Retail Marketing and Visual Design Manager- Hotel Chocolat

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Retail Marketing and Visual Design Manager

Company: Mars (Hotel Chocolat Brand)

Location: Chicago, IL

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Retail Operations & Marketing

Date Posted: March 31, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (implied by 4+ years experience)

Remote Status: Hybrid (on-site 3 days a week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive visual merchandising strategies and execution for all US retail stores and cafes, ensuring a consistent and on-brand customer journey.

• Develop and manage store-specific planograms, seasonal product layouts, and campaign executions to maximize trading density and revenue.

• Lead the end-to-end planning and execution of retail expansion initiatives from a visual merchandising and marketing asset perspective.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with trading, operations, property, and creative teams to define store layouts and optimize product range for diverse store formats.

• Enhance the in-store customer experience through meticulous attention to detail in visual presentation and marketing material deployment.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title includes "Retail Marketing," the core responsibilities heavily emphasize visual merchandising and retail operations aspects, particularly concerning store layouts, planograms, and in-store campaign execution. This suggests a strong focus on the physical retail environment and its operational presentation, aligning with a GTM (Go-To-Market) operations or retail operations function rather than traditional broad marketing. The "Hotel Chocolat" brand context implies a premium or luxury product, requiring a sophisticated approach to visual presentation and customer experience.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Retail Expansion & VM Guideline Development: Drive the creation of comprehensive Visual Merchandising guidelines and principles for all US stores, collaborating with trading, operational, and property teams to ensure successful execution across existing and new locations.

• Planogram Management: Define and execute optimized planograms for all retail locations, recommending the ideal product range count for each store format to maximize trading density and ensure consistent sales performance and execution.

• In-Store Marketing Material Execution: Lead the briefing, development, and execution of all in-store marketing materials (POS, digital screen content, menu boards) in collaboration with US Marketing, Retail teams, and the UK-based in-house studio.

• New Store Opening Support: Lead visual merchandising for all new store openings, including briefing and developing marketing materials, balancing seasonal campaigns with new store introductions, and ensuring alignment on stock packaging and VM minimums.

• Seasonal Campaign Planning & Execution: Recommend optimal seasonal range counts per store, create seasonal product layouts and store-specific planograms aligned with campaign objectives, bestsellers, and hero products, and drive the execution of seasonal in-store marketing materials.

• Performance Analysis & Optimization: Analyze campaign and VM performance to make data-driven recommendations for future campaigns and launches, aiming to maximize revenue and profitability.

• Project Management: Define critical paths for all projects, ensuring stakeholder alignment and communication, and capture learnings to optimize future initiatives and identify new opportunities.

• Digital Merchandising Collaboration: Potentially collaborate with US Marketing & Digital teams and the in-house studio to optimize digital merchandising experience on the owned e-commerce site.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong operational execution component, particularly in retail expansion and seasonal campaign rollout. The emphasis on "trading density optimization," "planograms," and "VM guidelines" points to a need for analytical skills in space management and a systematic approach to retail operations. The role requires managing external partnerships and timelines, which is a core GTM operations function.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent work experience.

Experience: 4+ years of experience in Retail Visual Merchandising, range planning, and execution within a multi-site retailer.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in Retail Visual Merchandising and range planning for multi-site retailers.

• Deep understanding of the retail environment and customer experience within physical retail spaces.

• Proficiency with planogram software tools and the Microsoft Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).

• Demonstrated experience in leading the creation and execution of retail marketing assets.

• Strong ability to write effective creative briefs and manage creative development with agencies or in-house teams.

• Experience working collaboratively with in-house or agency creative teams.

• Comfort operating at pace in a busy, dynamic trading environment.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with luxury or premium brands, particularly in the retail and food & beverage sectors.

• Familiarity with retail marketing technology, such as digital screen Content Management Systems (CMS).

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize practical, hands-on experience in visual merchandising and retail operations. The need for planogram software proficiency and experience with creative briefs suggests a blend of analytical and creative skills essential for Go-To-Market (GTM) execution in a retail context. The preference for luxury brand experience indicates a need for understanding premium brand aesthetics and customer expectations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Visual Merchandising Case Studies: Showcase examples of successful visual merchandising strategies implemented in previous retail environments, detailing the objectives, execution, and quantifiable results (e.g., increased sales, improved customer flow, enhanced brand perception).

• Planogram Development Examples: Present examples of created planograms, highlighting the rationale behind product placement, range optimization, and how they addressed specific store formats or seasonal needs.

• Retail Marketing Asset Creation: Include examples of in-store marketing materials (POS, signage, digital content) developed or managed, demonstrating creative brief effectiveness and execution quality.

• Retail Expansion Projects: If possible, showcase involvement in new store openings or significant retail footprint expansions, detailing your role in VM and marketing implementation.

• Process Optimization Examples: Illustrate instances where you analyzed campaign or VM performance and implemented changes to improve revenue, profitability, or operational efficiency.

Process Documentation:

• VM Guideline Creation: Evidence of creating or contributing to the development of clear, actionable Visual Merchandising guidelines for store teams or external partners.

• Campaign Execution Workflows: Documentation or examples of project timelines and critical paths for seasonal campaigns, demonstrating structured planning and execution.

• Creative Briefing Process: Examples of creative briefs developed for agencies or internal teams, showcasing clarity, strategic direction, and objective setting.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio demonstrating hands-on experience in visual merchandising, planogram design, and retail campaign execution is crucial. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their process for developing VM guidelines, managing creative briefs, and analyzing performance data to drive operational improvements and revenue growth within a retail setting.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: USD $108,160 - $148,720 per year.

Benefits:

• Medical Benefits

• Dental Benefits

• Participation in 401k plan

• Paid Time Off benefits

• Competitive salary and Incentives based on performance

• 50% unlimited staff discount on Hotel Chocolat products

• 70% discount off a stay at their Hotel in St. Lucia

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, with flexibility discussed for work-life balance. The role is hybrid, requiring 3 days per week in the Chicago office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range falls within the mid-to-senior level for a specialized retail operations and marketing role in a major metropolitan area like Chicago. The benefits package is competitive, with unique perks related to the luxury brand offering. The hybrid work arrangement necessitates on-site presence for collaborative tasks and store visits, typical for roles managing physical retail environments.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Confectionery, Retail, Hospitality (Hotel Chocolat is a premium chocolate brand with a unique hotel offering). Mars is a global leader in confectionery, pet care, and other food products.

Company Size: Mars is a large, global corporation, while Hotel Chocolat operates as a distinct brand within Mars, likely maintaining a more focused and agile operational structure for its retail division.

Founded: Hotel Chocolat was founded in 2004, with Mars being a much older, established company founded in 1935. This blend offers the stability of a large parent company with the innovative spirit of a premium brand.

Team Structure:

• Reporting: The role reports directly to the US Marketing Lead, indicating a clear hierarchy within the US marketing and retail operations team.

• Collaboration: Close collaboration is expected with US Marketing, US Retail teams, UK-based in-house studio, trading, operational, and property teams. This cross-functional dynamic is typical for GTM roles.

• Specialization: The role is specialized in Retail Marketing and Visual Design, focusing on the physical retail experience and its operational execution.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decisions: Emphasis on analyzing campaign and VM performance to optimize future strategies, indicating a data-informed approach to retail operations.

• Process Optimization: A core responsibility involves defining critical paths and capturing learnings to improve future project execution and identify new opportunities.

• Brand Consistency: Maintaining a seamless, on-brand customer journey through consistent VM and marketing execution across all retail touchpoints.

Company Website: https://careers.mars.com/global/en

📝 Enhancement Note: Operating within the Hotel Chocolat brand under Mars suggests a culture that values both premium brand integrity and operational efficiency. The emphasis on collaboration across regions (US/UK) and departments (Marketing, Retail, Operations, Property) highlights the interconnected nature of GTM operations in a multi-faceted retail environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a mid-to-senior level, requiring significant experience in retail visual merchandising and a proven track record of managing complex projects like retail expansion and seasonal campaigns. It’s a manager-level position with direct accountability for key aspects of the retail customer experience.

Reporting Structure: Reporting to the US Marketing Lead provides visibility to senior marketing strategy and allows for direct contribution to the US market's retail success. This structure is common for specialized operational roles within larger marketing functions.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and measurable impact on the company's revenue and profitability through its influence on store layout, product presentation, and in-store campaign effectiveness. Successful execution directly drives sales density and enhances customer engagement, critical for a premium retail brand.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization Deepening: Opportunity to become a subject matter expert in premium retail visual merchandising and GTM execution within the confectionery and luxury goods sector.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Potential to lead larger cross-functional projects, influencing broader retail strategy and operations.

• Brand Expansion Contribution: Play a key role in the strategic expansion of Hotel Chocolat's US retail footprint, gaining experience in scaling operations.

• Potential for broader Marketing/Ops roles: With proven success, opportunities may arise for roles with wider marketing scope or deeper involvement in retail operations management within Mars.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth within retail operations and GTM strategy, particularly for individuals passionate about the intersection of visual design and sales performance in a premium retail context. The opportunity to contribute to a growing brand within a large corporation like Mars provides both specialized development and broader corporate exposure.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, requiring 3 days per week in the Chicago office. This suggests a collaborative office environment designed for team meetings, brainstorming, and project work.

Office Location(s): Chicago, IL (specifically implied by the provided address details). This location offers access to a major metropolitan hub with potential for team collaboration and client/partner interactions.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The hybrid model and emphasis on cross-functional work imply an office space designed to facilitate teamwork, presentations, and strategic planning sessions.

• Tools & Technology: Access to necessary office software (Microsoft Office Suite) and potentially specialized planogram software will be provided.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with the US Marketing Lead, marketing teams, and potentially retail operations staff, fostering a dynamic work environment.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours, with potential for flexibility to accommodate work-life balance, as indicated by the company's benefits. The hybrid nature allows for structured in-office days dedicated to collaborative tasks and remote days for focused work and analysis.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid setup in a major city like Chicago indicates a modern work environment that balances in-person collaboration with individual focus. For operations roles, this means being prepared for days dedicated to team strategy, store planning discussions, and potential site visits, interspersed with focused analytical work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion with the US Marketing Lead focusing on experience, responsibilities, and alignment with the role's demands. Expect questions on visual merchandising strategy, retail expansion, and managing creative processes.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A key stage where candidates will present their portfolio, showcasing specific examples of visual merchandising projects, planograms, marketing asset development, and campaign analysis. Be prepared to discuss your process, challenges, and outcomes.

• Cross-Functional Interview(s): Interviews with key stakeholders from trading, operations, or property teams to assess collaborative skills and understanding of their respective areas.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to finalize the decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Narrative: Organize your portfolio by project type (e.g., Retail Expansion, Seasonal Campaigns, VM Guidelines) and clearly articulate the problem, your solution, and the results.

• Quantify Achievements: Use data and metrics wherever possible to demonstrate the impact of your work (e.g., X% increase in sales, Y% improvement in trading density, Z% reduction in execution time).

• Showcase Process: Highlight your methodology for creating planograms, developing creative briefs, and analyzing performance.

• Visual Appeal: For a visual design role, ensure your portfolio is visually appealing, well-organized, and easy to navigate.

• Tailor to Hotel Chocolat: Emphasize experience with premium brands and luxury retail environments, aligning your work with Hotel Chocolat's brand aesthetic and objectives.

Challenge Preparation:

• VM Case Study: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a specific VM challenge, such as optimizing a small store footprint, launching a new product line, or refreshing seasonal displays.

• Creative Brief Exercise: You might be asked to outline the key components of a creative brief for a new in-store campaign.

• Retail Expansion Scenario: Prepare to discuss the key VM considerations for opening a new store in a specific market.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is paramount for this role. Candidates must be prepared to visually and verbally articulate their expertise in visual merchandising and its direct impact on retail sales and brand experience. The emphasis on process and data analysis in the interview suggests a need to go beyond aesthetics and demonstrate strategic thinking.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Planogram Software: Proficiency in a specific planogram software tool is required. Candidates should be ready to name the software they are proficient in and discuss their experience using it for layout design and range planning.

• Microsoft Office Suite:

  • Excel: For data analysis, performance tracking, and creating detailed range/stock lists.
  • PowerPoint: For creating presentations, proposals, and portfolio reviews.
  • Word: For writing creative briefs, reports, and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Campaign Performance Tools: Experience with analyzing sales data, foot traffic, and conversion rates related to in-store campaigns and visual merchandising. Specific tools may vary but understanding reporting dashboards is key.

CRM & Automation:

• Retail Marketing Technology: Familiarity with Content Management Systems (CMS) for digital screens and potentially other retail marketing technology platforms is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with specialized planogram software is a non-negotiable technical skill. Beyond that, strong analytical skills using standard office suites are essential. Experience with retail analytics platforms or CMS for in-store digital displays would be a significant advantage, aligning with the role's focus on optimizing the in-store customer journey.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A strong focus on creating an exceptional and on-brand customer journey within the physical retail space.

• Attention to Detail: Meticulousness in visual presentation, planogram execution, and campaign deployment to uphold the premium brand image.

• Collaboration & Communication: Openness to working cross-functionally and communicating effectively with diverse teams across different regions and departments.

• Pace & Agility: Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced trading environment, adapting quickly to changing needs and market dynamics.

• Data-Driven Improvement: Commitment to analyzing performance data to continuously optimize retail strategies and operational execution.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Working seamlessly with Marketing, Retail Operations, Property, and Trading teams to ensure alignment on store concepts, product placement, and campaign execution.

• Feedback Exchange: A culture that encourages constructive feedback, particularly between creative and execution teams, to refine VM guidelines and marketing assets.

• Knowledge Sharing: Sharing insights and learnings from project performance to elevate the overall effectiveness of retail operations and marketing efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at Hotel Chocolat, as part of Mars, likely balances a premium brand ethos with operational rigor. Success in this role hinges on being a strong collaborator who can translate strategic marketing goals into tangible, visually appealing, and operationally sound retail experiences.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand & Sales: Ensuring visual merchandising and marketing efforts enhance the premium brand image while simultaneously driving sales and trading density.

• Multi-Site Consistency: Maintaining consistent visual standards and execution across a growing network of diverse retail locations.

• Cross-Regional Collaboration: Effectively managing projects and communication with teams in different geographical locations (US and UK) and across various departments.

• Pace of Retail: Adapting to the fast-paced nature of retail, including seasonal shifts, new product launches, and potential market changes, while meeting tight deadlines.

• Evolving Customer Expectations: Staying ahead of evolving consumer preferences and retail trends to ensure the in-store experience remains engaging and relevant.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Premium Brand Expertise: Deepen understanding of luxury retail strategy, visual merchandising best practices for premium goods, and customer psychology in high-end environments.

• Retail Expansion Strategy: Gain hands-on experience in the operational and visual aspects of scaling a retail footprint.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Enhance abilities in stakeholder management, project leadership, and strategic communication by working across diverse teams.

• Technology Adoption: Opportunity to work with and potentially influence the adoption of new retail marketing technologies, such as advanced CMS or data analytics tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents a significant opportunity for growth in a dynamic retail sector. The challenges are framed as opportunities for developing advanced skills in brand management, operational scaling, and strategic execution within a premium market.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach developing visual merchandising guidelines for a new store opening with a unique architectural design?" (Focus on process, stakeholder input, and brand alignment).

• "Describe a time you had to optimize a store's product layout to increase trading density. What was your process, and what were the results?" (Highlight analytical skills, VM strategy, and quantifiable impact).

• "How do you ensure consistency of in-store marketing execution across multiple retail locations, especially when working with external partners?" (Focus on communication, process, and quality control).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What appeals to you about the Hotel Chocolat brand and its premium positioning?" (Show research into the brand's values, products, and customer base).

• "How do you handle conflicting priorities or feedback from different stakeholders (e.g., Marketing vs. Operations)?" (Demonstrate negotiation, collaboration, and problem-solving skills).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each project as a narrative: the challenge, your strategic approach, the execution steps, and the measurable outcomes.

• Visual Emphasis: Use high-quality images and clear graphics to showcase your visual design and merchandising work.

• Process Walkthrough: Be prepared to explain the "how" and "why" behind your decisions, from initial concept to final implementation.

• Data Integration: Seamlessly integrate performance metrics and ROI where applicable to prove the business impact of your visual strategies.

• Conciseness: Respect the interviewer's time by being clear, focused, and efficient in your presentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of creative vision, operational execution, and analytical acumen. Candidates should be ready to articulate their end-to-end process for visual merchandising and campaign implementation, backed by concrete examples and data.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Retail Marketing and Visual Design Manager position:

• Submit Your Application: Utilize the provided link on the Mars careers portal.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best represent your experience in visual merchandising, retail expansion, planogram design, and campaign execution. Tailor these examples to highlight any experience with premium or luxury brands.

• Optimize Your Resume: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your experience with multi-site retailers, planogram software, creative brief development, and managing retail marketing assets. Quantify achievements with specific metrics where possible.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your portfolio projects and interview responses, focusing on demonstrating your understanding of the Hotel Chocolat brand and the operational demands of a retail environment.

• Research Hotel Chocolat & Mars: Understand Hotel Chocolat's brand positioning, target customer, and recent marketing efforts. Familiarize yourself with Mars' corporate values and structure to understand the broader context of the role.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.