Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization: 

This role combines creative vision, strategic analysis, and leadership in Visual Merchandising. You will lead the team to develop and implement a Visual Merchandising strategy based on global guidelines, ensuring brand consistency. The focus is mainly on wholesale partners, but future changes may include responsibilities for the retail channel. 

Key Responsibilities:  

• Strategy Development & Implementation: Develop and implement a comprehensive visual merchandising strategy that aligns with overall brand objectives, enhances the consumer experience, and drives sales and profitability. 

• Creative Direction: Lead the creative direction for all visual displays, including store environments such as in-store layouts, fixtures, and signage, ensuring consistency.

• Craft a Visual Merchandising playbook / guideline based on the Retail principle for Wholesale. 

• Leadership and Team Management: Lead, manage, and mentor a team of visual merchandisers (including VM rounders), foster creativity and ensure high performance. 

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with executive leadership, sales, Wholesale account and Consumer Experience team (Local and Global) to ensure cohesive brand representation and integrated campaigns. 

• Budget & Resource Management: Manage the visual merchandising budget, allocating resources effectively for the external VM rounders, store the fixtures, while ensuring cost-effectiveness. 

• Analysis and Optimization: Analyze sales data, market trends, and consumer insights to evaluate the effectiveness of visual merchandising initiatives and make data-driven decisions for continuous improvement. 

• Store Operations & Training: Oversee visual aspects of new store openings and remodels, and provide training and guidelines to store teams on visual merchandising best practices and standards.  

KPI’s: 

• Wholesale Net Sales 

• Sell out of full price items  

• Return on marketing investment 

• Brand specific KPI  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:  

• Strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to translate creative concepts into business results. 

• Strong creative vision, design skills, and attention to detail. 

• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills to collaborate with various stakeholders and inspire teams. 

• Strong organizational and project management skills to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.  

• Advanced user of MS Office  

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:  

• Bachelor's degree  

• 6-8 years’ experience in relevant Marketing fields 

• Fluent in both Japanese and English (TOEIC 750 or above) 

• Passion for sports and fashion/art 

• Proven track record as people manager 

Key Relationships: 

• Brand Activation team 

• Business Unit team / Category Communication and Assortment Planning team 

• Wholesale team  

• External partners including agencies 

• Global Consumer Experience / Retail Activation