Senior Visual Merchandising Consultant – Freelance
Toronto / GTA + Remote
Freelance / Project-Based
Are you the kind of Visual Merchandiser who can walk into a retail space, quickly identify what is and isn’t working, explain why, and turn those observations into a strong, practical plan?
Can you move comfortably between an on-site merchandising day, a client strategy call, a space plan, and a detailed visual mock-up?
If so, we’d love to hear from you.
About VM ID
VM ID Inc. is a Toronto-based visual merchandising agency supporting retailers and retail communities with visual merchandising strategy, space planning, display development, sourcing, consulting and hands-on execution.
Our projects span independent retailers, pop-ups, showrooms, shopping centres, property groups and established retail organizations. The work varies from strategic consulting and store planning to visual directives, sourcing, training and on-site execution, giving our freelance team exposure to a broad range of retail environments and project types.
We are expanding our freelance roster and looking for an experienced Senior Visual Merchandising Consultant who can confidently work across strategy, creative development, production and execution.
This is not a traditional full-time position. It is best suited to an experienced VM professional looking to add interesting, varied projects to their existing freelance or portfolio career.
What You May Work On
Depending on the project, your role may include:
- Participating in or leading client kick-off consultations and gathering the information needed to understand the business, customer, product assortment and project goals
- Assessing retail spaces and providing strategic VM recommendations
- Developing concept boards and visual merchandising direction
- Creating space plans, fixture layouts, product/category zoning and customer-flow recommendations
- Creating graphic mock-ups, VM diagrams, renderings and visual directives
- Translating approved concepts into clear, practical recommendations that a client or VM team can execute
- Sourcing fixtures, props, display tools and VM supplies, including researching dimensions, finishes, pricing and suppliers
- Developing polished client-facing reports and written recommendations
- Presenting recommendations to clients and confidently explaining the business rationale behind them
- Participating in on-site merchandising, installations and store set-ups
- Leading or directing other Visual Merchandisers during larger installations when required
- Making thoughtful real-time decisions when conditions on-site differ from the original plan
- Reviewing completed work and identifying final refinements
What We’re Looking For
You should have:
- Preferrably 10+ years of professional visual merchandising experience, including significant experience in a Senior VM, VM Manager, VM Lead or equivalent-level role.
- Strong knowledge of visual merchandising principles and their impact on customer behaviour, shoppability and retail performance
- Experience consulting with clients, store teams or senior stakeholders
- Experience creating visual merchandising floor plans, fixture layouts and merchandise zoning
- Experience creating graphic mock-ups, renderings and/or VM directives
- Strong working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and/or Illustrator, Affinity or comparable professional design software
- The ability to work to specific dimensions and create accurate visual representations
Canva may be part of your toolkit, but it is not considered a replacement for professional photo-editing or illustration software for this role.
Adobe software ownership is an asset but not mandatory if you work proficiently in an equivalent professional program.
You should also be:
- Highly detail-oriented
- Organized and able to manage project files and deadlines independently
- A strong written communicator
- Comfortable presenting virtually and in person
- Able to speak with confidence and credibility when advising clients
- Friendly, collaborative and professional, including when clients question or push back on recommendations
- Reliable, trustworthy and punctual
- Comfortable working independently while following an established project brief and VM ID process
- Eager to learn, receive feedback and continue developing alongside a growing business
- Comfortable representing VM ID as the client-facing brand while working on VM ID projects
Technology + Working Requirements
You must have:
- Your own computer/laptop suitable for graphic and project work
- Reliable internet access
- Strong working knowledge of PowerPoint
- Comfort working in Google Drive and shared cloud-based files
- Professional email communication skills
- Comfort hosting and participating in virtual client meetings
- The ability to manage and communicate your availability digitally
Location + Travel
This role is based in the Toronto / GTA market.
Much of the planning, design, sourcing and report work can be completed remotely, but you must be available for scheduled client consultations, site visits and VM execution throughout the GTA.
Reliable access to transportation is required for assignments where public transit is not practical. Some projects may require travel outside the GTA; applicable mileage for approved out-of-area travel will be compensated.
Hours + Project Structure
This is a freelance, project-based opportunity, not a guaranteed-hours position.
Project volume naturally fluctuates. We anticipate approximately 10 hours per week on average when projects are active, although some weeks may require less and certain project launches, installations or design phases may require more.
The ideal person has flexibility within their existing schedule and the ability to take on additional hours periodically when project timelines require it. Assignments are discussed and confirmed based on your availability.
Why Join the VM ID Freelance Team?
One of the biggest advantages of this role is getting access to a wide range of interesting retail projects without having to prospect for them yourself.
VM ID handles the business development and brings the projects to the team. You get to focus on the strategy, creativity and execution.
You’ll also have the opportunity to:
- Work across a broad mix of retail categories, environments and business sizes
- Build a more diverse portfolio of retail work
- Work primarily remotely outside of scheduled on-site projects
- Maintain flexibility around your existing freelance work or other professional commitments
- Participate in both creative and strategic assignments rather than only execution
- Work directly with retailers, retail organizations and experienced industry professionals
- Use established VM ID templates, briefs and processes rather than starting every project from scratch
- Continue building your consulting, design and client-facing experience
- Grow with an established visual merchandising business as new opportunities develop
Compensation
This is a paid freelance opportunity, with compensation based on the nature of the assignment, level of responsibility and client-facing requirements. Rates and expectations are discussed transparently with shortlisted candidates and confirmed before assignments are accepted.
How to Apply
Please send:
- Your résumé or LinkedIn profile
- A brief introduction telling us about your visual merchandising background and why this type of freelance role interests you
- Your general weekly freelance availability
- Your location within the GTA
- A portfolio or samples demonstrating any of the following:
- Graphic mock-ups of visual merchandising concepts or displays
- VM directives
- Retail renderings
- Space plans or merchandising zone plans
- Concept or mood boards
- Before-and-after merchandising work
- Client-facing VM reports or recommendations
- Sourcing or fixture/prop research
You do not need to have examples of every category. We would rather see a few strong examples that demonstrate how you think and work.
Our Selection Process
Applicants whose experience appears aligned with the role may be invited to a conversation with VM ID. Selected candidates may also be given a short visual merchandising scenario based on a sample retail image and asked to explain what they see, what they would recommend and how they would communicate those recommendations to a client. This exercise is intended only to assess visual merchandising judgment and communication style. It will not involve completing work for an active VM ID client.
A Final Note
We are looking for more than someone who can make a display look beautiful. We are looking for someone who understands why the recommendation makes sense for the business, can communicate that reasoning clearly, and can turn strategy into something practical, visual and executable. If that sounds like you, we’d love to see your work.
VM ID Inc. welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Selection decisions are based on the qualifications and requirements of the role. Accommodation during the application and selection process is available upon request.
