In-Store Brand Experience Manager

About Us

We’re a proud, family-owned New Zealand fashion retailer with over 40 stores across New Zealand and Melbourne, Australia. Our iconic brands Merchant 1948, Mi Piaci, Deuce, and Goodsole are known for delivering exceptional experiences to both our customers and our team.  At the heart of what we do is our people. We offer supportive leadership and recognition for great performance, all within a team that values innovation, collaboration, and excellence.

The Role

We're looking for an experienced and commercially minded In-Store Brand Experience Manager to lead the visual merchandising, brand presentation and customer experience across our Merchant 1948 and Mi Piaci retail networks.

This is a diverse role where creativity meets commercial thinking. You'll be responsible for bringing our brands to life across physical retail environments, from visual merchandising and seasonal campaigns to mall marketing, in-store activations and print production.

Key Responsibilities

Visual Merchandising & Store Experience

- Lead the development and execution of visual merchandising strategies across our retail network, aligned with brand guidelines, seasonal campaigns and commercial objectives.

- Concept and present visual mock-ups, store layouts, window displays and campaign installations ahead of execution.

- Develop clear VM guidelines and toolkits to ensure consistent execution across stores.

- Monitor sales performance, product trends and customer behaviour to optimise product placement and drive commercial results.

- Conduct regular store visits and virtual walk-throughs to maintain standards, identify opportunities and support store teams.

Mall Marketing & Brand Partnerships

- Manage mall marketing relationships and promotional opportunities across our retail network.

- Coordinate campaign content, imagery and promotional submissions across mall websites, social channels and marketing portals.

- Build strong relationships with mall marketing teams to maximise brand visibility and exposure.

- Coordinate seasonal brand events, local partnerships, creator opportunities and media activity.

- Manage mall marketing budgets, campaign calendars and performance reporting.

In-Store Activations & Campaigns

- Lead the planning and rollout of seasonal campaigns, promotional activations and new product launches across New Zealand and Australia.

- Translate campaign concepts into engaging physical in-store experiences in collaboration with Marketing and Creative teams.

- Brief and manage external suppliers and contractors to deliver activation builds and installations.

- Ensure activations are delivered on-brand, safely, on time and within budget.

- Review campaign and activation performance, identifying opportunities and learnings for future initiatives.

Print & Production Management

- Manage external print suppliers and production requirements across signage, POS, campaign collateral, stickers and mall marketing assets.

- Oversee print briefs, specifications, timelines and quality control to ensure brand consistency.

- Manage print budgets and identify opportunities for supplier efficiencies without compromising quality.

- Maintain brand-specific print templates and specifications to streamline production and reduce waste.

Store Projects & Fit-Outs

- Project manage visual merchandising requirements for new store openings, refits, relocations and de-fits.

- Partner with suppliers, sign manufacturers and fit-out contractors to deliver high-quality store environments.

- Ensure all physical brand elements align with brand guidelines, project timelines and approved budgets.

Team Leadership & Stakeholder Collaboration

- Lead, coach and develop the VM Assistant, providing clear direction, feedback and ongoing support.

- Partner closely with Retail, Operations, Store Managers and the wider Marketing and Creative teams.

- Act as the key link between store-level requests and central Marketing and Creative resources.

- Build strong relationships with external suppliers, mall marketing teams and contractors.

- Champion consistent brand standards and share knowledge to upskill store teams.

Budget & Brand Management

- Own and manage budgets across visual merchandising, mall marketing, activations and print production.

- Monitor expenditure, identify cost efficiencies and provide regular budget reporting.

- Act as the brand guardian across all in-store, mall and print creative, ensuring consistency across the portfolio.

- Maintain and evolve brand guidelines, templates and resources to support consistent execution across all retail touchpoints.

What You'll Bring

- 6+ years' experience in Visual Merchandising, Retail Marketing, Store Design or a similar role, ideally across multiple brands or locations.

- Strong understanding of brand identity and how to translate brand guidelines into engaging physical retail experiences.

- Experience developing and presenting visual concepts, store layouts, mock-ups and creative ideas to stakeholders.

- Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign or similar design tools.

- Proven experience managing external suppliers, contractors, budgets and production timelines.

- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to build relationships across retail, marketing, landlords and external partners.

- Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple brands, projects and competing priorities.

- A commercially minded and collaborative leader who can inspire others and turn creative ideas into effective customer experiences.

What's in it for you?

- A free pair of shoes every season

- Generous discounts across all Overland brands

- Central location with free parking and close proximity to public transport

- Referral bonuses when you bring great people onboard

- Regular office & team events

- Supportive, down-to-earth leadership

- Access to EAP for extra support

- A brand with real history - and exciting things ahead!