Manager, VM Production

Coach is a global fashion house founded in New York in 1941. Inspired by the vision of Creative Director Stuart Vevers and the inclusive and courageous spirit of our hometown, we make beautiful things, crafted to last-for you to be yourself in.
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Position Title: Visual Merchandising Production Manager
Reports to: Senior Director, Visual Merchandising
Location: Tokyo
This position is responsible for overseeing the Coach Japan Visual Merchandising (VM) production function. The role includes managing the entire production process, from budgeting to vendor management, for all brand initiatives. This encompasses retail and outlet store business initiatives, pop-up creative asset production, and all 2D production (such as signage, lightboxes, and seasonal changes), as well as order management.
The individual in this role will work closely with the Global Creative and Production teams and act as the liaison between regional business partners to ensure the exceptional execution of key brand initiatives.
Key Responsibilities:
Brand Initiatives

• Reviewing the Global Design guidance and managing production timeline, material sourcing and sampling
• Leading communication with Global team, regional marketing partners and vendors for cost estimation, rendering reviews
• Manage the graphic production quality and installation needs
• Support for any fixture production needs
• Provide on-site direction of installation, manage the QC of installation and fabrication
• Partner with VM Field team closely to plan for pop up, outposts, store openings and other ad hoc events plans reviews and orders tracking.

Lightbox 2D Print and VM inventory management

• Responsible for managing the production and installation for lightbox changes
• Coordinate sample approval process with vendors
• Provide VM Field team production/layout information of monthly or quarterly elements
• Coordinate Lightbox, window and in-store activation installation schedules with stores and cross functional support including necessary work permits.
• Support and organize log sheet/ database as well as local ICH inventory management.
• Manage all 2D orders for Japan, coordinate orders for both channels for submission.
• Manage all FRSOs / new props / store enhancement props roll out order for Japan and coordinate orders for both channels for submission.

Budget Management

• Continuously seek the most cost-effective methods for all production projects and monitor annual VM budgets.
• Offer insights on cost engineering and collaborate closely with the marketing team to manage budgets for all initiatives.

Qualifications

• At least 4 years of experience in 2D/3D production, vendor management, and installation.
• Low-business level for verbal English/Japanese(N2) , Mid-business level for written English/Japanese required.
• Comfortable in multi-lingual/cultural environments.
• Ability to anticipate potential issues early and proactively find solutions.
• Experience in streamlining processes to reduce lead times.
• Strong initiative, ownership, and accountability for projects.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to plan clear workflows and transparent timelines in advance to ensure smooth and successful installations.
• Growth mindset and collaborative approach, ensuring the right people are involved at the right time to achieve the best results.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, comfortable working at all levels.
• Ability to work strategically and react quickly with a strong sense of urgency in a fast-paced environment.
• Highly resourceful, organized, and detail-oriented, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously within short timelines.

Our Competencies for All Employees

• Courage: Doesn't hold back anything that needs to be said; provides current, direct, complete, and "actionable" positive and corrective feedback to others; lets people know where they stand; faces up to people problems on any person or situation (not including direct reports) quickly and directly; is not afraid to take negative action when necessary.
• Creativity: Comes up with a lot of new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; tends to be seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.
• Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
• Dealing with Ambiguity: Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn't upset when things are up in the air; doesn't have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.
• Drive for Results: Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
• Interpersonal Savvy: Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.
• Learning on the Fly: Learns quickly when facing new problems; a relentless and versatile learner; open to change; analyzes both successes and failures for clues to improvement; experiments and will try anything to find solutions; enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks; quickly grasps the essence and the underlying structure of anything.

Our Competencies for All People Managers

• Strategic Agility: Sees ahead clearly; can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future oriented; can articulately paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.
• Developing Direct Reports and Others: Provides challenging and stretching tasks and assignments; holds frequent development discussions; is aware of each person's career goals; constructs compelling development plans and executes them; pushes people to accept developmental moves; will take on those who need help and further development; cooperates with the developmental system in the organization; is a people builder.
• Building Effective Teams: Blends people into teams when needed; creates strong morale and spirit in their team; shares wins and successes; fosters open dialogue; lets people finish and be responsible for their work; defines success in terms of the whole team; creates a feeling of belonging in the team.

Coach is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and we pride ourselves on hiring and developing the best people. All employment decisions (including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, transfer, training, discipline and termination) are based on the applicant's or employee's qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position under consideration. These decisions are made without regard to age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic characteristics, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage, citizenship, disability, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or any other legally-recognized protected basis prohibited by applicable law. Visit Coach at www.coach.com.