About Estée Lauder Companies
The Estée Lauder Companies is a global leader in prestige beauty, founded in 1946 by Estée and Joseph Lauder and built on an enduring belief in creativity, high-touch service, and entrepreneurial spirit. As an employer, the Group offers talent the scale of an international house with the energy of distinctive brands across skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care. Its culture values innovation, inclusion, learning, and responsible growth, inviting professionals to shape consumer experiences from laboratory to counter, digital platform to boardroom. Employees join a purpose-led organization where heritage, artistry, and scientific excellence meet to define the future of luxury beauty.
The Estée Lauder Companies seeks a Visual Merchandising Director to shape and deliver visual strategy, standards, campaigns, and in-store experiences across retail channels and multiple brands. The role leads a creative team and cross-functional and retail-partner collaboration, with an anticipated annual base salary of $124,200–$214,450 depending on experience, skills, education, budget, and geographic location; it is eligible for a bonus program and share incentive plan. This is a full-time regular position.
Role & Responsibilities
- Develop and execute visual merchandising strategy across retail channels with regional brand and CCH teams, aligning with brand objectives, product launches, seasonal campaigns, and business goals.
- Lead, mentor, and develop the Visual Merchandising team, fostering creativity, accountability, collaboration, and professional growth.
- Conceptualize, design, and produce 2D and 3D retail experiences for product launches, promotional events, windows, shop-in-shops, pop-ups, and seasonal campaigns.
- Partner with Marketing, Creative, Store Operations, and Product Development teams to translate brand initiatives into in-store experiences.
- Oversee the development, production, and execution of visual merchandising directives, ensuring consistent implementation and brand standards across store locations.
- Lead visual merchandising support for store openings, remodels, and special retail initiatives.
- Monitor beauty, retail, and design trends to continually elevate the customer experience.
- Maintain a strong understanding of North American retailers, including Ulta, Sephora, and Macy’s.
- Partner with Trade Marketing to develop and implement a long-term product and merchandising strategy across distribution levels for Retail Partner and MAC FSS doors.
- Work with the RDDC Team and Brand Go to Market team on new store openings, fixture rollouts, and existing formats.
- Oversee timely distribution of brand and seasonal merchandising guidelines and planograms; RDDC creates the materials and the brand distributes them.
- Partner with Marketing and Creative to plan 2D and 3D window installations, LED content uploads, and seasonal store takeovers.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Visual Merchandising, Industrial Design, Fashion Merchandising, Interior Design, 3D design, graphic design, or a related field.
- At least 10 years of progressive, hands-on creative visual merchandising experience.
- At least 5 years of experience working across multiple brands.
- Hands-on expertise in retail fixture design.
- Ability to create and oversee detailed schematics and 3D renderings for effective execution by external partners.
- Proven ability to lead and develop a team of designers supporting multiple brands, balancing creative excellence, brand consistency, and business priorities in a complex multi-brand environment.
- At least 5 years of people management experience within beauty, cosmetics, prestige retail, specialty retail, or consumer brands.
- Demonstrated success leading large-scale visual merchandising programs across multi-store retail environments.
- Strong understanding of beauty retail trends, customer behavior, and merchandising best practices.
- Experience managing budgets, vendors, and external agencies.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and presentation skills.
- Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, Rhinoceros 3D, KeyShot, and SketchUp.
- Preferred: experience in prestige beauty, luxury beauty, specialty beauty, or omnichannel retail environments.
- Preferred: new store opening and retail rollout experience.
- Preferred: knowledge of fixture design, store planning, and retail design principles.
- Preferred: experience working with global retail organizations.
Skills
Experience
At least 10 years of progressive, hands-on creative visual merchandising experience; at least 5 years working across multiple brands; at least 5 years of people management experience in beauty, cosmetics, prestige retail, specialty retail, or consumer brands.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Visual Merchandising, Industrial Design, Fashion Merchandising, Interior Design, 3D design, graphic design, or a related field.
Workplace
The successful candidate will be located in New York, New York, USA.
Explore jobs in New York or in the USA.
Compensation
The base compensation for this position ranges from USD 124,200 to USD 214,450 per annum.
Benefits
Eligible employees may receive health insurance (medical, dental, and vision), wellness and family support programs, life and disability insurance, retirement savings plans, paid leave programs, education-related programs, paid holidays, vacation time, and other benefits. The role is eligible for a bonus program and a share incentive plan.
Culture
The Estée Lauder Companies fosters a collaborative, inclusive workplace where creativity, entrepreneurial thinking, and a passion for prestige beauty are deeply valued. As a global house of distinctive brands, it offers employees an environment that encourages innovation, professional growth, and a shared commitment to excellence and consumer inspiration.
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.