What It Takes to Move Up in Merchandising

A field merchandising job can look pretty straightforward from the outside. You’re resetting shelves, following planograms, installing fixtures, moving product, and making sure the store is ready for customers.

But learning how to execute the work is only one part of the job.

For people interested in building a career in merchandising, the field can also be where they develop skills in leadership, organization, communication, and problem-solving.

SASR Project Manager Brandon Alford has experienced that progression firsthand. He joined SASR as a Field Merchandiser in 2021 before moving into a Team Lead role, becoming a Field Manager, and eventually stepping into his current role as Project Manager.

His path shows that moving up isn't always about being the fastest person in the aisle. Often, it's the smaller habits that start to set future leaders apart.

Leadership Starts Before the Title

Brandon came to merchandising with 12 years of previous management experience, so he knew early on that he wanted to work toward another leadership position.

“I wanted to bring my skills and knowledge with me from previous roles at other companies and apply them here,” he said.

Previous experience gave him a foundation, but he still had to demonstrate those skills in the field. One of the biggest ways he did that was through something surprisingly simple: staying organized.

Sometimes It Starts With Putting the Broom Back

Organization has followed Brandon through every stage of his career.

As a merchandiser, that could mean putting cleaning supplies back where they belong or pulling products from a shelf in order so they're easier to sort when completing a planogram.

As his responsibilities grew, so did the examples. It meant keeping timesheets organized so associates could easily sign in and out, or checking ahead to make sure a crew had all the tools needed for a build instead of making extra trips to the supply container.

Today, organization looks more like meeting notes, spreadsheets, administrative responsibilities, and daily task lists.

The tools changed. The habit didn't.

Those few minutes of preparation can make the actual work more productive and help an entire project run more efficiently.

Moving Up Means Changing Your Mindset

For Brandon, one of the biggest adjustments to leadership was changing the way he thought about success.

As a merchandiser, the questions were about his own work: How am I doing? How can I finish faster? How can I make my area look better?

Once he became responsible for a team, those questions changed.

“What is best for the team? How can I make the team successful? What do they need from me to help them achieve their goals?”

“It is a big shift from having a me-first attitude to putting those around you as a priority instead,” Brandon said.

Knowing how to complete the work still matters in leadership. But eventually, your success becomes less about what you can accomplish and more about helping an entire team perform well.

From Doing the Work to Solving the Problems

Brandon's day as a Project Manager looks very different from his first days as a Field Merchandiser.

There's less physical work and much more communication, follow-up, and problem solving.

“As a Field Merchandiser, you can ask your PC, Lead, or Field Manager for direction or help solving an issue you're facing,” Brandon said. “Now I am the one people call about issues and must find a solution that works best for our associates and clients.”

That's also why he considers communication such an important leadership skill. Retail projects bring together people with different personalities, backgrounds, and experience levels. Leaders have to work with all of them while keeping the project moving.

Success Starts Looking Different, Too

Today, some of Brandon's most rewarding moments come from seeing projects and teams he's overseen finish on time or ahead of schedule.

It's also hearing positive feedback from clients, seeing them request certain team members again, and watching associates he's mentored reach their own goals.

Sometimes that means a promotion. Other times, it's simply watching someone improve in their current role.

Knowing he played a part in that growth, Brandon says, “makes my day.”

Want to Move Up? Start With Two Things.

Brandon's advice for merchandisers interested in leadership starts with two things:

Be honest and communicate.

Everyone makes mistakes. Own them, learn from them, and use them as an opportunity to improve.

Just as importantly, communicate where you want your career to go.

“Let your supervisor know what your goals are, what you would like to achieve, and what you could use assistance with to get there,” Brandon said.

Career advancement in merchandising doesn't begin when someone gives you a new title. It starts much earlier in how you approach the job you already have.

For Brandon, that journey started in the field in 2021. Five years later, he's a Project Manager helping other associates and teams succeed.

And sometimes, showing you're ready for more responsibility really can start with something as simple as remembering to put the broom back.