FT Visual Merch

About the Team 

***Hiring Manager: Here’s where you’ll highlight what your team does.  

Example: You will be part of the Technical Infrastructure team responsible for designing, building and delivering key technical building blocks such as Servers, Storage, Networking, Voice, Databases, Data Centers, Service Desk and Monitoring tools. Our job is to ensure that every WSI location, associate and customer has the best experience possible utilizing our vast array of technical solutions we provide.*** 

About the Role  

The Visual Merchandiser focuses on the visual interpretation and direction with cross-functional partners and teammates to deliver an exceptional customer experience in our global businesses and partners. The role supports the execution of visual strategies across the brand by creating visual tools and resources that allow home office + stores to plan and execute flawlessly to drive sales. This role will work closely with the Director of Visual Merchandising on calendars, logistics, process + communications to global and corporate partners.  

You’re excited about this opportunity because you will... 

Strategic Alignment:  

• Partner's with merchants, planners, allocations & visual teams to create cohesive and elevated visual merchandising strategy for global stores.  

• Acts as a business partner to merchant, allocation and country teams during and after seasonal floor sets. Identifies merchandising updates based on business results and assortment strategies.  

• Partners with Director of Visual Merchandising on elevated and advanced in-store displays and windows  

• Creates distinct and differentiated visual merchandising strategies in our franchise, company owned and wholesale businesses.  

• Market + cultural relevant merchandising + training strategies to drive sales and introduce + expand brand globally  

• Assists in the mapping and planning of product placement and merchandising of retail presentations and visual floor sets.  

• Assesses and impacts each shop structure and allocation of space to maximize business focus on selected store locations.  

• Develop + manage visual merchandising standards + training topics -- quarterly updates, tools + training for global partners to ensure brand integrity globally.  

• Identify + develop training opportunities to build visual merchandising skills and train + develop country brand managers from corporate office as well as traveling to markets to execute workshops.  

• Manage the global calendar to ensure all VM guidelines get published and communicated + published on time.  

• Assist with the development of the corporate visual merchandising presentation for all categories, starting with the conceptual through the execution phases (and post floor set execution, in season updates and on-going sell through strategies)  

Team Development:  

• Participate in seasonal presentation workshops, meetings and conference calls with corporate + global teams.  

• Contribute to visual team training and seasonal feedback to support development of teams  

• Solicits feedback from field visual teams to provide insight for merchant, planning and allocation teams  

• Facilitates the sharing of inspiration and idea generation  

• Partners with all functions of visual merchandising department to support a cohesive visual strategy  

• Provides thoughtful and educational feedback to field visual teams  

• Strong verbal + written communication skills  

• Partner with Director of Visual Merchandising + Store Design to ensure new store build outs are flexible in design + functional for markets and cost efficient for corporate as well as global partners  

Operational Excellence:  

• Support visual team budget and be fiscally responsible  

Why you will love working at Williams-Sonoma, Inc. 

• We’re a successful, fast-growing company with an entrepreneurial vibe 

• A technologically and data-driven business 

• Competitive salaries and comprehensive health benefits 

• We’re at the forefront of tech and retail, redefining technology for the next generation 

• We’re passionate about our internal and external clients and live/breathe the client experience 

• We get to be creative daily 

• A smart, experienced leadership team that wants to do it right and is open to new ideas 

• We believe in autonomy and reward taking initiative 

• We have fun! 

We’re excited about you because...  

• Ability to balance creativity with business acumen  

• Influencing, problem analysis and decision making skills + ability to inspire  

• Acts in service to our field global organizations + as a brand ambassador reflective of the company values + aesthetic  

• Has a strong understanding of trend and style that is reflective of the brand  

• Strong verbal + written communication skills  

• Strong proficiency of In-Design, Photoshop + Photography  

• Knowledge in visual merchandising techniques, standards + practices -- how this translates to the global field teams  

• Strong understanding of merchandising and its direct impact on sales   

• Ability to provide significant feedback, ideas and hindsight on current and future floor-sets, windows, marketing tools and seasonal strategies thru filed partnership and assessment process and seasonal hindsight recaps.  

• Proven creativity with strong aesthetic sensibility and excellent visual merchandising skills  

• Strong understanding of product position strategies, promotions, inventory across multi-channel store designs  

• Competition and industry aware with a strong knowledge of the country markets  

• Ability to act as a resource, trainer and communicator of information to manage and elevate visual consistency  

• International travel required  

• Ensures the merchandising processes are collaborative, supported and well-planned  

***Technical Competencies required: *** 

• HM: List any technical requirements, if applicable. For example: 

• Deep understanding of numerous networking protocols such as OSPF, BGP, VRRP, DNS, DHCP, proxy functions (forward and reverse), security protocols (IPSec, SSL, etc.), real-time protocols for voice (Skinny, SIP, H.323, MGCP), in addition to WAN communications protocols including MPLS, DWDM, OC carrier, BRI/PRI 

• Familiarization with cloud/storage services 

• Basic scripting skills in Python, Perl, iRules, TCL, Chef/Puppet or Go a plus 

Physical Requirements: 

• Ability to lift and mobilize medium to large items, up to 75 lbs., while utilizing appropriate equipment and safety techniques.  

• Ability to be mobile on the sales floor for extended periods of time.  

Benefits: 

Once you are here, you can look forward to a wide variety of benefits designed to help you grow, personally and professionally, to keep you healthy, to prepare you for the unexpected, to care for your family and to build a secure future. Depending on your position and your location, here’s a look at what you might be eligible for:  

• A generous discount on all Williams Sonoma Inc. brands through multiple shopping channels 

• A 401(k) plan and other investment opportunities 

• Paid vacations, holidays and other time-off programs 

• Health benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance; health and dependent care tax-free spending accounts; medical, family and bereavement leave; same-sex domestic partner benefits; short- and long-term disability programs; life and travel insurance; an employee assistance program 

• Tax-free commuter benefits 

• A wellness program that supports your physical, financial and emotional health 

• In-person and online learning opportunities through WSI University  

• Cross-brand and cross-function career opportunities 

• Location specific sample sales 

• A business casual work environment 

• San Francisco based bike share program 

• Time off to volunteer 

• Matching donations to qualifying nonprofit organizations 

• Company-sponsored community involvement 

• Various discounts on local businesses 

WSI will not now or in the future commence an immigration case or "sponsor" an individual for this position (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration 

This role is not eligible for relocation assistance. 

FOR SF ONLY: 

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, or other applicable state or local laws and ordinances.