Job Description

At Designer Brands, we are the proud parent company of DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, The Shoe Company, and Rubino, operating nearly 675 stores across North America and a billion-dollar digital commerce business. We lead the footwear industry with a diverse portfolio of iconic brands, including Topo Athletic, Keds, Vince Camuto, Kelly & Katie, Jessica Simpson, Lucky Brand, Mix No. 6, Crown Vintage, and others. With expertise in design, production, and sourcing, we create on-trend footwear and accessories, delivered through a robust omni-channel infrastructure and national wholesale distribution. At Designer Brands, we are committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity, where each employee’s unique perspective contributes to our success. Anchored by our core values of “We Love What We Do,” “We Own What We Do,” “We Do What’s Right,” and “We Belong,” we continuously drive forward together, building a future where everyone can put their best foot forward.

The Opportunity

The Visual Specialist role supports a customer first in-store experience through articulate project briefs, creative visual displays, easy to follow communication, and expert collaboration.

This position will have a strong focus on our Canada stores (DSW + Shoe Co) and will also support the team working on US stores.

This is a hybrid role with required routine work in our Columbus based home office.

Occasional travel to Canada may be required.

This position is HYBRID based in Columbus, OH

Reporting to: Manager, Visual Merchandising

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Visual Communication

• Responsible for store facing communication for all evergreen, seasonal, promotional and brand partnerships initiatives.
• Creates clearly articulated visual execution documents for stores to flawlessly execute.
• Partners with field communications to make sure documents are posted accurately and on schedule for weekly, monthly and ad hoc deliverables.
• Partners with cross functional teams (merchandising, promo, etc) to ensure accurate store signage and product feature direction is captured.

Visual Merchandising

• Creates impactful visual displays that support merchant buy plans, seasonal and business priorities, and inspires customer engagement.
• Presentation set up for seasonal floorset walk throughs and other business meetings.
• Documents all displays to provide with communication for store associates to set with ease.

Project Briefing

• Translates store signage and visual strategy into clear and actionable briefs to creative team.
• Gather and provide all necessary details (quantities, dimensions, references) to support the most accurate product.
• Self-manages publishing timeline to support existing traffic workflow and comms calendar.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Supports a customer first in-store experience through creative visual merchandising displays, store signage and product placement.
• Acts as a liaison between cross functional teams: visual operations, merchandising, marketing, communications and stores.
• Supports and helps operationalize all projects.
• Solicits feedback and supports improvements through strong working relationships with internal partner, field leaders and store managers.
• Executes in-store audio and visual content schedule with 3rd party vendors.

Required Skills:

• Strong visual merchandising and communications background focusing on in-store experience.
• Proficient with technology including and not limited to Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, MS Office, Workfront and Airtable.
• Graphic design experience preferred but not required.
• Personal phone for documentation photos.
• Valid Passport during time of employment for occasional travel to Canada.
• Self-motivated with ability to drive projects with little supervision.
• Energetic and eager to tackle new projects and ideas
• Excellent communication, organizational and interpersonal skills
• Collaborative team player
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment handling multiple activities simultaneously
• Strong customer focus with demonstrated success in teamwork, adaptability, and decision making
• Possess a growth mindset
• Takes accountability for decisions and actions

Minimum Experience:

• 3 years corporate retail experience, preferably with a mass retailer or equivalent experience.

Minimum Education:

• College degree or equivalent work experience