---
title: 'Retail Experience & Visual Merchandising Manager at Brooks Running'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/retail-experience-visual-merchandising-manager-brooks-running-seattle-nafnpsph1y0c'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Retail Experience & Visual Merchandising Manager at Brooks Running

- **Company:** Brooks Running
- **Location:** Seattle, WA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-06-01
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/brooksrunning/8b189b3c-58ff-48c2-8477-fb2ffb67d76e

## Job description

Who We Are: At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive — whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line. Everyone who works at Brooks is propelled by a company culture that sparks excitement, fuels collaboration, inspires creativity, and ignites innovation. Our brand values help bond us together and drive our success: Runner First We act in the best interest of the runner Word is Bond We do what we say we’ll do Champion Heart We give our all in everything we do There is no “I” in Run We stay generous with our humanity Keep Moving We find ways to move every day, because joy is kinetic! We welcome everyone from every walk of life looking to inspire others through the power of movement - because we’re all moving towards something. Let’s run there.

Your Job: As the Retail Experience & Visual Merchandising Manager at Brooks, you will lead the conceptualization and execution of our physical retail spaces and end-to-end visual merchandising design for Brooks owned retail fleet – shaping how the brand comes to life in physical space and creating experiences that drive commercial performance.

You will sit at the intersection of brand storytelling, product strategy, and retail performance, translating our brand identity and seasonal narratives into scalable, high-impact in-store experiences that improve conversion, average unit retail (AUR), and sell-through. You will define how customers experience our brand in physical retail by creating an immersive shopping experience that blends interior design, consumer psychology, and marketing initiatives. You will work directly with retail leadership to build the visual merchandising playbook for a rapidly expanding retail fleet. In this role, you will be establishing operating models, tools, and standards that enable consistent execution across markets while elevating the customer experience.

Your Responsibilities:

Retail Space & Visual Merchandising Operating Model

- Lead the conceptualization and execution of the physical retail space vision and roadmap for Brooks owned retail from full store design to visual merchandising in alignment with the overall retail strategy, brand positioning, and commercial priorities.
- Develop a foundational standard for physical layout, fixtures, and structural flow that will elevate brand voice, optimize product visibility, and maximize space usage that focuses on the customer journey.
- Partner with retail leadership and local retail teams to adapt foundational standards for individual stores that incorporates local relevance in store structure and marketing designs.
- Curate the finer details from lighting design to music choices that will set the store ambience.
- Design and implement a scalable visual merchandising operating model to support growth from a small fleet to national expansion, creating a repeatable blueprint for future store openings.
- Develop standardized playbooks, tools, floor sets, and execution frameworks that enable consistency without sacrificing local relevance.
- Own the translation of seasonal and product priorities into compelling in-store storytelling frameworks that drive demand and clarity.
- Lead the creation of store zoning, adjacencies, and product flow strategies grounded in consumer behavior and performance data.
- Partner with Store Development and Design to ensure physical space and merchandising strategy are fully integrated.
- Ensure each new store opens at a flagship level of execution, setting the standard for the fleet.
- Establish clear KPIs (i.e., conversion, units per transactions (UPT), AUR, sell-through, engagement) and utilize data to analyze store-level performance to identify measurable business outcomes.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Alignment

- Partner with Product, Brand Marketing, Creative, Retail Marketing, and Store Operations team to define space planning and merchandising standards and playbook.
- Partner closely with Lead Buyer and Retail Marketing Manager on product campaigns and in-store seasonal product launches.
- Partner with the Experiential Design Lead, Retail to create transformative design experiences at new and existing retail locations.
- Partner with Global Brand Marketing on the conceptualization of the retail store design.
- Prepare recommendations on design layouts, space guidelines, assortments, key stories, campaign priorities, and more for retail leadership that ensure retail execution is set up for success and ahead of the curve.
- Oversee use of visual merchandising playbook across owned retail, wholesale, and events to reinforce brand consistency.
- Build and foster relationships with team members across Brooks to gain and maintain a current and deep understanding of what drives the brand, business, and products.

Continuous Improvement & Evolution

- Design, maintain, and develop a feedback ecosystem and store audit process (e.g., tools, cadence, scoring, accountability) to gain field insights that will inform future space planning strategies.
- Identify opportunities and suggest modifications to improve product placement, storytelling clarity, and in-store navigation.
- Stay up to date with retail consumer behaviors and utilize insights to test new methods to elevate customer engagement, product discovery, and brand storytelling.
- Demonstrate deep understanding of the competitive landscape to bring forward innovative concepts, tools, and technologies that differentiate Brooks in physical retail.
- Balance creativity with operational reality – ideas must scale.

## Team Mentorship & Collaboration

- Share your expertise to mentor and support team members to help develop their skillsets and provide guidance on day-to-day and project work.
- Train Visual Merchandiser, store leaders, and field teams on visual merchandising principles, storytelling, and execution excellence.
- Partner with Senior Manager, Retail to create and maintain alignment across the team.

Qualifications:

- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field; equivalent combination of education and years of experience can be considered in lieu of degree(s)
- 7+ years of experience in visual merchandising, retail experience design, or brand merchandising; preferably in premium or performance brands
- Proven track record leading merchandising strategy at scale (multi-store, multi-market environments)
- Demonstrated ability driving measurable business results through visual merchandising
- Experience developing operating models, tools, and standards for growing retail organizations
- Deep understanding of consumer behavior in physical retail environments
- Experience partnering with store design, product merchandising, and marketing teams
- Highly analytical; comfortable using data to inform decisions and challenge assumptions
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, demonstrating effective listening through concise, clear verbal and written communication
- Excellent interpersonal skills that inspire and build trust resulting in effective working relationships across the company
- Keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution of tasks, while still seeing the big picture and understanding how all the pieces fit together and affect one another
- Ability to anticipate how a decision made can affect our customers, our partners, our products, or other departments’ operations and/or morale; “connecting the dots”
- Demonstration of innovation and initiative – always looking at improving our products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details and help wherever necessary
- Passionate participation in Brooks’ sports activities a plus, overridden by the ability to understand and empathize with the runner to develop loyal, engaging relationships with our customers and the Brooks community
- Travel 20-50% (domestically)
- Embraces and lives the Brooks values!

Compensation: The pay range for this position is $98,286 - $147,428 per year. Base pay offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Other: Brooks is proud to offer a robust benefits package to our employees and their families! Benefits- including medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance, HSA and employer contribution, FSA, family & fertility assistance, 401K Savings Plan and match, employee assistance program, and transportation assistance. Bonus- In addition to base pay, Brooks employees may also be offered an annual bonus based on company performance. Paid Time Off- Brooks offers a generous paid time off package, paid holidays, paid sick and parental leave. Perks- including product discounts and giveaways, employee recognition, and fitness discounts

At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, two-spirit identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, the presence of a physical, mental, or sensory disability, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), caste, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, actual or perceived victims of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking, HIV or Hepatitis C infection, political ideology, use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability, or on any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, or any other non-merit based factors.

## About Brooks Running

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Brooks Running designs and manufactures premium running footwear, apparel, and accessories for runners of all levels, rooted in motion science and engineering.
- **Entity Type**: Private (subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.)
- **Headquarters**: Seattle, Washington, United States
- **Founded**: 1914
- **Founders**: John Brooks (founder of Brooks Shoe Manufacturing Co.)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Retail / Athletic Apparel & Footwear
- **Target customers**: B2C (runners and fitness enthusiasts) and B2B (retail partners)
- **Mission**: To create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive – whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line.

## Products & Services
- **Running Shoes**: Performance road and trail shoes (e.g., Ghost, Glycerin, Adrenaline, Launch, Catamount)
- **Apparel**: Men’s and women’s running apparel – shorts, tops, jackets, tights – designed for performance and fit
- **Accessories**: Socks, hydration, and other running gear
- **Brooks Trailhead**: Flagship retail store at Seattle HQ offering gait analysis and personalized fittings
- **BlueLine Lab**: Rapid prototyping and innovation lab for footwear technology development

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (private company)
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue of USD 1.2 billion (LinkedIn, 2025)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (parent company)
- **Growth Signals**: 1,221 employees (+11.1% YoY, +175 people); expanded Seattle campus with a second building in 2024; sold in over 50 countries; strong LinkedIn follower growth (+20.3% YoY)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Run science focus**: In-house biomechanics research and athlete feedback drive product innovation
- **Brand loyalty**: Strong reputation among serious runners; “Runner First” philosophy
- **Financial stability**: Backed by Berkshire Hathaway, providing long-term investment capacity
- **Sustainability**: LEED-certified HQ with proven energy and water efficiency targets
- **Integrated design**: Close collaboration between Seattle and Asia teams for rapid development

## Strategic Focus
- Continue investing in performance innovation and sustainability
- Expand global presence, particularly in APAC (e.g., Senior Apparel Merchandising Manager, APAC)
- Strengthen direct-to-consumer channel and digital experience
- Advance corporate responsibility goals: “everyone who wants to run is welcome to run, and everyone who runs has a place to do it”

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Values include “Runner First,” “Word is Bond,” “Champion Heart,” “There’s No ‘I’ in Run,” and “Keep Moving.” Inclusive environment where you don’t need to be a runner.
- **Hybrid/Remote**: Hybrid model – at least 3 days per week in the Seattle office. Other locations: Whitestown (IN), Burnaby (BC), Amsterdam.
- **Benefits**: Comprehensive medical/dental/vision, 401(k) with company match, five weeks PTO, 11 paid holidays, paid parental leave, annual bonus, deeply discounted Brooks merchandise and industry discounts, yearly fitness stipend.
- **Engineering & Innovation**: Work in the BlueLine Lab, collaborate with biomechanics scientists, and contribute to cutting-edge footwear/apparel development.
- **Internship**: Sprintern Program – US-based summer internship for early career talent.

## Sources
1. [Brooks Running - Our Company](https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/Meet-Brooks/our-company/)
2. [Lever Careers Page](https://jobs.lever.co/brooksrunning/)
3. [LinkedIn Company Page](https://linkedin.com/company/brooks-running-company)
4. [Brooks Careers North America](https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/meet-brooks/careers/north-america/)
5. [Indeed Company Profile](https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Brooks-Running-1/about)

## Other roles at Brooks Running

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- [Associate Apparel Designer](https://feeny.ai/job/associate-apparel-designer-brooks-running-seattle-dgbxyhf55pc9) — Seattle, WA
- [Retail Business Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/retail-business-analyst-brooks-running-seattle-zsv9gwzysgqg) — Seattle, WA
- [Senior Apparel Innovation Designer, Advanced](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-apparel-innovation-designer-advanced-brooks-running-seattle-qq5t7jgndng7) — Seattle, WA
- [Designer II, Innovation Footwear Design](https://feeny.ai/job/designer-ii-innovation-footwear-design-brooks-running-seattle-q9pc7yd9pm7q) — Seattle, WA
- [Footwear Innovation Developer II, Racing Footwear](https://feeny.ai/job/footwear-innovation-developer-ii-racing-footwear-brooks-running-seattle-fawpqwnmkrac) — Seattle, WA
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- [Manufacturing Engineer, Asia](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-engineer-asia-brooks-running-hai-phong-6nd8wh0dzpn9) — Hai Phong, Vietnam
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