Marlo Messer

EDUCATION + SKILLS

Master of Architecture

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 2008 - 2012                            

Bachelor of Arts in Economics

Vassar College | 2004 - 2008                            

Pre-Architecture & Design

Danish Institute for Study Abroad | 2007

Software

Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator

Drafting and Rendering: AutoCAD, Sketchup, Vray, Rhino, Artlantis

Microsoft Office Suite: Word, Excel, Powerpoint

EXPERIENCE

Program Manager, In-Store Experience • Amazon Go • 2022 - present

Responsible for optimizing the in-store experience through enhanced CX design, strategy and execution for all open stores, NSOs and renovations

Responsible for providing business requirements, customer insights, CX North Star and design of intent to Store Development, tracking project milestones and implementation, and delivering post-launch KPIs to leadership, with strategic recommendations for iterative work or roll out

Launched the virtual store tour mechanism, a third-party digitization of physical stores, increasing visibility of stores to the broader organization and increasing x-functional team efficiency

Director, North America Visual Merchandising • Smashbox & Glamglow • 2021- 2022

Responsible for successful and on-time delivery of Noam in-store marketing assets contributing to $78MM+ net retail sales in brick and mortar; managed all in-store custom fixtures and signage across 2,000+ points of distribution and responsible for launching new formats at retailers Ulta Beauty at Target and Sephora + Kohl’s

Directly managed multiple external vendors on concurrent projects, overseeing fabrication, timeline and budget and negotiating costs to ensure cost structure met margin goals; developed operating goals toward carbon-neutral, zero-waste fixtures, converting over 70% of fixtures to 100% recycled acrylic and FSC certified paper

Managed annual $6MM+ budget including opex and capex, meeting quality assurance financial objectives and providing accurate and timely forecasting

Owned planning and prioritization of all domestic merchandising programs and responsible for approvals of 600+ creative assets annually in the support of 4 major campaigns per year, across a dozen different formats, identifying key products, managing hierarchy and navigation, and driving key promotional strategies

Global Director, Retail Experience • Smashbox • 2019-21

Responsible for re-launching the global retail experience including overhauling retail design and visual merchandising and enhancing the in-store digital experience; responsible for defining and standardizing scalable material and fixture libraries and providing global directive for consistent and cost-effective rollout

Led the strategy, concept, and development of the retail design and visual merchandising for over a dozen domestic retailers and 10+ international retailers, shop-in-shops and free-standing stores, ensuring consistent brand voice and locally relevant CX across all 5 regions globally

Global Director, Retail Consumer Engagement & Omnichannel • Smashbox • 2015-19

Developed global retail strategy (consumer engagement, omnichannel, financial model, and scalable experience and design) and launched the first Noam free-standing store new store opening (NSO)

Responsible for the end-to-end physical store development; developed CX design, led creative team in store development (including retail and millwork design, visual merchandising & printed signage), led x-functional teams in the design development and construction, managed architects, lighting designers and general contractor and managed the $1.2MM capex budget; liaised with real estate broker and landlord to secure physical space

Responsible for the end-to-end in-store digital and omni experience, CRM and social media strategy; launched online appointment booking tool for makeup & photography services, buy online/return in store, digital signage, mobile POS, store IG account, Hypno digital experience and Philips-hue enabled makeup stations

Managed concept and global roll out of engagement marketing programs (evergreen, promotional) including event strategy, gifting program, custom gloss-mixing program, and makeup & photo services, and Hypno among others

Global Retail Design Manager • Clinique • 2015 | Senior Retail Designer • Aveda, Origins, Darphin • 2011-15

Led and managed concept design, SD and DD sets and millwork for international concept free-standing pilot stores and global roll out (APAC, NOAM, LATAM, UK, EMEA), partnering with graphic design, visual merchandising and omnichannel teams to ensure flawless execution of high-touch physical retail experience and managed internal leadership expectations throughout design and construction (Software:  Sketchup, Vray, AutoCAD, Photoshop, Indesign, Excel)

Managed architects, GCs and millworkers in the CD and construction phases, red-lining drawings and addressing on-site construction issues

Responsible for 40% sales lift through physical store re-design; value-engineered to reduce buildout costs by 35%