Communication & Interior Design Manager

Job description / Role

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 Arab 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 organization 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

Requirements

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

About Al-Futtaim Retail

Al-Futtaim Retail has established itself as one of the leaders in Retail across the Middle East, Africa & Asia over the past 30 years. We have developed partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected Brands in the world including IKEA, ACE and Toys R Us in the Middle East and the Inditex Group of Brands (Zara, Mango, Bershka and P&B) across Asia. We are also one of the largest Global partners of Marks and Spencer's in both regions with over 75 stores offering both fashion & food options.

Most recently we have been responsible for bringing brands to the Middle East for the first time with the exciting launches of Watsons and B&Q and we aim to continue to be agile and adaptive to our markets with new launches and further development. For this to be possible we aim to recruit the best talent from all backgrounds who will continue to challenge and develop our diverse workforce which includes over 100 nationalities across 12 countries. Join us today and make a difference...

About the Company

Established in the 1930's, the Al-Futtaim Group initially operated as a trading enterprise. Rapid development throughout the 1940's and 50's saw it establish itself regionally as an integrated commercial, industrial and services organisation, positioning itself one of the leading business houses in the lower Gulf region. Today, it operates collectively over 40 companies bearing the Al-Futtaim name, dominates many market segments in the UAE, and has expanded its sphere of operation to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt.

The Group comprises a diverse range of strategically positioned operating subsidiaries and associate companies, structured to give the Al-Futtaim Group the flexibility and versatility to keep ahead of local competition while keeping pace with the ever-evolving global business scenario. The Groups continued investment in world-class systems technology is clear evidence of its commitment to maintain leading edge performance and service delivery.

The success of the Al-Futtaim Group can be attributed to a business approach that combines the ability to change with the traditional values of integrity, service and social responsibility that define its core business philosophy. This, linked with the Groups belief in decentralisation, gives the heads of the operating companies a high degree of functional autonomy and authority, providing the Group with essential flexibility, and individual employees a clearly defined work culture and sense of responsibility.