercial/industry data/KPIs to inform decision making and measure success.
Supports strategic opportunities, inclusive of our Omni proposition, to aid business transformation, and encourages innovative thinking across team. Drives company values and behaviours across immediate and wider team, through effective leadership. Accountable for enabling an informed, engaged, and effective team who are experts in their roles.
Proven experience working in VM in FH&B at senior manager level with proven leadership capability. Strategy management with proven commercial success in driving KPIs. Shows resilience and persistence through periods of change and challenge. Excellent technical Visual Merchandising and coaching capability. Excellent communication and key stakeholder management. Confident understanding/articulation of the brand identity.
Head of Field VM employer: Marks and Spencer plc (UK)
As the Head of Field VM, you will join a dynamic and innovative team dedicated to delivering exceptional in-store experiences across Fashion, Home, and Beauty sectors. Our company fosters a collaborative work culture that prioritises employee growth through continuous training and development opportunities, ensuring you can thrive in your role while making a significant impact on our retail spaces. With a focus on strategic planning and customer insight, we empower our employees to drive commercial success and embrace creativity, all within a supportive environment that values open dialogue and teamwork.
Contact Details:
Marks and Spencer plc (UK) Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Field VM
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the fashion retailing sector. Attend industry events, join relevant online groups, and don’t be shy to reach out to potential colleagues or mentors on LinkedIn.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! When you get the chance to chat with hiring managers or during interviews, share your insights on visual merchandising trends and how you've successfully implemented strategies in the past. This will demonstrate your knowledge and passion for the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those tricky questions! Think about how you would handle challenges in the role, like managing a team through change or implementing new store formats. Practising your responses will help you feel more confident when it counts.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining us. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Field VM
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the specific skills and experiences that align with the Head of Field VM role. Highlight your expertise in visual merchandising, strategic planning, and team leadership to show us you’re the perfect fit!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about the fashion retailing sector and how your experience can drive our instore experience strategy. Be genuine and let your personality come through!
Showcase Your Achievements:When detailing your past roles, focus on quantifiable achievements. Did you boost sales through a new layout or improve team performance? We want to see how you've made an impact in previous positions!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks and Spencer plc (UK)
✨Know Your Visual Merchandising Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on the latest trends and techniques in visual merchandising, especially within the Fashion, Home, and Beauty sectors. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully implemented strategies in previous roles and how they can translate to this position.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your leadership capabilities, particularly in managing teams and driving performance. Think about times when you've led a project or initiative that resulted in measurable success, and be ready to share these stories during the interview.
✨Understand the Business Strategy
Familiarise yourself with the company's business strategies and how the Head of Field VM role contributes to commercial growth. Be prepared to discuss how you would align visual merchandising strategies with broader business goals and demonstrate your understanding of the competitive landscape.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Think about how you would manage relationships with key stakeholders, including senior leadership and retail teams. Prepare to discuss your approach to collaboration and communication, and how you would champion an open dialogue to gather feedback and drive improvements.
