Senior Manager, Visual Merchandising & Store Design Operations (ANZ & APAC)

 

HOURGLASS COSMETICS —Senior Manager, Visual Merchandising & Store Design Operations (ANZ & APAC) (Hybrid Role) 

Connected by creativity and driven by purpose. Hourglass Cosmetics is a vegan and cruelty-free beauty brand, redefining luxury cosmetics with high-performance products, innovative formulas, and award-winning franchises. Recognized by Forbes, Fast Company and Time Magazine as one of the most inventive beauty companies, Hourglass leads the industry with its breakthrough products and its commitment to animal welfare. Founded in 2004, Hourglass is globally available in 32 markets and over 4,600 doors including Sephora, Ulta, Neiman Marcus, Selfridges, Space NK and more. Hourglass became part of the Unilever Prestige division in 2017. Discover more about the Hourglass brand story and mission on our website hourglasscosmetics.com.

The Senior Manager, Visual Merchandising & Store Design (VMSD) Operations, ANZ & APAC will lead the planning and execution of visual merchandising and store design programs across Australia, New Zealand and the wider Asia Pacific region. The role drives the development, execution and ongoing maintenance of seasonal updates, secondary activations, shop-in-shops (SIS), Travel Retail (TR) locations, new door openings and brand expansion across the region, ensuring consistent alignment with global brand standards across all retail channels. This role is the regional point of contact between Global HQ (VMSD Operations, 3D/2D Design and Trade Marketing) and APAC commercial teams, retail partners and vendors. This role partners with regional and global VMSD teams, using shared processes and tools to keep ANZ & APAC aligned with the global business.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Regional Alignment & HQ Communication:
  • Act as the single point of contact between global HQ, ANZ, and all APAC markets, bringing market requests and priorities together into one regional view.
  • Lead weekly ANZ & APAC status meetings with global VMSD and Design teams, with clear agendas and actionable recaps.
  • Lead meetings with APAC local teams to understand their requirements and communicate with global teams.
  • Manage all ANZ & APAC projects in Asana, using shared global processes so work is visible across regions.
  • Partner with global teams on secondary programs, including Sephora ANZ & APAC placements in department stores and travel retail, and own regional execution and reporting.
  • Share learnings, vendor insights and best practices with regional counterparts to keep ways of working consistent.
  • Adapt globally approved design and merchandising strategies for each market, getting HQ approval before any local changes.
  • Work across ANZ, APAC, and US time zones through scheduled calls and clear written updates.
  • Flag timeline, budget and brand-standard risks early, with recommended solutions.

• Project Management:
  • Own timelines and deliverables for seasonal updates, secondary activations, new doors, expansions and closures across ANZ and APAC, tracked in ASANA.
  • Lead regional status meetings with global teams, commercial partners, retailers and vendors; issue clear recaps and escalate risks early.
  • Consolidate market inputs (retailer requirements, door lists, launch dates, space constraints) into global project requests and briefing documents to give 3D/2D teams clear, complete briefs.
  • Communicate shipping, delivery and installation timelines and key dates to retailers, vendors, market teams and field teams, and ensure timely delivery of VM guidelines and final production artwork.

• Seasonal & Secondary Execution:
  • Oversee seasonal updates for regional gondolas, counters and TR/SIS, recommending fixture and space solutions that meet commercial goals and brand standards. Lead secondary fixture programs with key partners, including Sephora, from vendor bidding through installation.
  • Support the end-to-end artwork process with Global 2D Design, from project request to final vendor delivery, including localized artwork and in-market language review for each market.
  • Translate global design standards to local retailer and market requirements, reviewing drawings, samples and final installs for brand quality.
  • Conduct regular store visits to assess execution, shopability and the competitive landscape.

• Operations & Vendors:
  • Project manage new door openings, refits and closures, working with commercial teams to plan fixture inventory for changes in door counts and distribution. Build and manage regional vendor and installer network, making sure pricing is competitive and work meets Hourglass standards.
  • Maintain the regional fixture library, installation photo records and vendor list, along with SOPs that follow global processes.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for ANZ & APAC fixture replacement and maintenance support.
  • Help drive process improvement between global and regional teams, including evolving project request and briefing templates.

• Finance:
  • Manage the regional VMSD opex and capex budget with the Global Executive Director, including forecasts, spend tracking and YTD reporting.
  • Manage vendor quotes, POs and invoices across markets and currencies; value engineer solutions within budget.

YOU’LL LOVE THIS JOB IF:

• You are DETAIL ORIENTED: You appreciate the importance of having detailed and precise information.
• You are a strong COMMUNICATOR: You align stakeholders across regions and time zones with a confident presence and drive clear, decisive outcomes.
• You are extremely ORGANIZED: You are not overwhelmed by the thought of tackling multiple tasks and markets at a time.
• You are AGILE: You adapt well to changing needs and priorities and are able to pivot easily to achieve goals and deadlines.
• You are highly STRATEGIC: You are able to develop creative concepts and vision that support brand and business goals.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 6+ years of experience in Visual Merchandising, Store Design Operations, Retail Operations or related field, including ANZ and/or APAC markets.
• Experience in a regional role reporting into a global headquarters, including adapting global guidelines for local markets.
• Proven experience with seasonal updates, launches and new door openings for a beauty or luxury brand; strong planogram skills.
• Experience managing multi-market vendors, installers and budgets across currencies.
• Proficiency in MS Office, Asana or Smartsheet; Adobe Creative Suite a plus.
• Strong communicator, able to lead meetings across time zones with flexibility for US and UK calls.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented; able to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to travel within ANZ and APAC as required.
• Role based in Sydney and must be able to work from the Sydney office 60% of the time on mandatory office days.