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Sheffield Museums is seeking a dynamic consultant with proven expertise in retail design and visual merchandising to deliver high-quality, impactful displays that elevate the visitor experience and boost visitor propensity to spend

The Retail team is responsible for the operation of 5 retail spaces across the Sheffield Museums estate. We anticipate that the consultant will support the Retail Manager to develop practical support in the design, display and product range of our retail spaces to improve visual merchandising across four sites (Millenium Gallery, Weston Park Museum, Kelham Island and Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet), creating displays that attract footfall, inspire customers to browse and to encourage them to make a purchase.

 

The consultant will identify areas for investment and recommend key actions to create an engaging retail experience that builds an emotional connection between the charity, the shopping experience and our customers. 

The consultant will bring critical analysis and challenge, as well as fresh insights into consumer trends and perspectives to highlight strengths, pinpoint areas for improvement, and recommend actions to support the delivery of the retail offer for the Retail team.

The consultant will be expected to review, present, and provide feedback on, as well as support the development of, a retail action plan that includes;

  • Design – actions to improve understanding of our shop and gallery layouts, how visitors engage with these spaces, and how to design environments that are accessible, functional, and appealing to all our visitors and audiences.
  • Display – actions to support the implementation and enhancement of product displays, with a focus on understanding our spaces and identifying the most effective ways to showcase products. This includes developing a range of display techniques and planograms to optimise visual impact. Innovative approaches to display are also welcomed.

  • Product range - actions to strengthen our product offering, including evaluating current ranges and supporting the development of structured product range plans (from range architecture through to table presentation and selling). Consideration should also be given to integrating our local makers’ Christmas range as part of a refreshed approach to our overall product range.

The consultant should be able to travel between all Sheffield Museums sites and attend meetings in person and online. 

Timescale

We anticipate that this work will be in the region of 10-15 days and will be completed within 8 weeks of appointment, or by 31 January 2026. 

Closing date

Friday 24 October 2025, 12 noon

For more information, download the full brief via the link below

You can view the following PDF documents using Adobe Acrobat – you can download it for free at the Adobe website

How to apply

Quotes and questions should be sent to:

Steph Marsh, Retail Manager: stephanie.marsh@sheffieldmuseums.org.uk