Store Concept Designer

About the roleAt a glance

Waitrose & Partners prides itself on being different. Our intention is to combine the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist food shop. Add this to our unswerving dedication to our customers and the highest respect for our suppliers (the provenance and traceability of our food is vital) and, of course, the environment and you can start to see we’re a bit more than ‘just’ a supermarket.

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Content & Design team at Waitrose as a Store Concept Designer, reporting into our Store Concept Design Senior Manager. 

We know flexible working is important to you, and it is important to us too. The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. 

- Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract/Secondment ending Sep 2026
- Location: Bracknell based with hybrid working with the expectation to come into the office minimum 2 days per week, and site visits 
- Salary Range:  £43,700 - £65,500 per annum  
- Partnership Level: 7
- Interviews: Virtual w/c 10th Feb 

As this is a design role we would like to see a portfolio of recent work. Please upload this as a PDF or URL, along with your CV.

About the role 

The successful candidate will create and manage design solutions (including interiors, equipment and graphical solutions) for new in-store developments across Waitrose & Pan Partnership formats (Core, Convenience, Food Service, Business to Business).

The role requires the ability to gather, analyse and interpret a wide range of design and operational requirements for each project. 

You will work collaboratively with the rest of the Concept Design team and key colleagues across the Commercial, Marketing, Customer Experience, and Property teams to deliver great store environments through the ongoing optimisation of design, planning, space utilisation and cost efficiency. Setting clear design direction for 3rd party design teams, creating an environment for creativity as well as championing sustainability, commercially & operationally viable, safe and cost effective design.

Key Responsibilities Including but not limited to:

• Create design solutions and manage the development and delivery of concept work, interpreting concept briefs and proposition requirements into designs, equipment and signage. 

• Direct internal and external design resources including wider Content and Design team: Designers, copy writers, design agencies, equipment/signage suppliers, Architects, POS and graphics teams, Construction Project Managers and Core Design Managers/Store Planners/CAD to deliver creative and innovative retail design concepts and signage solutions that are cost effective, scalable and meet format/customer objectives. 

• Manage third parties costs associated in the development and delivery of concept design solutions, giving regular feedback on performance, and continuously improving working practices. 

• Manage the effective and timely handover of successful concepts into design standards to facilitate consistent application.

Internal Partners please access the full job description here.
 

Essential skills you’ll need 

• Design related degree

• Design related experience in retail or marketing

• Experience in retail/store design based roles encompassing 3D and 2D design

• Working experience of AutoCAD, In-design, Sketch Up, Photoshop or similar

• Able to demonstrate commercial experience, an excellent understanding of customer requirements

• Experience in sharing design insight, with an understanding of trends in the marketplace and the ability to share this
   

Desirable skills 

• Strong creative background

• In-depth knowledge and practical application of interior design

• Strong understanding of the Waitrose brand

Thanks for your patience in the meantime and for showing an interest in joining JLP. 

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About The Partnership

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting. If required, you’ll find out more about vetting throughout the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays.

We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.