Guerlain Director, Visual Merchandising & Store Design
About Guerlain
Founded in Paris in 1828, Guerlain is one of the world’s most storied maisons of fragrance, beauty and skincare, renowned for its artisanal excellence, scientific innovation and enduring sense of French elegance. As an employer, Guerlain offers the opportunity to contribute to a living heritage where creativity, craftsmanship and responsible luxury meet. Its teams span perfumery, retail excellence, research, marketing, supply chain and corporate functions, united by a passion for exceptional products and client experience. With a strong commitment to biodiversity, sustainability and the preservation of savoir-faire, Guerlain attracts talents who aspire to shape the future of beauty while honoring nearly two centuries of legacy.
Guerlain Director, Visual Merchandising & Store Design position in New York. Lead U.S. retail brand elevation and store design strategy. Hybrid role with $150k–$160k salary.
Role & Responsibilities
- Elevate and enhance the Guerlain visual merchandising experience across all U.S. retail locations through customized event animation elements, counter displays, and launch merchandise strategies
- Analyze current merchandising elements and propose innovative solutions in collaboration with the Paris HQ Visual Merchandising team to align with U.S. market requirements
- Create and maintain a comprehensive visual merchandising database documenting all department store doors and key contact information for retail partners
- Partner with Guerlain Sales Field to provide training on design concepts, visual display standards, and merchandising maintenance protocols; deliver on-the-job training support at key flagship locations
- Maintain and cultivate strategic relationships with retail partners, including Sephora, coordinating seasonal gondola updates and point-of-sale design implementation
- Oversee all aspects of flagship counter and freestanding store development; review design and construction documents, establish project timetables, and coordinate all installation phases
- Secure retailer approval for new and remodeled counters in partnership with the VP of Sales; manage the bid process with the Purchasing Department
- Provide on-site construction supervision, shop drawing review with Paris HQ, and post-installation punch list coordination to ensure seamless implementation of store design projects
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Industrial Design, or Interior Design (required)
- Minimum 10 years of progressive visual merchandising and store design experience in luxury retail, beauty, or related high-end industries
- Demonstrated expertise in retail strategy development, brand elevation through visual presentation, and customer experience enhancement
- Strong project management skills with the ability to coordinate complex construction and installation timelines across multiple retail locations
- Proven experience collaborating with international headquarters teams and translating global brand vision to local market execution
- Experience managing and training retail sales teams on visual merchandising standards and execution
Skills
Experience
Minimum 10 years of visual merchandising and store design experience in luxury retail, beauty, perfumes, cosmetics, or related high-end industries; progressive leadership experience overseeing retail design projects and managing internal and external stakeholders required.
Education
Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Industrial Design, or Interior Design.
Workplace
The role is situated in New York, New York, USA.
Compensation
The base compensation for this position ranges from USD 150,000 to USD 160,000 per annum.
Culture
Guerlain cultivates a refined workplace culture rooted in French artistry, exceptional craftsmanship, and a deep respect for its heritage in fragrance and beauty. As an employer, it values creativity, excellence, and sustainability, encouraging teams to combine innovation with the Maison’s enduring sense of elegance and purpose.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Guerlain, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Visual Merchandising Director», «Store Design Director», «Visual Merchandising & Store Design Manager», «Retail Visual Merchandising Lead», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.