Al-Futtaim Looking for Expansion Visual Merchandising Specialist | Retail | IKEA Jebel Ali at United Arab Emirates Full Time

Job Requisition ID: 160919

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world’s most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day

Overview of the role

To contribute to positioning the IKEA store as the Leader in life at home in our market in order to maximize sales and long-term profitability. I do this by securing the effective implementation of global solutions using my knowledge of people’s life at home, sustainability and consumer buying behaviour in my market, trends in design and materials, and my home furnishing competence to adapt these to meet our national needs.

What you will do

REGIONAL SUPPORT

• Production of the detailed commercial plans package of the assigned area in a commercial planning and build up.
• Actively support the Expansion Visual Merchandising Manager in implementing the country business plan and the country Com&In plan to support the optimization of sales and our long-term growth in our new stores.
• Support the stores to ensure the uniqueness of the IKEA Brand identity in range presentation and store communication in order to distance us from the competition. Taking ownership for how we are working with visual merchandising in my country.
• Using range presentation solutions that are relevant to the many peoples life at home in my national market and that it accurately reflects demographics, living conditions and our visitors needs and wants.
• Securing that our solutions reflect a wide variety of style expressions and functions to meet individual tastes and stimulate our visitors to change their home furnishings more often, using IKEA style groups and IKEA living situations, supported by a good level of knowledge in design and material trends.
• Develop the store layout and support the stores to ensure it is used to create optimal visual impact, a good overview and supports our commercial priorities.
• Working with Service office Com&In colleagues, Expansion team, Sales leaders, In-store Logistics and other SO functions to agree on our national priorities. Together developing solutions that present and communicate the IKEA product range in a way that reflects its width and depth, price and quality and strengthens our low-price profile on all levels and local market needs.
• A good understanding of working with home furnishing lighting and commercial lighting as a sales steering tool, commercial lighting and home furnishing lighting to support medias, compacts and specialty shops.
• Working with IMS racking solutions in line with health and safety requirements. Working with sales and logistics to find the most aesthetic and functional solutions to achieve optimal merchandising.

STORE SUPPORT (NEW STORES)

• Demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of people’s needs and wants, their living situations and living conditions, sustainability, market trends in design and materials, and consumer buying behaviour in my national market and I am inquisitive and responsible to find out more.
• Analyze the IKEA Customer Satisfaction survey (ICSS), IKEA Brand Capital, home visits data and other visitor feedback and use these insights to work with the store Com&In teams to improve the experience of our visitors and convert them into satisfied customers.
• Work with the SO Com&In colleagues and other SO functions to provide the specific, relevant support which enables the stores and other IKEA units.
• Working with the Expansion Graphic Communication Specialist, Expansion Interior Design Specialist to ensure consistency in how we communicate throughout our new stores.
• Supporting the new stores to ensure the implementation of store communication using the layout to create optimal visual impact, a good overview and support our commercial priorities.
• Working with my SO Com&In colleagues to ensure that all we communicate to the stores is consistent, understandable and cost-effective for them to implement.
• COACHING
• Sharing specialist knowledge, good solutions and ideas, coaching and mentoring visual merchandiser’s in new and current stores to improve their competence.
• To have a good level in presenting skills to share ideas, knowledge, and present plans and drawings.
• Work with manuals, global directions and tools within my area of responsibility, keeping up to date with all developments to maintain a high level of specialist knowledge.
• PROJECTS
• Coordinate with the regional expansion plans whenever necessary including commercial planning, build up and opening phases.
• Supporting with current ways of working and business practices.

Required skills to be successful

• Understands customer buying behaviour and buying decisions.
• Knows the competition on the local market.
• Has experience in incorporating the commercial calendar into the Communication & Interior Design action plan.
• Has thorough knowledge of the role and responsibilities of a store visual merchandiser.
• Computer skills in AutoCAD, REVIT and Microsoft Office
• Presentation skills
• Time management and basic administration skills
• Mentoring skills
• Sustainability and cost conscious
• Healthy and safety knowledge

What equips you for the role

• Experience in a similar role.
• Ideally knowledge of the IKEA Concept.
• Has thorough knowledge of the role and responsibilities of the Communication & Interior Design department.
• Has a passion for visual merchandising, display solutions, interior design, home furnishings and design.

About Al-Futtaim Retail

Al-Futtaim Retail has established itself as one of the leaders in Retail across the Middle East, Africa & Asia over the past 30 years. We have developed partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected Brands in the world including IKEA, ACE and Toys R Us in the Middle East and the Inditex Group of Brands (Zara, Mango, Bershka and P&B) across Asia. We are also one of the largest Global partners of Marks and Spencer’s in both regions with over 75 stores offering both fashion & food options.

Most recently we have been responsible for bringing brands to the Middle East for the first time with the exciting launches of Watsons and B&Q and we aim to continue to be agile and adaptive to our markets with new launches and further development. For this to be possible we aim to recruit the best talent from all backgrounds who will continue to challenge and develop our diverse workforce which includes over 100 nationalities across 12 countries. Join us today and make a difference