Communication & Interior Design Manager | Retail | IKEA Dubai Festival City

Job Requisition ID: 169135 

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United A”rab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organisation to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate. 

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.

Overview of the role

Responsible for leading the Com & In department in securing the overall visual and inspirational level inside of the IKEA store. Ensure the IKEA store is perceived as being a source of inspiration, tips and ideas as well as a qualified home furnishing specialist providing home furnishing solutions by the customers in order to help maximise Sales

What you will do

COMMERCIAL and FINANCIAL

• Support the store with expertise to secure that the commercial level regarding range presentation and visual merchandising is optimised and that there is a common thread throughout the store
• Ensure that time plans and budgets set by the Store Manager are followed for all work related to changing and updating all areas of the IKEA store in sync with the Commercial Calendar
• Develop and implement the annual business plan with the store management team in regards to comin department and areas of responsibility
• Plan, execute and follow-up of the stores’ commercial calendars
• You work with the Country Comm. In Manager to plan and organise marketing activities related to the commercial calendar.
• To work as a team with the rest of the Commercial team (ISL and Sales) in order to achieve the store sales target and the level of inspirations agreed with the Store management.
• Contribute in achieving the store sales target
• Maintain the store budget for the Com & In department.
• Ensure IKEA store should provide a vibrant and exciting atmosphere that convince the visitors to come back for more repeat visits

OPERATIONAL

• Ensure that systems and methods stated in IKEA Concept Documentation are implemented throughout the whole store
• Plan and lead major changes in the store including building up new room sets, new homes, new departments
• Provide Comm&In support to the Expansion team
• Provide a vibrant and enthralling environment to the Staff and Back Office areas.
• Work closely and collaborate with Sales and ISL departments.

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

• Ensure that all Com & In team members have received the necessary training in safety and security aspects related to the use of this equipment so they are able to follow the rules and regulations and prevent accidents
• Ensure all co-workers are properly trained including development programs to secure the store performance and succession needs
• Manage the recruitment of the Comm & In department. Ensure the vacancies are filled as soon as they arise and the right candidates are hired in the vacant positions with the needed technical skills
• Ensure positive results in the employee survey and taking action in the areas where the satisfaction is low

Required skills to be successful

• Deep interest in and highly developed knowledge of home furnishings and the way people live
• Project management experience
• Store layout planning experience
• Strategic Planning and Analytical Skills
• Excellent & effective Communication skills
• Proficient user of MS office applications
• Creative thinking and problem solving skills 
• Leadership and people management skills

What equips you for the role

• 7 years interior design/visual merchandising experience in or outside IKEA, preferably in home furnishing retail business.
• University degree in interior design, communication and arts is highly preferred.
• Experience of managing/leading and developing a team
• Tactical thinker
• Understand KPIs and how to affect their results through departmental actions

We’re here to provide excellent service but a little help from you can ensure a five-star candidate experience from start to finish.

Before you click “apply”: Please read the job description carefully to ensure you can confidently demonstrate why this opportunity is right for you and take the time to put together a well-crafted and personalised CV to further boost your visibility. Our global Talent Acquisition team members are all assigned to specific businesses to ensure that we make the best matches between talent and opportunities. We not only consider the requisite compatibility of skills and behaviours, but also how candidates align with our Values of Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence.

As part of our candidate experience promise, we also want to make ourselves available to you throughout the application process. We make every effort to review and respond to every application.