Visual Merchandising Associate Manager Wholesale (12-Month Contract)

About the role

The Associate Manager of Wholesale Visual Merchandising for North America supports the team in enhancing visual merchandising activities tailored to boost the North America wholesale business. This role, reporting to the Senior Manager of Wholesale Visual Merchandising, involves collaborating with cross-functional partners (internally and externally) to support the execution of the visual merchandising strategic direction and provide sell-in and sell-thru guidelines for various accounts and door clusters.

Responsibilities

• Support the execution of all New Balance-related visual experience concepts, spaces, and properties in assigned wholesale accounts.
• Brief all creative needs to the Creative and Operations team.
• Develop and manage maintenance and refresh schedules for all graphics, shop-in-shop, and visual experience elements needed within assigned wholesale accounts.
• Collaborate with 3rd Party VM support, assign job missions for significant rollouts, and report recaps to the broader team on specific market visits.
• Support Senior Manager of Visual Merchandising Wholesale with any ad hoc projects such as Showroom setup during account meetings, presentation decks, events.
• Act as a brand ambassador by supporting the execution of brand wholesale experience strategies across assigned North American wholesale accounts.
• Leverage data, sell-thru results, and key investments to inform presentation strategies.
• Use visual merchandising software (e.g., IWD) to inform all future visual merchandising decisions through heatmapping and SKU productivity reporting for our NB SIS.

Requirements

• +3 years of relevant work experience in a visual merchandising environment, preferably within the Wholesale environment, with 1-3 years at the regional corporate level.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in fashion design, visual merchandising, or retail marketing/management.
• Proficiency with PowerPoint and Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator).
• Ability to visualize and articulate concepts for 3-D environments using VM software programs for floor set creation (e.g., IWD).
• Excellent taste level in merchandising, styling, fixture design, store layout, and directives.
• Strong independent working capability, fostering trust, collaboration, and teamwork, and consistently displaying a strong sense of ethics and integrity.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work as part of a team in a dynamic environment.
• Extensive knowledge of fashion, design, and visual merchandising trends.
• May involve lifting 45+ lbs and climbing ladder for installations.
• Ability to travel for supervising projects (overnight or weekends may be required).

Qualifications

May involve lifting 45+ lbs and climbing ladder for installations.

Skills

• Visual merchandising expertise.
• Collaborative and communicative skills.
• Data analysis and presentation skills.
• Software proficiency (e.g., IWD).

Benefits

Major benefits include a comprehensive traditional benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and 401K. Nontraditional perks include online learning and development courses, tuition reimbursement, $100 monthly student loan support, and various mentorship programs. Temporary associates receive medical, dental, and vision insurance, and an associate discount. Part-time associates get 401k, short-term disability, a $300 lifestyle reimbursement, and an associate discount. Flexible work schedule allows for three days in the office and four weeks of WFA per year. Equal opportunity employer.