Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organisation:

This role is responsible for driving and maximizing the profitability of the Omni- channel doors by ensuring efficient and effective implementation and execution of the India VM directions and organizational strategies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage a team of Visual Merchandisers to implement the Visual Merchandising standards and guidelines in all store/doors B&M channels, concepts and formats within the cluster.
• Develop the VM strategy to a tactical level to drive best practice processes, standards and operational plans for all supported doors.
• Leads and steers to drive cluster Key City and Trade zones success aligned to the SBP driving product presentation, consumer journey and ultimately sell out.
• Influence and negotiate with all key business partners (WHS/KA sales, MKT, MERCH, VM, RD, FRANCHISE) in regard to all VM matters taking into account commerciality and key product launches and ensuring consistency within best practice guidelines to provide a leading shopping experience for all customers.
• Drive the VM function to have significant impact directly to achieve bottom line results.
• Ensure proper cross functional interaction with VM Planning, SD, BRAND Activation AND account/category leads to land the brand initiatives with Impact
• Identify and communicate cluster needs and best practices to the VM Planning and EM Hub Omni teams.
• Set up and implement a store visit plan for the Visual Merchandising team ensuring that all stores are visited according to cluster prioritization and frequencies tracker/VM calendar.
• Regularly monitors business operating results and provides additional resource to focus on specific identified under-performing doors to drive performance and increase focus on results to drive operational success.
• Take the lead across Cluster India on ensuring all Visual Merchandisers are trained as VM experts ensuring maximum impact of both brand and business measures
• Priority SVMM relationship with DTC leads and retail Ops teams across regions with responsibilities and ownership at key DTC management meetings.
• KA Strategy development and communication aligned to overall VM service approach with a focus on strategic key accounts and elevated VM support.
• Keep up-to-date on competitor analysis as well as current and upcoming fashion trends across the cluster. 
• Ensure all expenditure is in line with the Market Visual Merchandising budget and notify the Senior Director DTC in case of any risks or discrepancies.
• Optimization of sell in /sell out through VM planning teams.
• Coordinate and support local showroom set ups and ensure proper execution of Visual Merchandising excellence in our showrooms for sell-ins in alignment with VM planning team.

Team Management

• Manage, lead and take ownership for the VM  team ensuring that all team members have the knowledge and practical skills required and promotes a high performance culture by setting clear expectations and individual goals
• Define clear performance expectations of the VM team determining a performance management schedule and evaluation of progress toward established targets
• Evaluate the competencies of his/her team members on a regular basis and provide prompt and constructive feedback and assume a coaching role in order to support and inspire team members
• Takes ownership for a consistent Talent Management Process in his/her respective region/division/department to grow talent for leadership positions in his/her own organization and across functional, regional and brand borders.

VM Agency Management (3rd party agency):

• Main contact person for VM agency/Vendors and interface to internal adidas functions.
• Drive clear performance expectations towards “3rd Party Agency” and Vendor teams and assess progress made in achieving defined targets.
• Create and implement a store visit plan for the Visual Merchandising team ensuring that all stores are visited according to Cluster priorities.
• Ensure that all VM and marketing instructions distributed by the India VM Planning team are implemented
• Management of the project budget.

KPIs:

• NPS
• VM compliance
• Commercial Performance
• Team Expertise in Visual Merchandising
•  Net Promotor Score (NPS)
• Project implementation and store openings
• Onsight targets- monitoring and feedback
• Efficient communication of all relevant VM information in the Cluster

Key Relationships:

• Market (EM) Visual Excellence Team
• Cluster (India) Omni Channel Team
• Senior Director DTC
• 3rd party agency/Vendors
• Regional Visual Merchandisers
• Wholesale activations team
• Retail activations team
• Sales teams
• Retailers
• Cluster Retail team:
  • Store Development
  • District Managers/Store Managers
  • In-Store Visual Merchandisers
  • Merchandising
  • Retail Excellence Team
• Agencies
• Talent acquisition

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Fluency in English (written and spoken)
• Analytical skills, ability to deal with complex situations and problems
• Ability to create and coordinate the implementation of a strategic activation
• Organizational, planning and project management experience and skills
• Good interpersonal, communication and presentation skills
• Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel): advanced
• Distance management proficiency and a minimum of 3 years proven experience of leading a team
• Geographical mobility across the cluster

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• Marketing or Business administration degree or equivalent professional experience
• 5 years VM Management experience or relevant functional experience at senior level
• Minimum 3 years experience of working across Owned and partners doors and countries.