Our Company

Founded in 1956, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is the premier specialty retailer of high-quality products for the kitchen and home in the United States. Our family of brands are Williams Sonoma, Williams Sonoma Home, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn teen, pottery barn kids, Rejuvenation, Mark & Graham, west elm, or Outward. These brands are among the best known and most respected in the industry. We offer beautifully-designed, stylish and functional products for every area of the home, including the kitchen, living room, bedroom, home office, closet, laundry room and even outdoor spaces. We've seen some big changes since our first brick-and-mortar store opened more than half of a century ago. What hasn't changed is our passion for high-quality products, functional design, outstanding customer service, and enhancing the lives of our customers and the communities where we operate. Today, we're a multi-brand, multi-channel, global enterprise supported by state-of-the-art technology and some of the most talented teams in retailing - and we're always looking for new energy and ideas.

In partnership with US and Global teams, this role is responsible for setting the retail visual and marketing direction for the global markets of the Pottery Barn brand. This role is accountable for both company-owned and franchise markets. This role partners with U.S. Visual Merchandising, stores organization and franchise partners to define and execute visual strategies that elevate our brand presence, drive sales, and create exceptional in-store experiences for our customers.

This is a hybrid role - 4 days/week onsite in our San Francisco office required. 

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

Visual Strategy Development: Develop and refine comprehensive visual merchandising strategies aligned with overarching brand objectives, financial goals, and ensuring consistency across all owned and franchise markets. Create seasonal visual direction for global retail locations Adapt US brand maps to reflect market relevancy by store, including strategies that appeal to the local markets. Establish guidelines for product placement and substitution needs by market Work closely with brand visual team to communicate direction to store teams as weekly mark-downs, floor sets and signage changes take place Develop subject matter expertise on display, signage, and packaging to meet local standards - understand product legislation in each country to ensure product displayed is compliant and relevant. Collaboration: Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Merchandising, Marketing, Retail Operations, Store Design, Ecommerce and Creative to ensure alignment and integration of visual initiatives with broader business strategies. Store Design and Layout: Oversee the development and execution of store design concepts and layouts, optimizing space utilization and creating visually compelling environments that drive foot traffic and sales. Visual Merchandising Standards: Define and uphold visual merchandising standards, ensuring consistency and excellence in execution across all retail locations in all markets. Training and Development: Develop and implement training programs and resources to educate store teams on visual merchandising best practices and empower them to deliver exceptional in-store experiences. Drive accountability of execution through strong partnership with in-country teams.  Performance Analysis: Monitor key performance metrics related to visual merchandising initiatives, analyzing data to evaluate effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement while meeting/exceeding financial goals. Innovation and Trend Analysis: Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and innovative approaches in visual merchandising, continuously exploring new ideas to enhance the customer experience and drive business results. Leadership: Responsible for coaching, developing and managing one direct report.  Budget + Calendar Management: Manage signage and display budgets effectively, allocating resources strategically to support the implementation of visual merchandising programs, ensuring execution to budget and strong vendor management. Create and execute annual Global VM calendars, delivering on-time retail activities. 

 

SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/COMPETENCIES:

8+ years progressive experience in visual merchandising with multi-store responsibility, preferably in a Global retail environment Experience managing others and leading a team Ability to travel to global locations + domestically  BS/BA required in design, art, or related degree Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark, In-design, Excel, Microsoft Suite Strong understanding of retail operations, consumer behavior, and market trends. Proven track record of developing and implementing successful visual merchandising strategies that drive sales and enhance brand perception. Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization. Cross functional collaboration experience. Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across business units, promoting knowledge sharing and driving efficiencies through teamwork. Creative thinker with a keen eye for design and a passion for innovation. Ability to write and speak effectively Prioritize effectively and organize work based on urgency and importance Correctly identifies problem and is resourceful and/or innovative in finding solutions

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to be mobile when setting up store floor set for extended periods of time. Ability to lift and mobilize medium to large items, up to 75 lbs., while utilizing appropriate equipment and safety techniques. 

The expected starting pay range for this position is $80,000 - $90,000 annually. Applicable pay ranges may differ across markets. Actual pay will be determined based on experience and other job-related factors permitted by law. In addition to competitive pay, compensation may include a variety of other components like benefits, paid time off, merit, and bonus opportunities.