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- Tasks: Lead visual merchandising to boost sales and inspire customers in our garden centres.
- Company: Join Otter Garden Centres, a vibrant leader in the gardening retail market.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible hours, on-site parking, and a fun, collaborative work environment.
- Why this job: Be part of a creative team that values innovation and customer experience.
- Qualifications: Experience in visual merchandising and strong communication skills are essential.
- Other info: This is a hands-on role with opportunities for personal development and travel.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 42000 £ per year.
The Visual Merchandising Manager is responsible for supporting the delivery of the Otter visual proposition within our garden centre and catering facilities in both new and existing markets. The VMM will work alongside the Group Visual Merchandising Manager, Branches Visual Merchandising Manager and the General Manager to ensure the store maintains the strongest visual proposition within the garden centre market.
Location: Lymington
Reporting To: Mark Bradbury, General Manager
THE PURPOSE OF THE ROLE: To implement effective visual merchandising in store in order to maximize stores sales and to train and coach the team on delivering brand expectations. The VMM will manage the day-to-day visual activities of the branch and work alongside the GVMM, BVMM and the GM to support the long-term strategy for the company. This is a very hands-on role.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Brand and Business Focus: Use commercial acumen and business awareness to make visual decisions in collaboration with GVMM, BVMM and GM. Support the Garden Centre Manager with new season launch, delivering the guidelines planned with or by the GVMM and supporting sign-off with the GVMM.
- Communications: Supports the communication ensuring they are relevant for the garden center market. Supports the implementation of Spring/Summer/Autumn/Christmas campaigns throughout the garden center categories, giving feedback on strengths and weaknesses of these campaigns to head office.
- Supporting the business: Works with the Garden Centre Manager with seasonal campaigns from project sign-off to store launch day including photographing recording of seasonal launches and sharing with the group and GVMM.
- Working with People: Responsible for working and building credible relationships with the Garden Centre Manager and team in-store. Supporting the delivery of the VM strategy for each season with a collaborative approach.
- Graphics and Workflow Management: Collaborates with the GVMM and the marketing team for Otter to ensure all artwork for in-store use and seasonal campaigns launches in time for Garden Centre Managers to locally produce and implement in-store.
Hours: 8 hour shift Monday to Friday, Weekend availability.
Personal Specification:
- Excellent organization, communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to liaise at all levels.
- Currently at a management VM level or equivalent.
- Strong visual merchandising and styling experience.
- High level of self-motivation.
- Strong training and coaching skills, ability to motivate others.
- Keen interest in garden centers and knowledge of garden center retail and competitor monitoring.
- Computer literate with strong skills in Photoshop, InDesign and Microsoft Office.
- Fully flexible to travel in the UK and internationally.
- A valid UK driving license.
- Experience working with structured planograms and have a keen eye for detail.
- Love ‘getting stuck in’ and coaching the store managers and the team on Visual merchandising principles.
- Have retail store supervisor experience.
- A drive to work alongside fun, inspiring and ambitious colleagues pushing the boundaries across the whole business.
- Flexible to work some early and late starts.
Apply: Please send your CV and cover letter to our Branches Visual Merchandising Manager, Helen Robson - helen.robson@ottergardencentres.com
Visual Merchandising Manager employer: Otter Garden Centres
Contact Detail:
Otter Garden Centres Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Visual Merchandising Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in visual merchandising, especially within the garden centre market. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your understanding of the role and how you can contribute to enhancing the store's visual proposition.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the retail and visual merchandising sectors. Attend industry events or join relevant online forums to connect with others who can provide insights or even referrals for the position at Otter Garden Centres.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples of your past visual merchandising successes during the interview. Highlight how your strategies led to increased sales or improved customer engagement, as this will showcase your ability to deliver results.
✨Tip Number 4
Research Otter Garden Centres' current visual merchandising strategies and campaigns. Being able to speak knowledgeably about their approach will show your genuine interest in the company and your readiness to contribute from day one.
We think you need these skills to ace Visual Merchandising Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in visual merchandising and retail management. Use specific examples that demonstrate your skills in training, coaching, and implementing visual strategies.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for visual merchandising and your understanding of the garden centre market. Mention how your previous experiences align with the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Showcase Your Creativity: Include a portfolio or examples of your past visual merchandising work if possible. This could be photographs of displays you've created or campaigns you've managed, showcasing your ability to inspire customers.
Highlight Communication Skills: Emphasise your strong communication and interpersonal skills in both your CV and cover letter. Provide examples of how you've successfully collaborated with teams or trained others in visual merchandising principles.
How to prepare for a job interview at Otter Garden Centres
✨Showcase Your Visual Merchandising Skills
Prepare a portfolio that highlights your previous visual merchandising projects. Include before-and-after photos, design concepts, and any successful campaigns you've led. This will demonstrate your hands-on experience and creativity.
✨Understand the Brand and Market
Research Otter Garden Centres thoroughly. Familiarise yourself with their brand values, current visual strategies, and seasonal campaigns. Being able to discuss how you can enhance their visual proposition will impress the interviewers.
✨Demonstrate Leadership and Coaching Abilities
Be ready to discuss your experience in training and coaching teams. Share specific examples of how you've motivated others to achieve visual merchandising goals, as this role requires strong leadership skills.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Anticipate questions about how you would handle specific visual merchandising challenges. Think about scenarios related to seasonal launches or inventory management, and prepare structured responses that showcase your problem-solving skills.
