Space Planning Manager

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Job Description

We're looking for a Space Planning Manager to play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the Space strategy for our Home & Beauty business. This role will support the development of the overall Space functional strategy and the FH&B Space Transformation, while actively driving the strategic direction of Business Unit (BU) Space Planning.

Partnering closely with the Head of BU Space Planning and senior stakeholders across the Business Units, you'll own end-to-end BU space strategies. This includes full accountability for space allocation, seasonal and all-year-round (AYR) space usage, and identifying opportunities to unlock improved store and category performance across sales, margin, and controllable contribution.

You'll lead all space-related change initiatives, from BAU seasonal updates and retail trading adjustments through to large-scale transformation projects, taking ownership from ideation through to flawless in-store delivery. With accountability for optimising space across BUs, you'll ensure space is used effectively to support both commercial performance and long-term strategic objectives.

A key part of the role is leading and developing a specialist space planning team, responsible for merchandise-to-space planning, grading, and micro space planning. You'll collaborate closely with cross-functional peers to ensure space decisions are customer-centric, commercially robust, and aligned to wider business goals.

You'll also oversee the creation, governance, and delivery of planograms, ensuring consistent, accurate, and high-quality implementation of space and display strategies in store.

Finally, you'll play a critical role in the transition from current systems to new Assortment Planning (AP) systems, supporting successful adoption, smooth changeover, and the continuity of high-quality space planning outputs throughout the transformation.

To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected.

What's in it for you

Being a part of M&S is exactly that - playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We're an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever, and however they want to shop with us.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special...

• After completing your probationary period, you'll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.
• Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
• Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
• A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
• A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
• Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
• Industry-leading parental, adoption, and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
• Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
• A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.

What you'll do

Your key accountabilities will include

• Effective leadership, with the ability to inspire, guide, and motivate teams to deliver high-quality outcomes.
• Co-own, with the Head of BU Space Planning, key relationships with BU Directors and assortment SMEs across Retail, Store Planning & Design, VM, Merchandising, and Supply Chain, building a strong matrix network of colleagues working within BU space and establishing new, collaborative ways of working.
• Lead key elements of the Space Transformation Programme into actionable plans for the BU Space Planning team, embedding the programme's opportunities, ambitions, and new ways of working into team transformation initiatives.
• Actively challenge and champion the dynamic use of space, generating ideas that enable flexibility, seasonal adaptability, and the ability to capitalise on clear commercial opportunities.
• Own "Space to Stock Efficiency" and space productivity objectives by ensuring effective space allocation and harmonised stock width, depth, square footage, linear space, and fixture design-working closely with VM to optimise use and planning.

Who you are

Your skills and experience will include

• Strong ability to initiate, build, and sustain relationships, influencing effectively at all levels across the Support Centre and Stores.
• Expert understanding of the Space Planning and Merchandising critical path, process flows, competencies, and related activities. Including relevant and essential systems.
• Understanding of the entire store retailing environment, particularly in relation to product delivery, space execution, and operational processes.
• Knowledge of business IT systems and the space planning interdependencies
• All relevant FH&B, Space & Retail reporting, and merch systems, specifically: Blue Yonder floor planning, RP, MP, GMOR, PowerBI

Everyone's welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We're disrupting, innovating, and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We're transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted, and admired by our colleagues, customers, and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.

If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.

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