Visual Merchandising Coordinator
About Chair King Backyard Store:
Chair King® Backyard Store was founded in Houston in 1950 and has grown to be the largest casual furniture retailer in Texas. Chair King® Backyard Store is family-owned and operated, thus assuring continuity for our employees and customers. We are a customer service-driven company that strives for quality in every aspect of our business. We constantly strive to offer our customers the finest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price in the markets we serve. It is through the development of our employees into true professionals and the empowerment of our employees to serve our customers that we are able to sustain Chair King® Backyard Store's competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Visual Merchandising Coordinator
Department: Visual Design
Reports To: Director of Visual Design
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Position Summary
The Visual Merchandising Coordinator supports the planning, execution, and maintenance of visual merchandising standards across all store locations. This role partners closely with Merchandising, Marketing, Buying, and Store Operations to ensure consistent execution of visual presentations, promotional displays, seasonal merchandising programs, and brand standards.
The Visual Merchandising Coordinator is responsible for developing visual floor plans, planograms, merchandising guides, and training materials while providing ongoing support to store teams. This position also assists with photo shoots, seasonal initiatives, new store openings, and special projects to deliver a cohesive and engaging customer experience.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Visual Merchandising Support
- Create, maintain, and distribute visual floor plans and merchandising layouts for all store locations.
- Develop planograms and visual merchandising guides for furniture, accessories, seasonal merchandise, and promotional displays.
- Ensure consistent execution of visual merchandising standards across all stores.
- Communicate visual updates, merchandising standards, and promotional directives to store teams.
- Conduct store visits as needed to support merchandising execution and visual consistency.
- Identify opportunities to enhance store presentation and communicate recommendations for improvement.
Store Operations and Merchandising Coordination
- Partner with Merchandising and Store Operations to update store layouts and floor plans as new products and programs are introduced.
- Assist in the development and maintenance of visual look books, merchandising standards, and implementation guides.
- Provide stores with guidance and recommendations regarding product placement, display execution, and merchandising best practices.
- Support accessory merchandising programs and seasonal product launches.
- Assist with inventory sell-through initiatives through strategic visual merchandising and product placement recommendations.
Training and Communication
- Develop visual merchandising guides, tools, and training materials for store teams.
- Train and support managers and sales associates on merchandising standards and display execution.
- Communicate visual expectations and best practices to ensure consistency across locations.
- Assist with onboarding and training related to visual merchandising initiatives.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Collaborate with Merchandising, Marketing, Buying, and Store Operations teams to support promotional campaigns and merchandising initiatives.
- Help develop visual presentations aligned with marketing campaigns, seasonal promotions, and company objectives.
- Support the implementation of new merchandising concepts and accessory programs.
Photo Shoots and Creative Support
- Assist in planning and preparing locations for company photo shoots and marketing campaigns.
- Coordinate merchandise, props, accessories, and styling elements for photography and video productions.
- Support on-site setup, styling, and breakdown of photo shoots.
- Assist with product selection, color story development, and visual presentation for marketing projects.
Seasonal and Special Projects
- Support trade shows, company events, and special merchandising initiatives.
- Assist with new store openings, store refreshes, and merchandising resets.
- Coordinate fixture installations and visual display updates as needed.
Qualifications
Education and Experience
- High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Visual Merchandising, Interior Design, Marketing, or a related field preferred.
- Minimum of 2 years of experience in retail visual merchandising, merchandising, design, or a related field.
- Experience supporting multiple retail locations preferred.
- Experience in furniture, home furnishings, lifestyle, or specialty retail environments preferred.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong visual merchandising, styling, and presentation skills.
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office applications.
- Experience with SketchUp or similar space-planning/design software preferred.
- Excellent organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- High attention to detail with strong follow-through and execution skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively across multiple departments and levels of the organization.
- Ability and willingness to travel as needed to support store projects, openings, and company initiatives.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to lift, move, and arrange merchandise and display materials.
- Ability to stand, walk, bend, and work on sales floors for extended periods.
- Ability to travel by automobile and air as required.
- Ability to occasionally work evenings, weekends, and overnight shifts in support of store projects and events.