Lead Visual Merchandiser

Fixed Term Contract 12 months

Up to£45K + Pension + BUPA + ShareSave + 6.6 weeks holiday + Hybrid Working (3 days per week in the office)

Southampton, Store Support Office

We believe anyone can improve their home to make life better. From our Southampton Store Support office (SSO) we equip our stores, our people, and our whole business with everything it takes to help our millions of customers create a home they’ll love. Join us as a Lead Visual Merchandiser and you’ll be a big part of this. 

  • Creates and maintains an engaged, high performing team including recruiting new talent and inducting them quickly and effectively into the team. Managing the day to day running of the team by leading, empowering and motivating the team to deliver category strategy, driving high performance and developing future talent whilst role modelling the B&Q values.
  • Works within a team of Lead Visual Merchandisers, responsible for developing continuous improvement of ways of working with training analysis, tools and techniques that drives and improves efficiency and accuracy for the Visual Merchandising team and other functional areas.
  • Supports the Visual Merchandising Manager and category teams in creating an integrated strategy for driving sales and margin growth across the whole category area and ranges
  • Understands the range & trading space process and principles for B&Q, B&Q ROI, Format Development, Kingfisher, and Trade Point with the ability to translate these into a credible and inspirational merchandising solution for our customers.
  • Works closely with the Space Performance team to understand data and space performance requirements within merchandising set ups to enable the best possible return on space and customer journey
  • Works closely with cross functional teams such as Buying & Merchandising, Retail, Project Managers, POS, Health & Safety and Equipment development on range review activity
  • Conduct regular store (digital and physical), competitor, vendor and trade show visits to increase awareness of industry knowledge, trends and competitor landscape.
  • Responsible for providing accurate scoping information to support commercial project costings, including annual planning and business cases.
  • Manage and influence stakeholders across a range of work levels, internally and externally, to support the delivery of KPIs.
  • Working alongside the buyers and merchandisers to create, define and develop new VM propositions and concepts, that meet our customers needs, identifies opportunities and mitigates risks, ensuring it aligns to the long term strategy.
  • Creates and maintains a workload plan so that appropriate levels of resource are always in place within the Visual Merchandising team and that additional support can be obtained and flexed across projects.
  • Takes the lead for specific additional activities across the whole of the visual merchandising team, as agreed with the Visual Merchandising Manager
  • Deputises for the Visual Merchandising Manager as required and updates the VM Manager regularly on all aspects of both team and range review performance.
  • Previous VM line management experience in Retail industry
  • Ability to understand customer insights and market trends
  • Ability to understand and manage complex projects
  • Commercially focussed with the ability to understand project payback and scalability.
  • Ability to build relationships at all levels
  • High influencing and stakeholder management skills
  • Strong communicating and presenting skills
  • Ability to lead, develop and coach VM team to drive high performance
  • Computer literate, including Microsoft Office skills (in particular Excel and PowerPoint) with ability to manipulate data between various IT programs; working understanding of JDA Space planning, Sketch up and CKB
  • Able to manage multiple projects
  • Self-starter with drive, motivation and determination to succeed
  • Commercial and/or Retail experience
  • In depth knowledge of equipment and POS
  • Understanding of replenishment methods/principles
  • Health & safety awareness
  • Be able to display a confident and professional style always and adapting to suit individuals and circumstances
  • Full UK Driving Licence and ability to travel throughout the UK with some occasional overseas travel

As part of a great team, you’ll be valued for who you are. We’re committed to making B&Q more diverse and representative of the communities we serve, where everyone can feel they belong and have equal opportunities. You will have access to a range of networks that represent our colleagues and allies and help us to continue to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our business.

We also recognise that wellness means different things to different people, and we want to help colleagues be at their best and feel well by offering a range of benefits to help you. As well as a competitive salary, our benefits package includes an award-winning pension scheme, bonus, ShareSave options, 6.6 weeks holiday, payroll giving, an Employee Assistance Programme, shopping discounts, colleague wellbeing benefits and lots more! 

So we can support you during the application or interview process, please contact recruitment@b-and-q.co.uk for any recruitment adjustments.