Ralph Lauren Visual Merchandiser - Bicester Village

Company Description

Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren\’s reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company\’s brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps, among others, constitute one of the world\’s most widely recognized families of consumer brands. At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.

Position Overview

We are currently looking for a Senior Brand Image Specialist to support our Ralph Lauren Outlet store in Bicester. In this challenging position you are responsible for delivering creative and visual excellence, ensuring that Seasonal Guidelines are adapted and creative solutions are offered to maximize layout and presentation. Utilize commercial reports to understand store performance, ensuring visual presentation is both commercial and consistent. Champion and uphold Model Store standards, coaching the in-store team on brand expectation and maintain all visual displays in store including mannequin styling, creative props and product placement. This position is to support the store team with all Brand Presentation actions and provide store specific solutions.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

The Senior Brand Image Specialist will take a key role in the commercial evaluation of the store and its space mix, alongside attaining regular communication with the Brand Image Manager and undertake any additional tasks set out.

Brand Elevation

• Accountable for the seasonal execution of in‑store creative and product presentation throughout the defined region. Ensure the delivery of all product/creative strategies.
• Responsible for the end‑to‑end implementation of seasonal window schemes and rigging, while providing relevant feedback to the office team.
• Creation of seasonal floor plans by store mapping space and zoning of layouts for the Menswear department.
• Define divisional space requirements & capacity by store collaborating with Buying, Planning and Field Directors.
• Manage/support the critical path & key timelines gained with the regional market business plan.
• Conducting commercial walkthrough, reviewing merchandising opportunities and product placement within store, partnering with store management/ regional partners.

Leadership

• Support management with delivering the set expectations while inspiring the team to deliver results.
• Support management with creating a working team and an environment that allows creativity, strong work ethic and a passion for the Ralph Lauren Brand while embodying the Ralph Lauren behaviours.
• Support with conduct employee performance reviews based on competency and goal setting, identifying development opportunities and succession planning.
• Train and inspire coordinators/store teams to deliver consistent, elevated creative solutions across their stores.

Project Management

• Responsible for identifying resource needed and assign individual responsibilities for each assigned project, working in partnership with all relevant internal departments and functions.
• Responsible for providing project hindsight and recommendation reports to improve future projects.
• Lead/support with the planning, creating and the delivery of the regional seasonal installs.

Business Development

• Identifies and presents to line manager Brand appropriate commercial opportunities as they relate to each project.
• Weekly KPI shared by MGMT team to BIS: identify immediate opportunities.

Effective Communication

• Set up strong communication links between all business partners/ line report.
• Effectively communicate weekly SVR\’s and any additional business feedback.
• Hold regular status meetings on delegated projects with relative teams, setting clear expectations and provide detailed action plans.

Financial Management

• Partner with management to ensure timely accounting of team\’s expenses which are managed within the financial calendar/process.

Training

• Create & deliver educational and consistent training sessions for in‑store teams, partnering with relevant departments/modules.
• Training and upskilling of coordinators, reviewing regularly for new training opportunities for the team.

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

Combination of education, training, and experience which demonstrate the skills and experience as described whilst working within a retail environment.

• Experience within a field role.
• Experience in window displays, visual merchandising and rigging.
• Demonstrate leadership skills and experience.
• Experience in managing a team remotely.
• Experience working both independently and, in a team, oriented collaborative environment.
• Ability to travel to multiple store locations along with working evenings, nightshifts etc depending on the business needs.
• Analytical and problem‑solving capabilities.
• Capability to manage multiple projects and tasks whilst maintaining a strategic approach.