Looking for a Visual Brand Specialist !!

Join our team as a Visual Brand Specialist at Starboard Cruise Services, the world’s largest and leading duty free onboard retailer.  Starboard is a wholly owned subsidiary of Louis Vuitton, Moet Hennessey and is a multi-national, multi-cultural growing company.  Starboard operates duty free and travel retail shops on 82 ships worldwide, representing major cruise lines. 

With more than 1,000 employees around the world and corporately based in Miami, Florida, the employees at Starboard Cruise Services share a common set of core values and goals based on teamwork, communication and results.  We fully support the notion that our success is driven by our ability to attract, develop, and retain high quality talent who will thrive in our fast-paced environment.  This is why we are committed to our vision as the world-class travel and leisure retailer.  We can provide talented candidates with a fast paced, ever changing exciting work environment that will challenge you to use your leadership and management skills.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the direction of the Director of Operations, the Visual Brand Specialist is responsible for the visual merchandising of the shops on board, ensuring that the key elements of strategy are translated into exciting, visual displays on all ships.  In addition, the Visual Brand Specialist will be the key contact for one or more cruise lines, ensuring consistency of execution for all visual programs on board.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Develop and Communicate Visual Merchandising Programs:

• Partners with the Merchandise Manager, Distributor and Planner for the designated merchandise departments.
• Assists in the development of communication strategies for the assigned merchandise departments.
• Trains shipboard staff on the development and maintenance of visual merchandising.
• Creates impactful merchandise displays for interior walls/fixtures, promotional displays, launches and windows for the designated departments.
• Sources materials to build and execute the merchandise displays at Ship level.
• Prepares and submits for approval, models, renderings, sketches and verbal concepts and related costs for review and approval.
• Sources props/collateral and manages the PO process for same.
• Coordinates the production and trafficking of the visual merchandising materials for his/her departments.
• Develops communication packages to share the visual merchandise display strategy to all Ships.
• Ensures the effective roll-out of the visual merchandising strategies for his/her departments to all Ships.
• Responsible for the development of creative direction for the visual presentation initiatives that are aligned with the individual cruise line needs and corporate merchandising goals and objectives.
• Working with the Directors of Operations and other Visual Brand Specialists coordinates and develops a visual merchandising strategy for each cruise line that clearly communicates a differentiated brand message.
• Develops, manages and monitors the visual merchandising budget.
• Creates and communicates corporate “Best Practices” to field management to ensure consistent execution.
• Partners with Visual Brand Specialists to ensure consistency of shop layout, promotional event execution and product placement.
• Manages own calendar to ensure timely workload execution of visual merchandising objectives.
• Completes ship visits to ensure that visual direction is consistent and aligned with cruise line and corporate objectives.
• Responsible for development of creative direction for all visual presentation initiatives so that they align with company merchandising goals and objectives.
• Overseas all itinerary installations and prop purchasing once management has agreed on visual direction

Develop & Execute the Visual Merchandising Strategy for Specific Cruise Lines:

• Functions as the company’s visual merchandising expert for a group of Ships within one or more cruise lines.
• Develops “best practices” that can be shared among Ships of a common or similar design.
• Works with the other members of the Visual Merchandising Team, to communicate the needs and objectives of his/her group of ships.
• Ensures that the visual merchandising strategies of other merchandise departments are effectively implemented in his/her group of ships.
• Travels and visits his/her Ships on a regular rotating basis, to ensure consistent excellence of visual presentation standards, and consistent roll-out of all departmental visual merchandising strategies.
• Assists the District Managers in ensuring consistency in visual merchandising execution on board his/her ships.  Complete ship visit report.
• Works closely with MP&D and DM’s and respective cruise line to ensure consistent, high quality, implementation of floor layouts/sets.

Ensures Excellence in Execution of Signage and Communication Packages:

• Working with his/her Merchandise Manager, assists in the development and execution of an effective sign package in all Ships, while maintaining consistency with company signage standards.
• Working with the Visual Merchandising Administrator, coordinates the design, production and trafficking, with proper instruction of signage and promotional material to support his/her merchandise departments.
• Ensures the consistent and excellent implementation of all signage programs within his/her designated Ships.

Assists in the Launch of New Ships and the Repositioning of Existing Ships:

• Working with the Visual Merchandising Manager, coordinates all visual merchandising and marketing programs to include renovations for the launch of new ships within his/her cruise lines.
• Participates in the set-up of the shops within a new Ship prior to launch.
• Develops and communicates the visual merchandising programs for his/her merchandise departments for the repositioning of Ships from one geographic itinerary to another.
• From time-to-time, travels to Ships to assist in the re-dressing of the shops prior to repositioning.

Assists in Departmental Projects or Task Forces as Required:

• Participates in a variety of projects or task forces to continue to raise the standard of excellence of visual merchandising within the company.

REQUIRED SKILLS:

·         Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Adobe Paint, or

comparable products

• Good verbal and written skills
• Aptitude with hand and small power tools and common artists’ tools

EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum of (2) years experience as a Visual Merchandising professional, in either a duty-free, tax-free environment or a national department store or mall-based specialty store.
• Junior College or University Degree in Retailing, Design or related course preferred
• Ability to travel extensively based on existing visual project schedule

KEY COMPETENCIES:

·         Business Acumen

·         Drive for Results

·         Focus on Customers

·         Motivating Others

·         Attracting & Developing Talent

·         Managing Conflict

·         Communicating Effectively

·         Adaptability

·         Teamwork & Collaboration