Manager, Visual Merchandising

About 1915 South | Ashley

1915 South operates 30 Ashley furniture stores and three distribution centers throughout the southeastern United States, covering Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Virginia. The company is dedicated to fostering employee growth and delivering exceptional customer experiences. Join us to advance your career with the leading furniture brand globally.

Role Overview

The Visual Merchandising Manager is responsible for implementing and expanding visual merchandising strategies across designated store locations. This position emphasizes enhancing product presentation to drive sales, closely collaborating with the Senior Director of Visual Merchandising to maintain consistent execution aligned with merchandising priorities. The role requires both hands-on involvement and leadership to optimize store layouts, galleries, and product placements to enrich the customer journey and support sales efforts.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead CAD-driven planning and showroom layout design to enhance product prioritization, customer navigation, and sales effectiveness in assigned stores.
• Directly execute visual merchandising plans within assigned locations and oversee layout development and implementation in other stores through Visual Associates.
• Ensure all merchandising efforts strengthen the sales process, equipping sales teams to effectively communicate product value and close deals.
• Collaborate with store sales leaders to synchronize visual updates with sales strategies, key product focuses, and customer traffic patterns.
• Implement visual merchandising standards created by senior leadership with precision and uniformity.
• Coach and guide Visual Associates to achieve brand-consistent, sales-focused visual displays.
• Manage the introduction of new product lines, seasonal changes, floor arrangements, and merchandising campaigns.
• Monitor and assess execution quality across assigned stores utilizing structured reviews and digital tools.
• Partner with the Merchandising team to analyze product and store performance, refining layouts and recommendations to boost sales and showroom productivity.
• Report insights, challenges, and opportunities regarding visual execution to leadership, adapting layouts based on sales outcomes and customer behavior.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Visual Merchandising, Interior Design, Retail, or a related discipline. Equivalent practical experience is accepted.
• Minimum 2 to 4 years of experience in visual merchandising, preferably within multi-store retail environments.

Physical and Work Environment

• Must be capable of safely lifting, moving, and positioning furniture and fixtures.
• Ability to stand for prolonged periods.
• Travel required up to 50% of working time.
• Work is performed both on the retail floor and in office settings.
• Typical schedule includes weekdays with weekend work as needed.

Benefits and Compensation

• Competitive salary with opportunities for performance bonuses and long-term incentives.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage for employees and their families.
• Paid vacation and sick leave.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions.
• Tuition assistance through partnership with Thomas University.
• Employee discounts on furniture purchases.
• Opportunities for career advancement within a promote-from-within environment, supporting long-term professional growth.