Retail & Visual Merchandising Project Manager

Retail & Visual Merchandising Project Manager

Reports to: VP of Operations

Location: NYHQ

Department: Operations

Compensation: $90,000.00-$105,000.00

As the Retail & Visual Merchandising Project Manager at Bubble, you will own the planning, coordination, and execution of retail programs across Ulta, Target, Walmart, and other retail partners. This role is first and foremost a project management position, responsible for driving timelines, cross-functional alignment, and execution across multiple large-scale retailers with fixed, non-negotiable deadlines.

You will manage retail projects from brief through in-store execution, including fixtures, trays, displays, endcaps, and seasonal programs. You will serve as the sourcing lead for your projects, owning vendor coordination, production timelines, and cost considerations, while partnering most closely with the VM Creative Director to translate creative vision into executable retail programs.

This role reports to the VP of Operations.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management & Execution (Primary Focus)

• Lead end-to-end project management for retail initiatives across Ulta, Target, and Walmart, from initial brief through production, shipment, and in-store execution.
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans and timelines, including owners, dependencies, milestones, and retailer-required ship and install dates.
• Act as the central point of accountability for retail project execution, ensuring alignment across Creative, Retail, Operations, and external partners.
• Proactively identify risks related to timing, cost, scope, retailer requirements, or late changes, and drive mitigation plans to keep projects on track.
• Run recurring cross-functional meetings (kickoffs, check-ins, vendor calls) to maintain momentum and accountability.
• Maintain project trackers as the single source of truth for status, risks, and decisions.

Partnership with VM Creative & Retail Execution

• Partner most closely with the VM Creative Director to translate creative concepts into executable, production-ready retail assets.
• Ensure creative concepts are feasible within timeline, budget, material, and retailer constraints.
• Manage execution of retail assets including in-line trays, temporary displays, permanent fixtures, signage, and seasonal programs.
• Ensure all retail programs meet Ulta, Target, and Walmart requirements for dimensions, materials, packaging, labeling, routing, and compliance.

Sourcing & Vendor Management (Project-Owned)

• Serve as the sourcing lead for assigned projects, owning vendor selection, coordination, timelines, and cost management.
• Partner directly with vendors, fabricators, and logistics partners to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery.
• Balance cost, speed, and quality while maintaining brand and retailer standards.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Act as the connective tissue between VM Creative, Retail, Operations, and external partners.
• Translate retail and creative inputs into clear, time-bound execution plans.
• Communicate clearly and regularly with senior leadership on project status, risks, and tradeoffs.
• Drive accountability and decision-making across stakeholders.

Process Improvement & Risk Management

• Help refine retail briefing, kickoff, and execution processes to improve clarity, speed, and predictability.
• Establish best practices around timelines, change management, and execution readiness.
• Identify and resolve issues stemming from compressed timelines, incomplete briefs, or evolving retailer requirements.
• Escalate risks early with clear options and recommendations.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in project management, ideally supporting retail execution, operations, or cross-functional launches within Beauty, CPG, or consumer brands.
• Proven ability to manage complex, fast-moving projects with multiple stakeholders and hard deadlines.
• Experience working with large retailers such as Ulta, Target, and/or Walmart strongly preferred.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Comfort owning vendor coordination and sourcing decisions at the project level.
• Visual merchandising or fixture/display experience is a plus, not a requirement.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and shifting priorities without losing rigor.
• Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., Wrike).
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.