Head of Visual Merchandising

We’re FORMA. An incubator, accelerator, and curator of today’s beauty brands.

We celebrate, support, and seek those changing the world through creative expression.

We’re a team made of: Equal parts thinkers and doers. Visionaries and operators. Strategists and creatives— we're united by a fierce entrepreneurial spirit. Our dive in, roll your sleeves up, get your hands' dirty approach to every project leads to extraordinary outcomes, and to some of the most popular beauty products on shelves today. We're a creative, professional, highly collaborative, seasoned, well-oiled team. We're in the business of beauty for a reason. There's nothing our team of 200+ people love more than a good challenge, a great product, and the opportunity to make, celebrate, and spread beauty at scale.

We work on a hybrid work pattern; 3 days per week in the office/other work location, 2 days from home.

Summary of Position: We are seeking an innovative and creative Head of Visual Merchandising with an inherent flair and passion for design, balanced with commercial acumen and a strong orientation towards operational excellence. As Head of Visual Merchandising for FORMA Brands, you will be responsible for developing and delivering the local VM strategy across the EMEA & ANZ region, executing optimized VM solutions across all physical channels of distribution.

You will be responsible for managing a team of 5 & inspiring creativity and excellence in execution within the EMEA VM team, as well as collaborating with the global VM team. You will be responsible for the strategic planning, budget management & on-going development & execution of Visual Merchandising solutions & projects in retail and wholesale distribution.

The successful applicant will bring a progressive, flexible, and solution-oriented approach, coupled with robust team leadership skills to uphold, and enrich project management processes and communication standards across the team.

Principle Accountabilities:

• Lead local market visual merchandising strategy & implement clear processes within the EMEA team to deliver best-in-class solutions, working closely with the regional marketing team, commercial teams & global visual merchandising team to strategical plan & deliver this.
• Drive the EMEA VM team in executing visual merchandising plans specific to the region, supervising the launch of new stores, and overseeing refurbishment projects.
• Execute all VM elements for retailer and country launches, ensuring timely and on-budget implementation of new innovations in-store, both for promotional and permanent displays.
• Collaborate with and influence global VM teams to shape the design of VM in market, encompassing standalone stores, department stores, and specialty retail partners.
• Alongside retail and ecommerce teams consistently think with an omni-channel mindset & drive holistic integration between all online and offline customer environment.
• Work collaboratively with cross-functional departments to deliver in-store executions that help contribute to achieving financial targets for core, new launch, and promotional activities. Partner with Wholesale Sales Managers – UK and EU on wholesale VM needs to develop and implement impactful retail brand representation in line with brand guidelines for designated UK and EU physical wholesale distribution.
• Drive improvements in Like-For-Like (LFL) SKU sales through effective design and brand expression.
• Lead and manage a team of 5 professionals responsible for retail and wholesale projects across the market. Focus on team development, elevating capabilities, fostering career growth, enhancing project execution, and promoting engagement.
• Champion project management capabilities and efficiencies within the team, driving planning, approval, and follow-up of key projects to ensure alignment among internal and external stakeholders.
• Act as a proactive driver for all CPA timelines, highlighting risks and providing actionable solutions in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Oversee team channel owners to ensure that regional wholesale implementation projects are project managed effectively.
• Work closely with global teams to ensure global guidelines and directives are reflected accurately and effectively in local markets.
• Ensure consistency of brand standards and design aesthetic across all retail partners & stores.
• Ensure constant optimization of VM and store design work tools and processes for contracts and approvals for creative design.
• Manage the review process and ensure brand consistency with retail partner manufactured rollout program
• Present to the leadership team, covering cost analysis, viability assessment, design considerations, and execution plans.
• Where required, lead the project management across larger scale regional store construction projects. Working with the team, source and manage third-party partners to deliver CAPEX programmes on plan, to deadline, and within budget. Lead the bid process, from requirements, tender, review and closeout. Ensure the correct balance of quality versus price.
• Own, oversee and manage the local budget spend across retail and wholesale OPEX & CAPEX and be accountable for all approvals, optimizing costs and mitigating risks associated with external suppliers.

Budget Owner? Y

Fiscal Accountabilities:

Key Working Relationships:

• Marketing Director
• Trade Marketing Manager
• Retail Director
• Retail Operations Manager
• Sales Directors
• Commercial Teams
• Head of eCom
• VP, Visual Merchandising
• National Education Manager
• Head of PR/IR
• Inventory Operations
• Store teams
• Property agents, landlords, and property legal counsel
• Third-party suppliers; including store construction, VM providers and graphic design providers

Required Skills & Experience:

• Extensive experience in Head Office Visual Merchandising in the Beauty category and/or FSS and gondola environments essential.
• An inspiring, people-first focused leader with robust team management skills is essential.
• Creative and Design background.
• Ability to work in an agile environment, managing working across different time zones and markets.
• Comfortable working to tight deadlines and holding the team account to working in an efficient way.
• Confident in presenting to senior leaders, stakeholders and external partners in a professional, creative and succinct manner.
• Highly organized, process-oriented and exemplary time-management skills.
• Strong comfort level with written and verbal communication skills to all levels of management and the ability to negotiate, influence and challenge as required.
• Ideas-driven, takes initiative and a creative problem solver.
• Financially astute with strong forecasting and budget management skills.
• Positive, constructive, self-aware and able to give and receive feedback.
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite (specifically In-Design, Photoshop and Illustrator), 3D Design skills and fluent expert with Microsoft Office.
• Demonstrable experience of project management, ideally using tools such as Wrike.

Travel Requirements:

• Nationally, up to 25%
• Internationally, up to 15%