Senior Design Planner- Hybrid Seattle

Job Description

NOTE:   This position is offered as a hybrid role in the Seattle, WA area.  You must work in office at the Nordstrom Seattle office a minimum of 3 days/week.

The ideal Visual Merchandising Planner is responsible for delivering innovative and well planned strategies for our divisions that support product selling and brand standards to each specific customer base. This individual will be focused on creating strong partnerships with all key stake holders including leadership to deliver and influence how Visual Merchandising drives business within each of the areas they support and to highlight Nordstrom as a fashion leader. A VM Planner should always be focused on driving volume while keeping the customer experience/journey top of mind. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

DEPTARTMENT WORK:  

· Develop, test and learn new merchandising ideas that is focused on current merchant divisional/department strategies as well as keeping relevancy for the customer 

· Be the expert within a supported division to influence store presentations that include: the customer journey, silent selling opportunities (fixture sets, merchandise presentation, mannequin styling), and training needs 

· Build strong relationships with all key stake holders including peers, VM, store design, DMMs, RD’s, buyers, merchant Program Managers, and Planning Director to drive new ideas that enhances the customer experience 

· Review business reports (Nsight, Tableau, End 2 End calendar, merchant decks) to inform decisions on new strategy proposals, driving current business needs with vm planning tools such as merchandise refreshes, as well as adding to planning team conversations to discuss how business data impacts call to action decisions 

· Develop new visual strategies and partner with key stake holders to present to merchant teams to drive business 

· Focus on brand strategies and consistency while bringing in innovation to the company as appropriate, researching and understanding what’s happening within the industry to compare and contrast current operations. 

· Research and review competitive landscape from other retailers to popular culture in order to stay on top of current and future presentations. Art + Science 

· Review operating practices and procedures, determine whether improvements can be made and work to implement changes as appropriate 

· Work with cross div teams on signing, hangers, and sensors that range from influencing outcomes and driving store communications 

· Ensure store and/or department alignment on marketing editorial calendar while driving appropriate marketing messages to the customer 

· Build tools such as department linears to help merchant and allocations team have visibility in what every department in each store can hold in terms of stock. 

· Taking opportunities to use current fixtures in new ways to drive interest on the floors 

· Work with Store Design team on fixture needs, development of new concepts, and reinventing older concepts which may also including laying out fixtures differently 

FASHION EDUCATION/STYLING: 

· Understanding of fashion trends and how they relate to the company commercial trends in each season to influence floor merchandising presentations including mannequin styling and training of VM teams 

· Drive fashion messaging through a corporate filter to the instore visual merchandisers that support window and in department styling and aligns with company fashion and marketing direction 

· Create seasonal fashion videos that supports inspiration as well as in season fashion messaging 

· Create and update yearly Styling fundamental tools for VM MGRS to use to train their teams 

· Participate in regional trainings both in person and on calls to train styling concepts 

COMMUNICATION & TRAINING TOOLS: 

· Drive and create new VM training opportunities whether in person or from the office, gather feedback and pivot as needed in the moment or for future trainings. 

· Lead trainings, share knowledge, and provide guidance to support instore VMs and DMs. This includes in person training, leading remodels, new fixture installs, and conference calls. 

· Drive monthly/bimonthly communication tools that is delivered to all company with a clear understanding on how to translate direction that is achievable in all doors. 

· Research