JOB DESCRIPTION
We are looking for an Assistant Visual Merchandise Manager to join the Next Head Office Home Retail Marketing department.
Summary of the role
As an Assistant VM Manager you will be responsible for creating and maintaining a visually inspiring shopping environment for the NEXT customer focusing specifically on Home. You will help to create VM layouts and guidelines, manage a team of Visual Merchandisers, act as a support for the retail stores and continually look for ways to drive the department forward.
You will identify and coordinate key projects within Home VM, predominantly for retail stores, including effective communication with relevant internal departments, retail stores, the retail field team and external contractors / suppliers. As well as identify, design and develop new equipment, working with external suppliers and inline with the budget.
You'll be required to deputise for the Visual Merchandise Manager when on holiday or out of the business, including supporting and coordinating other members of the team, attending meetings and making key decisions when required.
You'll ensure that the relevant budgets for the Home VM team are regularly updated and any concerns on spend are highlighted to the Visual Merchandise Manager. Also to assist the VM Manager with budget proposals for all relevant budgets for each new season.
You will ensure that the Home VM Seasonal Planner is created, in advance, for each season and that all relevant layouts and projects are included, along with a critical path for each project as required.
This position is a full time / permanent contract based at Next Head Office in Enderby.
Responsibilities
- Managing the product layouts
- Preplanning and implementing visual merchandising phase changes with the VM team inline with the Retail Marketing critical path
- Communicating with the Home product team throughout the layouts
- Creative input into the layouts and display equipment
- Research and feedback ideas to enhance the layout, through merchandising and equipment
- Working on projects to move the Home department forward
- Store opening, reconfiguration and refit support
- Coordination of the visual merchandise guideline packs for each phase
- Communicating and writing memos for stores
- Point of contact for product teams and stores queries
About you
- Have excellent planning and time management skills
- Experience of supervising team members
- Lead, support and motivate a team
- Have personal drive, motivation and resilience
- Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
- Be able to prioritise and work to tight deadlines
- Be flexible to travel / stay away for short periods and work additional hours if necessary
- Have experience of working with Home product (desirable but not essential)
- Have Visual Merchandising experience in a Retail environment
- Knowledge of Indesign and Photoshop (desirable)
ABOUT US
You know Next, but did you know we're a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 35,000 people across the UK and Ireland. We're the UK's 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we're the market leader. At the last count we have over 500 stores, plus the Next Online and it's now possible to buy on-line from over 70 countries around the world! So we've gone global!
ABOUT SOME OF OUR BENEFITS
- 25% off most NEXT, MADE , Lipsy , Gap and Victoria's Secret products ( when purchased through NEXT)
- Company performance based bonus
- Sharesave scheme
- On-site Nursery available; OFSTED outstanding in all areas
- 10% off most partner brands & up to 15% off Branded Beauty
- Early VIP access to sale stock
- Access to fantastic discounts at our Staff Shops
- Restaurants with great food at amazing prices
- Access a digital GP and other free health and wellbeing services
- Free on-site parking
- Financial Wellbeing - Save, track and enhance your financial wellbeing
- Apprenticeship - Grow and develop on the job whilst gaining a qualification
- Direct to Work - Discount online and instore, collect your items the next day for free from your place of work or local store
- Support Networks - Access to Network Groups to empower and celebrate each other
- Wellhub - Discounted flexible monthly gym memberships, with apps, PT sessions and more
Conditions apply to all benefits. These benefits are discretionary and subject to change.
We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on and leave a voicemail.