brand & visual design manager

We are looking for a creative and detail-oriented Brand & Visual Design Manager to lead our visual merchandising team and elevate both the in-store and online shopping experiences. The ideal candidate will have a passion for sports, a keen eye for design, and a deep understanding of how visual elements drive customer engagement, both in-store and across digital platforms. You will be responsible for developing and executing visual merchandising strategies that reflect our brand, drive product visibility, and enhance the overall shopping experience across all touchpoints—from store design, displays, retail fixtures, product packaging, or online platforms like our website and social media channels. The successful candidate will ensure that every customer interaction, whether physical or digital, is a seamless reflection of our brand's identity and values.

Key Responsibilities:

• Brand & Visual Merchandising Strategy & Oversight: Lead the visual merchandising strategy and execution across all retail locations and online platforms, ensuring the brand identity is consistently communicated and aligned with corporate standards. This includes creating campaigns, visually cohesive displays, packaging design and other branding elements that align with brand objectives and enhance the customer experience.
• Store Visits & Compliance: Conduct regular store visits to ensure compliance with Visual Merchandising standards. Provide basic training, feedback, and guidance to store teams to maintain consistent brand representation, ensuring that each store reflects our visual and aesthetic guidelines.
• Maintenance & Fixture Management: Oversee the maintenance and repair requests for visual merchandising fixtures, brand signage, lighting, and other in-store elements. Collaborate with internal teams or external contractors to resolve any issues promptly, ensuring that all visual elements are in optimal condition at all times.
• Design & Creative Development: Develop and enforce brand visual guidelines to ensure a cohesive and impactful identity across all touchpoints. Create brand-aligned marketing materials, graphics, and digital assets for social media, and e-commerce platforms, that resonates with target audiences and drive engagement.
• Visual Display Innovation: Collaborate with the design team to develop innovative visual merchandising concepts and seasonal displays that attract and engage customers. Keep current on design trends and competitor displays to keep the brand fresh and visually engaging.
• Store Layout and Design: Collaborate with the operations team and design teams to create store layouts, detailed floor plans, fixture design and other merchandising requirements that maximize product exposure and improve customer flow and navigation.
• Display Execution: Oversee the execution of visual displays, ensuring they are consistently maintained, aligned with brand standards, and reflect the latest trends in sports and ath-leisure gear.
• E-Commerce & Website Visuals: Work with the E-Commerce Team to manage website and online platform visuals and ensure timely homepage updates, optimizing product imagery and layout for a seamless online shopping experience.
• Team Leadership: Manage and mentor the visual merchandising team, ensuring they are trained, motivated, and equipped to execute merchandising plans effectively.
• Collaboration: Collaborate with the design teams, internal teams, and suppliers to develop innovative retail spaces that reflect the brand's identity and vision. Ensure all designs adhere to brand guidelines and standards.
• Product Knowledge: Stay up to date on new products, industry trends, and competitor activities to ensure that visual merchandising remains innovative and engaging.
• Visual Standards: Ensure that visual merchandising standards are maintained consistently across all retail locations, providing support to store teams for visual setup and refreshes.
• Reporting & Analysis: Monitor implementation, track visual merchandising initiatives and gather feedback from stores. Report to senior management on the effectiveness of visual strategies and make recommendations for improvement.
• Event & Promotion Support:Assist in designing and implementing in-store displays, layouts, and setups for special events, promotions, and sales events. Oversee the planning of ingress and egress to ensure smooth event flow while maximizing visibility, driving foot traffic, and ensuring displays align with brand identity and objectives.

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, Multimedia Arts, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in visual merchandising and graphic design, preferably within the retail industry.
• Strong portfolio showcasing 3D and graphic design work
• Basic knowledge of store layout, floor plans, fixture planning, and space optimization.
• Proven experience managing and executing visual merchandising strategies across multiple locations.
• Strong creative skills with an eye for design, color, and attention to detail.
• Adaptable and eager to learn
• Ability to translate brand identity into impactful visual displays that resonate with customers.
• Strong people management skills, excellent planning and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to collaborate across teams and manage a team effectively.
• Strong understanding of retail trends, product placement, and consumer behavior.
• Proficiency in visual design software's (including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, CorelDraw, Canva, CapCut, SketchUp, and SketchUp Lay Out) and MS Office Suite.
• Willing to conduct store visits and occasionally stay off-site for construction projects as needed.
• Willingness to supervise store event ingress before or after mall hours.
• A passion for sports, fitness, and outdoor activities is a plus