At a Glance
- Tasks: Inspire and coach store teams to create stunning visual displays that reflect our brand.
- Company: Join River Island, a beloved brand with a bright future and diverse team.
- Benefits: Enjoy a generous 50% staff discount, flexible working, and 23 days paid holiday.
- Other info: Great career progression opportunities in a supportive and dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on our brand's identity through creative visual merchandising.
- Qualifications: Strong coaching skills and a passion for visual merchandising are essential.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
The Visual Display Merchandising Business Partner (VDMBP) plays a critical role in delivering River Island's brand identity through inspiring, commercially driven visual merchandising and great looking windows. The role focuses on coaching and training store teams, ensuring consistent visual standards, and enhancing team capability across the estate. Working closely with Area Managers and store leadership, the VDMBP ensures store-level priorities align with wider brand and business objectives. Support the VM Lead in delivering the department's operating plan and strategic visual goals, ensuring alignment with brand direction.
About Us
We’re a much-loved brand with an exciting future. Our Islanders are a diverse bunch of bright, talented people who love working together – and are proud of the work they do. Progression here can take you in all kinds of directions. This is what a career at River Island is like. And this is where yours starts.
What we can offer you:
- Generous 50% staff discount so you can treat yourself to the latest products.
- Reductions in everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more through the Retail Trust.
- Company car.
- Support for families with maternity, paternity, adoption and fertility treatment, plus dedicated support from the Retail Trust.
- Flexible working, on top of payday and summer early finish Fridays.
- Give as you earn scheme, a Giver Island day each year and matched funding.
- Support with upskilling through on the job training and qualifications, including a succession plan.
- 23 days paid holiday, exclusive of Bank Holidays, with the option to purchase additional holiday twice a year.
Keeping You Safe
At River Island we are committed to the safeguarding of all of our employees regardless of age or job role. We will fulfil our obligation under the Prevent duty which seeks to stop extremism and extremist views from materialising in our business. We promote and encourage the belief in British Values – including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.
Responsibilities
- Coaching & Training: Coach, inspire, and upskill retail store teams to deliver high standards in windows, layouts, and visual merchandising with a clear commercial focus. Ensure basic visual merchandising principles are well understood and implemented clearly to drive consistency. Act as a partner to Area Managers and store leaders to set clear and agile visual priorities that reflect trading conditions and business focus. Build collaborative relationships across Retail to help drive visual capability and overall performance.
- Visual Merchandising Execution: Ensure consistent execution of visual standards across stores, adapting layouts to local needs while maintaining brand integrity. Champion the use of model stores to set up and share best practice. Ensure commercial awareness underpins all visual decision-making to support trading priorities and customer experience. Maintain a strong focus on creating a safe working environment in line with H&S standards.
- Display & Creative (In-store Installations): Deliver high-impact displays and window schemes aligned with seasonal direction, campaigns, and customer expectations. Implement all in-store visual installations effectively during store openings, refits, launches, and seasonal transitions. Take a hands-on approach to mannequin position & styling. Work alongside the central VM team on visual rollouts as and when required.
- Store Team Support & Visual Standards: Provide day-to-day VM support to store teams, ensuring visual expectations are understood and followed. Contribute to a culture of quality, pace, and attention to detail in all VM execution. Promote safe working practices in line with Health & Safety policies and visual operational standards. Strong communication, influencing, and relationship-building skills across all levels of retail & Head office leadership. Excellent coaching and mentoring abilities with a focus on capability building. Commercial awareness with the ability to link visual execution to trading outcomes. Agile thinker with strong prioritisation and problem-solving skills. Team player with a proactive, hands-on approach and a solution-oriented mindset. Comfortable delivering visual execution under tight deadlines during peak trading periods and store events. Commitment to promoting a safe and compliant working environment aligned with company H&S practices.
Visual Display Merchandise Business Partner - North East of England and Yorkshire employer: River Island Clothing Co., Ltd.
At River Island, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture where creativity and collaboration thrive. Our Visual Display Merchandise Business Partner role not only provides generous benefits such as a 50% staff discount and flexible working arrangements but also fosters personal and professional growth through comprehensive training and development opportunities. Join us in the North East of England and Yorkshire, where your contributions will be valued, and your career can flourish in a supportive environment that champions diversity and inclusion.
Contact Details:
River Island Clothing Co., Ltd. Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Visual Display Merchandise Business Partner - North East of England and Yorkshire
✨Get Your Foot in the Door Early
In retail, many temporary roles pop up during peak seasons, like Christmas or summer sales. Keep an eye on the calendars for these spikes and start scouting for opportunities a bit in advance. We can even help you stay sharp on your search!
✨Utilise Local Connections
Visit local shops in person and chat with managers about potential temporary openings. Many retail positions are filled by word-of-mouth, so don’t underestimate the power of a good conversation while you grab a coffee or do your weekly shopping!
✨Show Off Your Availability
Retail managers love flexibility! Make sure to highlight your availability in a casual chat or when you apply through our website. The more open you are to work varied shifts, the more likely they are to bring you on board—especially for temporary gigs!
✨Be Ready for On-the-Spot Interviews
When you walk into a shop, be prepared for the possibility of an on-the-spot interview. Dress comfortably but smartly, have a few key points about your experience ready, and be enthusiastic. Remember, it’s all about making that positive first impression!
We think you need these skills to ace Visual Display Merchandise Business Partner - North East of England and Yorkshire
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any relevant experience you've got, whether it’s casual jobs or volunteer work. Employers want to see that you can interact well with customers, so think about any instances where you've gone the extra mile to help someone out.
Flexibility Is Your Best Friend:Since this is a temporary position, you should emphasise your flexibility in your application. Mention your availability clearly in your cover letter and CV—employers love knowing they can rely on you to work varied hours, especially during busy periods!
Keep It Short and Sweet:For temporary roles, we don’t need an essay! Keep your CV and cover letter concise, focusing on the most relevant experiences and skills. Highlight any specific retail achievements, like sales targets met or product knowledge that demonstrates your eagerness to dive straight in.
Tailor Your Application to River Island Clothing Co., Ltd.:Don’t forget to personalise your application for River Island Clothing Co., Ltd.! Take a look at their values and product range, and if you’ve had previous experience with similar brands, mention that. It shows you’re genuinely interested in the role and have a good understanding of what they do.
How to prepare for a job interview at River Island Clothing Co., Ltd.
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
In retail, it's all about customer interaction, so be ready to share examples of how you've handled tough customer situations. We recommend thinking through a couple of scenarios before the interview where you went above and beyond to help a customer, as these can really make you stand out.
✨Brush Up on Product Knowledge
Temporary roles often have a steep learning curve because you'll need to pick up product knowledge fast. Take some time to familiarise yourself with the main products or services that River Island Clothing Co., Ltd. offers, and if possible, try to understand their current promotions. It’ll give you the edge to engage customers effectively.
✨Flexibility is Key
Being in a temporary retail role means you may need to adapt quickly to different tasks or shifts. Be prepared to highlight your flexibility and willingness to take on varied responsibilities during the interview. Think of examples where you've had to juggle multiple tasks at once – that’ll show you're a great fit for the dynamic retail environment.
✨Demonstrate Team Spirit
Since retail roles often require collaboration, be ready to showcase your teamwork skills. Share experiences where you worked well with colleagues, especially in fast-paced situations. This will underline your ability to slot into the team at River Island Clothing Co., Ltd. and contribute positively during your temporary stint.
