Candace Koltisko
Quakertown,PA
Summary
Senior Visual Merchandising and Store Experience leader with 15+ years of experience driving brand-consistent, high-impact visual execution across multi-unit, high-volume retail environments. Proven ability to translate brand vision into scalable store experiences that improve sales performance, customer engagement, and operational efficiency. Deep expertise in seasonal floor sets, new store openings, remodels, visual standards governance, and field leadership development. Trusted partner to operations, merchandising, and corporate teams with a track record of elevating customer experience and delivering measurable business results.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Store Manager
J. Crew Factory
01.2025 - Current
- Lead visual merchandising execution, seasonal floor sets, and promotional storytelling in a high-volume retail environment, ensuring consistent brand presentation and elevated customer experience
- Recognized as MVP for leadership, sales performance, and credit results, contributing to mid single to low-double digit improvements in key store KPI's including sales, conversion, and credit penetration
- Serve as a regional visual expert, traveling to support execution, training, and performance improvement across multiple Mid-Atlantic locations
- Partner with store leadership to optimize payroll deployment, operational efficiency, and peak-period readiness while maintaining strong customer service standards
- Coach and develop a team of 15+ associates, strengthening visual execution accuracy, engagement, and building a reliable bench of future keyholders and leaders
Assistant Store Manager
J. Crew Factory
01.2023 - 12.2023
- Drove consistent execution of monthly visual directives, improving shop-ability and visual compliance, contributing to measurable gains in conversion and average transaction value
- Selected as NSO Visual Expert for the Staten Island Factory Store opening, supporting on-time, on-brand launch execution
- Trained and developed 15+ associates on visual standards and merchandise flow, improving execution speed and accuracy during floor set transitions
- Partnered with field leadership to close execution gaps, supporting sustained performance improvement post-floor set
Visual Merchandising Senior Specialist
Ascena (Dressbarn)
05.2018 - 09.2019
- Led execution of monthly visual floor set directives across 500+ stores, ensuring enterprise-wide consistency in brand presentation and customer experience
- Developed and scaled new visual concepts, styling strategies, and product storytelling initiatives that supported seasonal sales lifts and promotional performances
- Collaborated cross-functionally with merchandising, marketing, and design teams to align visual execution with enterprise business priorities
- Traveled extensively to field locations (NJ/NY/CT), coaching store teams to improving visual compliance, execution quality, and store readiness
- Managed full visual sample lifecycle and supported documentation and photography, contributing to clearer, more actionable visual standards; hands-on experience with Photoshop and Illustrator
- Led floor set execution teams of 40+ associates, delivering on-time, accurate transitions across multiple markets
- Owned promotional cadence, producing weekly visual directives that guided consistent signage execution across the fleet
Store Director
J. Crew Factory
04.2016 - 03.2018
- Directed all aspects of store performance for a mid-volume location with a $3 Million annual sales volume
- Led and developed a team of 40+ associates, improving engagement and execution while maintaining strong retention and internal promotion outcomes
- Appointed JCC Credit Card Captain for a 13-store Mid-Atlantic district, driving consistent district-wide improvement in credit penetration through coaching, reporting, and performance accountability
- Designed and implemented district-level performance tracking tools, improving visibility to weekly KPI's and opportunity identification
- Served as NSO Visual Expert for multiple new store openings and reopenings, supporting successful launches and brand consistency from day one
- Collaborated with corporate visual merchandising teams to influencing visual directives adopted across Factory and Mercantile locations
- Developed assistant managers into next-level roles, strengthening leadership bench and internal promotion outcomes
Education
MBA -
Wilmington University
New Castle, DE05-2011
Bachelor of Arts - Fashion Merchandising
Centenary College
Hackettstown, NJ05-2010
Skills
- Multi-unit visual leadership
- Planogram execution
- Field training
- E-commerce merchandising alignment
Timeline
Associate Store Manager
J. Crew Factory
01.2025 - Current
Assistant Store Manager
J. Crew Factory
01.2023 - 12.2023
Visual Merchandising Senior Specialist
Ascena (Dressbarn)
05.2018 - 09.2019
Store Director
J. Crew Factory
04.2016 - 03.2018
MBA -
Wilmington University
Bachelor of Arts - Fashion Merchandising
Centenary College
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Visual Merchandising Strategy
- Store Experience Design
- Multi-Unit Retail Leadership
- Seasonal Floor Sets & Product Launches
- Visual Standards & Compliance
- Sales, Conversion & KPI Analysis
- Inventory Productivity
- Shrink Awareness
- New Store Openings & Remodels
- Field Training & Talent Development
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Brand Storytelling
- Planograms
- Retail Operations & Payroll Optimization
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Visual Consultant - Waverly General Store | Waverly, PA
Merchandising Zone Lead (Hybrid) - Premium Retail Services | NEPA
E-Commerce Merchandising Expert - BrandNexity E-Commerce Group | Hudson, PA
Visual Merchandising Supervisor - Forever 21 | CA/FL
NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT, PBC) | NEPA