Home Furnishings Job Descriptions

Listed below are some of the job descriptions for the retail positions noted in the Home Furnishings Career Ladder:

Sales Manager: Ensures that the sales staff or store is operating at its best. Most companies need at least one sales manager to set goals and organize training. They keep tabs on who is selling well, what is selling, who is buying and who isn’t.

Operations Manager: This manager plans, directs, organizes and controls the daily activities of warehouse and delivery operations. “Ops” Managers ensure safe, efficient and productive warehouse operations that are customer-focused.

Advertising/Marketing Manager: Utilizing strategic skills to create maximum impact, these managers must understand their products and know how to best reach the customers. They use market research skills along with creative talents to promote products and services and attract customers.

Sales Staff: Perhaps the key person in the industry. These professionals do more than just sell furniture, accessories, bedding and appliances, they recommend furniture sizes, period, style, color, fabric and finishes that will complement a customer’s home. They build relationships with customers in a high-energy, team environment.

Interior Designer: Designers come up with solutions that are safe, functional, attractive and meet the needs of clients. They know how to make a space come alive through the use of color, fabric, style and many other visual tools. They must also understand their clients’ lifestyles and develop designs that are best suited for them.

Buyer: Buyers are the scouts who attend “furniture markets” across the country and communicate their findings to the merchandising manager. It is through the buyer’s keen understanding of styles and what will be hot in the near future that often determines what merchandise home furnishings retailers will carry in their stores.

Merchandising Manager: A critical link in the retail chain, the Merchandising Manager selects, plans and purchases products and participates in their placement.  They must constantly review and evaluate customer interest and supervise visual displays.

Controller: The company’s financial plans and policies and accounting practices are the responsibility of this highly trained professional. The Controller must build relationships with lending institutions and maintain all fiscal records, prepare financial reports and supervise general accounting.

Furniture Technician: The flexible position may require work at the customer’s home, in furniture stores, or in a workshop. The Furniture Technician repairs minor damage to furniture, such as water damage, scratches, nicks, or dents.