Merchandising Project Manager

Description

Springs Window Fashions is hiring for a Merchandising Project Manager I

This is a hybrid role with 3 days each week in office, two days working remotely.

Company Overview

Springs Window Fashions is a leader in the custom window treatment industry since 1939. Headquartered in Middleton WI, we have 7,000 associates with locations in North America, Europe, and Asia.  Our custom window treatments are available under the Bali, Graber, Horizons, SunSetter and Mecho brands in nearly every major retailer, in thousands of designer showrooms, and showcased in large commercial buildings.

Our company has made significant investments to become a leader in product innovation.  As North America’s premier window covering company, we’re committed to creating a “Best Experience” for our consumers, channel partners and associates.  We are bringing new innovations to the market at an accelerated pace and have a variety of offerings to consumers who want to improve their home décor. 

Job Summary

Project Management plays a crucial role in driving the successful execution of initiatives at Springs Window Fashions through effective collaboration with project teams.  The role involves partnership with project sponsors, ensuring effective stakeholder management and business engagement, serving as the owner for project status and budget reporting and facilitating strong partnerships within the organization and with third-party contributors to manage project scope, schedules, cost, risks, and issues.

The Merchandising Project Manager role is responsible for the management of sample book and display reorder projects. Sample books are highly complex projects that combine inspirational photography and storytelling with product information and material samples. Displays are fixtures used by our dealer and retail channels to effectively showcase products to consumers within a store environment. This role manages multiple vendors, integrates with channel partners, and manages large budgets. The role will also manage processes to facilitate efficient workflow and production and is responsible for communicating the progress of key projects to the organization.

Key Job Duties:

Collaborate cross-functionally to define objectives and deliver best-in-industry sampling materials

• Facilitate defining the requirements for sample book and display reorder projects with product management, channel marketing, and sales.
• Hold cross-functional team members accountable for providing the information and materials on time.
• Communicate progress of sampling and display projects to the organization, including appropriate Senior Leadership Team members.
• Communicate with logistics team to ensure projects are tracked appropriately and arrive on schedule.
• Manage artwork delivery and proofing with vendors, Creative Team and Product Management team.
• Manage projects to ensure milestones are completed on time and vendors are adhering to .
• Provide necessary information to place POs with vendors and ensure approvals are obtained from key stakeholders.
• Manage overall project timeline with vendors.
• Manage quality of goods produced with the vendors.

Ensure brand consistency

• Ensure branded books and displays have a consistent look and size.
• Work with the Creative Manager and Channel Marketing to ensure sampling and displays represent and position SWF brands appropriately.

Own process and process improvement

• Effective management of all resources, inputs, outputs and timing for total project, total lifecycle of sampling program.
• Oversee the material collection and inspection to ensure the correct materials get to the sample book and display vendors on-time
• Develop, implement and enforce a process to ensure any changes to the sampling is agreed to, documented, and communicated appropriately

Own cross-functional communication

• Communicate sampling schedules to cross-functional team members, as well as any other appropriate project details / changes.
• Communicate progress of key NPD sampling and display projects to the organization, including appropriate SLT members
• Responsible for effective and timely communication with transportation to ensure merchandising produced overseas is tracked appropriately and arrives on schedule.

Requirements

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree required; Project Management Certification (PMP) is a plus.
• 2 years of experience in project management, with a focus on initiatives in the manufacturing sector.
• Knowledge of project management methodologies, tools, and best practices.
• Experience utilizing project management tools, Excel, Power BI, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project or similar.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across all levels of the organization.
• Analytical and strategic thinking capabilities, with a focus on problem-solving and decision-making.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.