At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to create innovative visual merchandising for children's retail.
- Company: Join Next, a leading name in high street fashion with a focus on creativity.
- Benefits: Enjoy a dynamic work environment and the chance to develop your skills.
- Why this job: Be part of a creative team making a real impact in children's retail.
- Qualifications: Experience in visual merchandising and team management is essential.
- Other info: This is a temporary 6-month position based at the head office.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 42000 £ per year.
About the role: At Next, we have an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated, driven, team player to join the Children’s Visual Merchandise team within the Retail Marketing department. This is a temporary position for 6 months. Having a commercial focus, you will contribute to the creative/commercial layouts and continue to help drive NEXT to the forefront of the High Street within the Children’s Retail Environment. You will need to have flair in the design and development of features and fittings to improve the Children’s retail environment over a seasonal plan. Management experience is essential as this role has direct accountability for a team of 5. This role is based at Next head office in a very busy environment requiring teamwork, flexibility, and the ability to travel/stay away.
You will:
- Work independently and be accountable for layouts, mock shop coordination, and the VM team.
- Prepare, plan, and implement phase change layouts in line with the critical path.
- Work closely to create effective working relationships with the product teams across Childrenswear.
- Research, identify, propose, and introduce new and creative ideas for layouts and graphics for the department.
- Brief in projects to suppliers and manage projects from start to finish.
- Be the point of contact for day-to-day queries for stores/product/field team.
- Action competitive shops, present findings formally/informally as required.
- Plan and attend store openings to support delivering the most commercial layouts.
- Plan commercial store layouts by liaising with the Shopfitting department and the Sales team.
- Support the Visual Merchandise manager with the development of new projects, including sourcing new equipment, analyzing competitors, and conducting store visits.
- Support the management and development of the team by acting as a mentor and coach.
About you:
- Experience at Senior Visual Merchandiser level and above.
- Comprehensive knowledge of Mock Shop procedures.
- Visual Merchandising experience in a fashion retail background.
- Experience managing a team.
- Aware of fashion trends within clothing and non-clothing categories.
- Enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and passionate about Children’s visual merchandising.
- Able to produce high-quality, commercial store layouts.
- Able to generate innovative ideas and solutions.
- Excellent communication skills at all levels within retail and Head Office environments.
- Ability to manage time effectively, prioritize tasks, and work under pressure.
- Skilled in researching, identifying, and presenting new and creative ideas.
- Assertive with strong influencing and motivating skills.
- Fully PC literate, capable of analyzing information and learning new systems.
Assistant Visual Merchandise Manager employer: Next
Contact Detail:
Next Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Visual Merchandise Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in children's fashion and visual merchandising. This will not only help you during interviews but also demonstrate your passion and knowledge about the industry, which is crucial for this role.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the visual merchandising field, especially those who have experience in children's retail. Attend industry events or join relevant online groups to connect with others and gain insights that could give you an edge.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've successfully managed a team and implemented creative visual merchandising strategies in your previous roles. Being able to articulate your past experiences will showcase your leadership skills and creativity.
✨Tip Number 4
Research Next's current visual merchandising strategies and recent campaigns. Understanding their approach will allow you to tailor your discussions and show how you can contribute to their goals effectively.
We think you need these skills to ace Assistant Visual Merchandise Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in visual merchandising, particularly in a fashion retail environment. Emphasise any management experience and your ability to create commercial layouts.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for children's visual merchandising. Mention specific examples of how you've successfully managed teams and implemented creative ideas in previous roles.
Showcase Your Creativity: If possible, include a portfolio or examples of past visual merchandising projects. This will demonstrate your flair for design and your ability to generate innovative ideas.
Prepare for the Interview: Research Next and their approach to visual merchandising. Be ready to discuss your management style, how you handle pressure, and your strategies for creating effective layouts.
How to prepare for a job interview at Next
✨Showcase Your Visual Merchandising Flair
Prepare to discuss your previous visual merchandising projects in detail. Bring a portfolio or examples of your work that highlight your creativity and ability to create commercial layouts, especially in children's retail.
✨Demonstrate Team Management Skills
Since this role involves managing a team, be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully led and developed a team in the past. Highlight your mentoring approach and any challenges you overcame.
✨Stay Updated on Fashion Trends
Research current trends in children's fashion and visual merchandising. Be prepared to discuss how these trends can influence store layouts and customer engagement during your interview.
✨Prepare for Practical Scenarios
Expect to face practical questions or scenarios related to layout planning and mock shop coordination. Think through your process for creating effective layouts and how you would handle potential challenges.