Senior Manager / Manager Retail Activation / Brand Activation (VMD)

Location Tokyo
Discipline Marketing, Sales
Job type Permanent
Salary Negotiable
Reference 49627

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

This role leads the development and execution of retail-specific marketing strategies focused on Visual Merchandising, in-store communication, and activations across company-owned retail locations. The position also oversees visual merchandising guidelines for select wholesale accounts, ensuring alignment with brand identity and commercial priorities. A key objective is to elevate the in-store experience and drive engagement for both commercial and membership moments.

 

Key Responsibilities:

  • Oversee the annual retail marketing calendar across all store formats.

  • Deliver tailored retail marketing plans for commercial and membership initiatives, ensuring alignment with global strategy and brand standards.

  • Provide market and channel insights to the Global Brand Activation team to inform localized strategies.

  • Manage and optimize the retail marketing budget to ensure effective investment in initiatives.

  • Collaborate with the retail and membership teams to align on activations and investments before execution.

  • Lead the planning and execution of in-store activations, membership campaigns, and new store launches.

  • Manage the Visual Merchandising team in developing seasonal guidelines for all owned stores based on the marketing calendar.

  • Guide the creation of visual merchandising toolkits for wholesale partners to support consistent brand execution.

  • Drive specific strategic visual merchandising projects for key wholesale accounts.

  • Identify and capitalize on in-season opportunities with the retail team, ensuring quick and agile execution.

  • Partner with external agencies to deliver visual merchandising solutions at key wholesale locations.

  • Support brand activation initiatives with expert guidance on visual merchandising and consumer journey planning.

  • Act as the primary liaison for the Global Retail Activation team.

  • Foster a high-performance, engaged team culture by leading through example.

KPI’s:

  • Growth in retail net sales

  • Sell-through performance at selected wholesale accounts

  • Return on marketing investment

  • Retail-specific metrics such as traffic, conversion rates, and average transaction value

  • Membership growth and engagement driven by in-store initiatives

 

Required Skills & Knowledge

  • Solid background in Visual Merchandising or Retail Marketing

  • Strong leadership and team management skills across diverse teams

  • Proven ability to develop and grow talent

  • Hands-on experience managing complex marketing projects

  • Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly in data and planning tools

 

Education & Experience Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field

  • 6–8 years’ experience in relevant marketing roles

  • Fluent in both Japanese and English

  • Deep interest or background in sports, fashion, or the arts

  • Demonstrated leadership track record

 

Key Relationships:

  • Country-level Brand Activation, Business Unit, and Concept-to-Consumer teams

  • Retail Operations, Buying, and Store Development

  • Wholesale teams and external marketing/visual agencies

  • Global functions: Retail Activation, Consumer Experience

  • Finance and Legal departments