Director Visual Merchandising

The Visual Merchandising & Styling (VMS) function is responsible for developing and implementing inspiring, premium and elevated consumer experiences and presentations for the Nike brand across the North America geography. The VMS team works collaboratively across brand and business partners to develop product journeys, presentation strategies, styling direction as well as playbooks & training modules that create a distinct point of view for the brand at retail. Additionally, the VMS Team works directly with business, operations and design functions to develop, drive and scale new concepts / retail expansion for the Nike brand across the marketplace. The VMS team’s success is amplified by a connected network of world class talent across WHQ, territories, key cities & in-store. 

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for a curious, driven and passionate leader who loves retail, collaboration & talent development and who has a deep understanding the role visual merchandising plays in developing and delivering the ultimate consumer experience at retail. This candidate needs to be able to think strategically through both brand and business lenses while also inspiring, coaching & leading a team of VMS managers and specialists. We are looking for someone who is a proven people leader and talent developer, has strong communication & influencing skills and who is results & solution oriented. This person will work across multiple functions and levels within the organization which will require them to be a strong thought partner and they must be able to influence decision making at a high level within the organization.

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

This role plays an integral part in the development of retail concepts and is directly responsible for delivering seasonal VMS presentation strategies, tools and direction that set the expected brand standards and enables flawless execution across our fleet of Factory Retail stores. A typical week consists of regular brand & business cross-functional meetings focused on the development of retail concepts, new door opening readiness, seasonal VMS planning and in season read & react based on the needs of the business. In this role you will work closely with Territory & City VMS partners to understand the needs of the marketplace and to refine tools and direction as needed to make continual improvements. Additionally, you will work closely with a cross-functional team of brand and business partners to enable the door opening teams and processes that fuel the retail expansion plans for the brand.

• Develop clear VMS priorities & presentation strategies that inspire consumers, elevate the in-store experience and position Nike as a leader in the Factory marketplace. 

• Directly coach, lead & develop a team of VMS Managers & Specialists (3) by setting challenging goals that link to overall brand and business priorities. This will entail coaching, development, helping with hiring decisions, driving performance management, and recognition/rewards.

• Develop and foster strong and collaborative working relationships with Global & Geo CDM functions, Merchandising, Design, OPS as well as the field organization.

• Partner with territory and city teams to ensure VMS tools, direction and standards are clear, executable and enable the teams to execute flawlessy.  

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH

In this role you will be working with a diverse set of teams and individuals within multiple brand and business functions across WHQ and field organizations. This role reports directly in to the Sr Director Visual Merchandising & Styling but is expected to build and sustain strong and collaborative working relationships with Global & Geo NVS Leadership, CDM Leaderership and across VMS disciplines in order to meet brand and business objectives. You will also work closely with Geo, Territory & City VMS functions to build a strong flow of communication and an open dialogue to understand team needs and relevant marketplace and competitive trends. 

WHAT YOU BRING

• Possess a clear passion for the art and science of visual merchandising & styling. 

• Passion for team leadership, people development and coaching & mentoring a diverse team of young talent.

• Extensive visual background with previous experience in a large scale vertical retail environment and understands reaching broad scale at an accelerated pace.

• Deep experience working with Sr Leadership to influence decisions and drive change at scale. 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Visual Merchandising, Design or related field or extensive experience in Visual Merchandising.

• 10+ years of experience in retail marketing, visual merchandising, product merchandising or directly related experience.

• Demonstrated experience creating engaging and inspiring in-store displays. Footwear & apparel experience is preferred. 

• Ability to create unique presentation solutions for various retail environments that inspire the consumer, drive sales and align with the Nike brand voice. 

• Knowledge of current retail landscape and the latest trends and innovations for retail, particularly in the Factory/Outlet setting. 

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills as well as strong influencing & negotiating skills required.

• Confident presentation and computer skills with command of Outlook calendar, Excel, PowerPoint and Keynote, Mac proficiency strongly preferred.

• Ability to travel approximately 4-6 times per year.

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for all employees and job applicants. We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.