Visual Lead - Troy
NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP
Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) has been the premier destination for luxury fashion and goods, superior service, and an elevated retail experience for more than a century. Today, 9,000 associates contribute to the success of NMG’s brands: Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Last Call, and Horchow. There are 38 full-line Neiman Marcus stores in cosmopolitan markets across the United States and a sophisticated digital platform that attracts shoppers worldwide. Bergdorf Goodman operates two stores in landmark locations on Fifth Avenue in New York City and BergdorfGoodman.com, catering to loyal luxury customers globally. NMG also owns five Last Call stores and Horchow.com, an e-commerce site that offers premium furniture and home decor.
As an organization, NMG is on a transformational journey to become the preeminent luxury customer platform. NMG continues to deliver the best integrated customer experience and has evolved the business to succeed in the ever-changing retail landscape. NMG is a relationship business. What differentiates the organization from other luxury retailers are its unique assets: a strong store footprint, the most knowledgeable associates, an engaging online experience, solid brand partnerships, innovative digital and in-store experiences, the most loyal luxury customer base, and a strong balance sheet.
Our customers will always be at the center of everything NMG does. The company continues to reinvest in new technologies that enhance the customer experience. NMG meets customers where they are. NMG’s goal is to offer customers a seamless experience across its stores, online, and remote digital selling.
NMG’s priority is to develop a highly engaged and high-performing team where everyone belongs. The business attracts and retains best-in-class talent through unique offerings provided to associates in addition to standard employer benefits. These include an innovative way of working, associate discounts on merchandise, tuition reimbursement, associate hardship fund, and paid time off to volunteer, to name a few.
As part of NMG’s Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) work, the organization is focused on driving its core value of being “All Heart.” NMG is also assessing its current environmental and social impact while developing a three-year plan to lead the luxury industry in its commitment and transparency to environmental and social sustainability. NMG strives to become an employer of choice, driven by a culture of Belonging. A dedicated team focuses on this journey, directly impacting how NMG conducts business throughout the workforce, workplace, and marketplace dimensions.
NMG has incredibly passionate and committed corporate and store associates. NMG offers associates an environment where everyone feels welcomed, nurtured, and empowered. Our associates are the heart of NMG. As an organization, NMG leads with love – love for customers, love for associates, and love for brand partners.
Summary Statement: The Visual Lead is responsible for leading a store team of Visual Stylists in the creation of the overall look and feel of store environments through visual merchandising. This role promotes extraordinary customer experiences and brings the Neiman Marcus Brand and fashions to life through magical and powerful storytelling within windows and in-store activations.
Responsibilities & Duties
- Leads team of Visual Stylists in assigned store
Brand Standards
- Drives usage of NMG Brand standards, Visual principles, and brand partner standards into overall visual / creative strategies and execution
- Executes all Corporate directive strategies in their respective store in partnership with the Metro / Flagship Visual Manager (e.g., Holiday Story)
- Creates their store daily checklist to ensure the floor is clean, orderly, and follows standards
Windows & In-Store Activations
- Owns overall store experience and store environments including all merchandising and visual displays
- Follows Corporate-provided fashion style cards on a monthly and seasonal cadence
- Supports and creates in-store environments to showcase luxury customer platforms by making it personal, unconditional, and magical
- Drives all visual initiatives outside of the Corporate visual initiatives and aligns visual work with the overall store and brand strategy to drive sales:
- Ensures all store signing is current
- Keeps all mannequin presentations current as per fashion style cards
- Maintains weekly beauty set-ups
- Orders additional items for the sales floor from the appropriate resource
- Demonstrates thorough understanding of how visual activities drive sales activities
Meetings / Calendars / Budgets
- Actively participates and communicates in bi-weekly All-Store Visual conference calls
- Discusses, participates, and reviews photo assignments, best practices, style guides, upcoming seasonal and visual strategies, window schedule and calendar, in-store activation calendar, etc.Maintains respective calendar for 6- to 8-week campaign cycles
- Manages store Visual budget by partnering with Corporate, RVM, Metro / Flagship Visual Manager, and Store Leaders
- Attends daily, weekly, and monthly meetings as applicable with the Sales Support team to understand and respond to visual merchandising changes based on expected new deliveries
Communication with Key Partners / Events
- Communicates, educates, and executes the NMG Brand standards and brand partner standards within the store
- Partners / communicates with Store GM and sales managers on merchandising executions within guidelines
- Partners with Brand Experience on event strategies and delegation of necessary event preparation activities to the Visual team (e.g., stage, chairs, florals, décor)
- Executes Brand Experience Events with the help of stylists by leveraging creativity, an eye for detail, knowledge of current and upcoming fashion / trends, and passion for creating the magic of customer retail experience
Qualifications
- 2-4 years of relevant experience, luxury retail fashion experience preferred
- Experience with visual merchandising, the art of window displays, and product placement
- 4-year degree preferred
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Motivated and results-driven
- "Win together" mentality
- Demonstrates a natural passion for fashion and trends
- Proficiency with basic computer skills and programs including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), and / or Autodesk Revit
- Certain roles may require standing, bending, climbing stairs, and lifting and carrying up to 35 pounds
- Associates must be willing to work a flexible schedule based on business needs, which will include evenings, weekends, and holidays
Competencies:
Passion for People
- Works well with others, listens effectively, adapts to various working styles, and shares necessary information
- Promotes and provides a collaborative environment for Associates
- Supports coworkers in learning and developing job-related skills
- Partners with People Managers to offer observations on performance of coworkers and identify opportunities for growth
- Takes ownership of internal and external customer problems and resolves them quickly
Passion for Business
- Applies knowledge of internal and external customers and / or market to develop business
- Prioritizes tasks and uses effective time management practices to meet established team deadlines
- Understands how team's work contributes to general department and company goals
- Contributes to and partners with coworkers on accurate and organized completion of work
- Supports coordination of team tasks and activities as needed
- Models perseverance and resilience in a fast-paced, changing environment
Passion for Personal Growth
- Continuously builds skills and knowledge through training, coaching, and career experiences
- Demonstrates a working knowledge and appreciation of the NMG business and the fashion industry
- Conveys energy and enthusiasm for NMG and personal work
- Adapts personal approach in response to diverse situations and people
- Responds to unexpected changes in work environment with creativity and resilience
- Establishes and upholds high personal standards for individual work and environment
- Maintains a customer-centric mentality versus a solely store-centric one
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of duties, responsibilities, or activities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.