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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Seasonal Merchandising Associate

💰 $ - $

RetailMerchandisingSeasonal

🎯 Role Definition

The Seasonal Merchandising Associate is a hands-on retail professional responsible for executing store merchandising and visual display plans during peak seasonal periods. This role focuses on merchandising execution, inventory handling, pricing, fixture installation, and delivering elevated customer experiences while meeting visual standards and sales targets. The ideal candidate is organized, physically able to lift and move product, familiar with planograms and POS systems, and comfortable working in fast-paced retail environments with fluctuating schedules.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Sales Associate (Retail)
  • Stockroom / Backroom Associate
  • Seasonal Retail Associate
  • Visual Display Assistant

Advancement To:

  • Merchandising Lead / Senior Merchandiser
  • Assistant Store Manager / Floor Supervisor
  • Visual Merchandising Coordinator
  • Inventory / Stock Control Specialist

Lateral Moves:

  • Retail Operations Coordinator
  • Inventory Analyst
  • Loss Prevention Associate

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Execute store floor resets and seasonal merchandising directives by accurately following planograms, fixture maps, and visual standards to ensure displays are implemented on time and reflect brand presentation guidelines.
  • Receive, unpack, and inspect incoming seasonal shipments, verify counts against packing slips and purchase orders, and accurately process incoming merchandise into inventory systems using handheld scanners or POS terminals.
  • Price, tag, and label merchandise according to corporate pricing strategies and promotions, ensuring markdowns and promotional signage are applied correctly and promptly to maximize sales and margin.
  • Replenish sales floor stock from the backroom or distribution area to maintain visually full and shoppable displays, prioritize top-selling items and high-traffic locations, and perform daily shelf resets as directed.
  • Assemble, install, and maintain seasonal fixtures, props, and signage, ensuring structural safety, correct placement, and a consistent in-store brand look; coordinate with store leadership on any specialized installation needs.
  • Execute daily and weekly merchandising checklists, including facing product, fronting shelves, and maintaining neatness and organization to improve the customer shopping experience and conversion.
  • Conduct regular cycle counts and assist with inventory audits to reconcile discrepancies, identify shrink or loss areas, and report variances to store management to support inventory accuracy goals.
  • Collaborate with store managers and visual merchandising teams to recommend product placement, cross-merchandising opportunities, and promotional strategies that drive sales during the seasonal period.
  • Monitor sales floor trends and customer behavior, capture feedback, and communicate insights to store leadership and district merchandisers to inform replenishment and promotional adjustments.
  • Support promotional event set-up and tear-down, including moving large displays, coordinating fixture swaps, and executing temporary signage while maintaining safety and minimizing disruption to customers and sales.
  • Operate Point-of-Sale (POS) systems and mobile checkout devices during peak periods as needed, provide basic customer service at registers, and escalate complex transactions to store leadership when required.
  • Ensure all merchandise is presented in compliance with safety and regulatory guidelines, removing damaged or unsafe items, and maintaining clear egress routes and compliant fire-code spacing around displays.
  • Maintain backroom organization and storage standards, rotate stock by FIFO (first in, first out), and ensure bulk inventory is labeled and accessible to support rapid restocking during busy shifts.
  • Apply loss prevention best practices while merchandising—locking high-theft items, securing seasonal packs, and following store-specific shrink reduction procedures to protect inventory and profitability.
  • Troubleshoot merchandising issues in real time (missing signage, broken fixtures, pricing discrepancies), take corrective action, and document issues for follow-up with visual merchandising or store leadership teams.
  • Complete accurate, timely reporting of merchandising tasks and KPIs (e.g., display completion, stock levels, shrink incidents) via store systems or spreadsheets to help district teams measure seasonal performance.
  • Train and mentor temporary or seasonal peers on merchandising standards, safe lifting techniques, and store processes to ensure consistent execution and help reduce onboarding time.
  • Coordinate with the receiving team and carriers for scheduled large-item deliveries and fixture returns, ensuring accuracy, proper staging, and minimal impact to store operations and customers.
  • Maintain a proactive approach to merchandising replenishment by monitoring low-stock alerts and flagging reorder needs to management to avoid out-of-stocks on high-demand seasonal items.
  • Support omnichannel initiatives by pulling and staging ship-from-store or click-and-collect orders accurately and quickly, ensuring allocated merchandise matches online orders and is ready for customer pickup.
  • Adhere to store schedules and flexible shift requirements common during seasonal peaks, working nights, weekends, and extended hours when needed to meet aggressive merchandising timelines.
  • Actively participate in post-season breakdown and reset activities, including dismantling seasonal fixtures, returning reusable components to storage, and preparing the store for next-season sets.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist store leadership with visual quality audits and follow-up corrective actions to close visual compliance gaps identified by district or corporate teams.
  • Document merchandising best practices and lessons learned during seasonal campaigns to contribute to improved standard operating procedures for future seasons.
  • Support basic maintenance tasks for merchandising equipment such as cleaning fixtures, replacing bulbs in display cases, and reporting damaged hardware to facilities teams.
  • Serve as a point-of-contact for external vendor teams (visual merchandisers, display installers) during in-store installations to ensure safety, timing, and brand standards are maintained.
  • Help coordinate cross-functional communication with inventory, operations, and marketing teams to align promotional plans, in-store signage, and product allocations.
  • Participate in store-level training sessions on new seasonal product lines, promotions, and merchandising techniques to ensure consistent knowledge across the merchandising team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Planogram execution and adherence to corporate visual merchandising standards.
  • Proficiency with handheld inventory scanners, barcode readers, and mobile POS devices.
  • Experience processing incoming shipments, performing cycle counts, and reconciling inventory discrepancies.
  • Price tagging, markdown management, and promotional signage implementation.
  • Fixture assembly, installation, and safe use of basic hand tools for display construction.
  • Basic knowledge of loss prevention techniques and shrink-reduction procedures.
  • Comfortable performing physical retail tasks: lifting up to store limits, bending, reaching, and standing for extended periods.
  • Familiarity with retail inventory management systems or ERP modules (e.g., Oracle Retail, NCR, JDA) and basic Excel for simple reporting.
  • Ability to prepare and stage omnichannel orders (ship-from-store, pickup) with accuracy and timeliness.
  • Understanding of FIFO stock rotation and backroom organization standards.
  • Basic cash handling and POS transaction support skills.

Soft Skills

  • Strong attention to detail to ensure displays are accurate, priced correctly, and visually consistent.
  • Effective verbal communication skills for coordinating with store leadership, vendors, and team members.
  • Team-oriented mindset with the ability to train and mentor temporary staff and seasonal peers.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to juggle multiple merchandising tasks during high-volume periods.
  • Adaptability and flexibility to respond to changing schedules, shifting priorities, and last-minute planogram updates.
  • Customer-focused attitude with the ability to assist shoppers and escalate customer needs as appropriate.
  • Problem-solving orientation to quickly resolve merchandising and inventory issues on the sales floor.
  • Dependability and a strong work ethic; punctuality and reliable attendance during seasonal peaks.
  • Physical stamina and resilience to perform repetitive, active retail duties in a fast-paced environment.
  • Initiative to identify merchandising improvements and communicate them to leadership.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or GED required.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or coursework in Retail Management, Visual Merchandising, Business, or related field is a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Retail Management
  • Visual Merchandising
  • Business Administration
  • Marketing
  • Supply Chain / Logistics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0–2 years for entry-level seasonal roles; 1–3 years preferred for high-volume or large-format seasonal merchandising projects.

Preferred:

  • Prior retail or merchandising experience, particularly with seasonal campaigns, floor resets, or visual merchandising execution.
  • Experience using inventory management systems, handheld scanners, and POS devices.
  • Demonstrated ability to meet merchandising deadlines, work in teams, and follow detailed visual standards.
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