Merchandising Manager

Purpose

The Merchandising & Brand Manager at Chicago O'Hare International Airport focuses on financial performance, commercial excellence and brand standard compliance for specialty retail operations with sales up to $3M. This role ensures stores maintain exceptional brand standards, visual merchandising, and product presentation while serving as the primary liaison with brand partners and supporting operational teams in delivering brand‑compliant customer experiences.

• Competitive Salary of: $73,010 - $85,894 annually
• Daily Pay
  - Get your money as you earn it
• 20% Hudson, HMSHost & Dufry Employee Discount
• Paid Time Off
• Personal and Parental Leave Programs
• Company Paid Life Insurance
• Employee Recognition Programs
• Advancement and Growth Opportunities
• On-going Training & Development

• Collaborates with operational leadership to support sales growth through brand standard execution, product knowledge training, and visual merchandising excellence while monitoring brand compliance metrics
• Partners with operational management to establish and maintain brand-specific customer service standards; provides targeted coaching and brand expertise to enhance customer experiences while supporting the full talent lifecycle including recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and developing specialty staff to ensure consistent brand representation
• Oversees and executes inventory management processes related to brand requirements, working collaboratively with operational teams on strategic stock selection, seasonal transitions, and promotional merchandise planning; ensures full compliance with promotional guidelines and brand partner requirements while maintaining optimal inventory levels that support sales objectives and brand standards
• Conducts regular brand standard audits and store assessments to ensure visual merchandising, product presentation, and brand guideline compliance; makes decisions on corrective actions and provides strategic recommendations to operational teams
• Serves as primary liaison with Commercial team, brand partners and vendors, communicating brand initiatives, seasonal requirements, and promotional needs while ensuring timely execution of brand‑directed programs and merchandising resets
• Develops and delivers brand‑specific training programs for store associates, focusing on product knowledge, brand storytelling, and customer engagement techniques that align with brand standards and expectations
• Monitors and analyzes brand performance metrics, customer feedback, and sales data related to brand compliance; provides insights and recommendations to operational leadership for performance optimization
• Oversees visual merchandising execution, ensuring displays meet brand guidelines and seasonal requirements; coordinates with merchandising teams on corporate and local brand initiatives while maintaining visual consistency
• Maintains expert‑level product knowledge across assigned brands and categories; stays current with brand launches, promotions, and industry trends while communicating updates to operational teams
• Reports regularly to brand partners on performance metrics, compliance status, visual merchandising execution, and market insights while maintaining strong vendor relationships

• The position typically reports to the Director of Operations
• The Merchandising & Brand Manager position falls under the Fair Labor Standards Act as an Exempt position under the Administrative Exemption test
• The Merchandising & Brand Manager position requires varied scheduling with presence during key operational periods to monitor brand standard execution and support operational teams across different business cycles

• Education and Experience: The combination of education and professional experience must exceed 5 years
• In a commercial/brand role:
  Requires 3 years of experience in brand management, visual merchandising, or commercial operations within retail environment
• In a retail operations support role:
  Requires 5 years of experience supporting retail operations with focus on brand standards,…