Hiring: Retail Experience & Visual Merchandising Manager
About Gambol
Gambol is one of India's fastest-growing sports and active lifestyle retailers, helping people discover their game through expert advice, authentic products, and meaningful experiences.
As we prepare to launch our flagship 14,800 sqft store at Sindhu Bhavan Road (SBR), Ahmedabad, we're looking for someone who believes retail should inspire, educate, and engage—not just sell.
Role Overview
We are seeking a Retail Experience & Visual Merchandising Manager to create a world-class customer experience across our stores, with a primary focus on our flagship SBR location.
This role goes beyond traditional visual merchandising. You will be responsible for how customers experience Gambol—from the moment they enter the store to the moment they leave inspired.
The ideal candidate understands retail psychology, customer journeys, visual storytelling, brand presentation, and experiential retail.
Key Responsibilities
Retail Experience
- Design and continuously improve customer journeys across the store.
- Create engaging experiences around key categories such as Running, Training, Cricket, Outdoor, Kids, Lifestyle, and Barefoot.
- Bring Gambol's Know Your Game philosophy to life through in-store storytelling.
- Conceptualize and execute seasonal themes, campaigns, and experiential installations.
Visual Merchandising
- Develop and maintain VM standards across the store.
- Design category layouts, feature zones, promotional displays, and focal points.
- Ensure consistent presentation of products, fixtures, graphics, and signage.
- Execute brand launches and seasonal merchandising updates.
Brand Experience
- Collaborate with brands such as Nike, Adidas, Asics, New Balance, Birkenstock, Crocs, and others to create impactful brand presentations.
- Implement shop-in-shop concepts and branded zones.
- Ensure brand guidelines are balanced with Gambol's overall customer experience vision.
Store Standards & Training
- Conduct regular VM audits and recommend improvements.
- Train store teams on VM standards and display maintenance.
- Develop simple systems and checklists to ensure consistency.
Events & Activations
- Support community events, product launches, running clubs, workshops, and in-store activations.
- Create immersive retail experiences that drive engagement and footfall.
Desired Profile
- 4+ years of experience in Visual Merchandising, Retail Experience, Store Design, Retail Operations, or related fields.
- Experience in sports, lifestyle, footwear, fashion, premium retail, or experiential retail is preferred.
- Strong understanding of customer behaviour and retail psychology.
- Ability to translate concepts into practical, executable retail experiences.
- Creative thinker with strong execution capabilities.
- Comfortable working with cross-functional teams and external brand partners.
Bonus Points If You Have Experience With
- Sports retail
- Decathlon, Nike, Adidas, Puma, Skechers, Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, or similar brands
- Store launches
- Community-led retail
- Experiential marketing
- Space planning and customer flow design
Location
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Engagement Model
We are open to:
- Full-time
- Consulting
- Project-based engagement
For the right candidate, we value expertise and impact more than traditional job structures.
A Thought We Deeply Believe In
A running shoe is not just a shoe.
It's someone's first 5K.
A cricket bat is not just a bat.
It's someone's weekend obsession.
A store is not just a place to transact.
It's a place to discover your game.
