Strategic Space & Density Manager in Edinburgh

An analytical and commercially driven role that leads the strategic allocation and optimisation of retail space across the business. The Space Planning & Sales Density Manager is responsible for ensuring that every metre delivers maximum value through data led planning, robust performance analysis, and evidence-based decision making. This role will shape store layouts and category space allocation using sales density metrics, customer behaviour insights and trading performance data.

Responsibilities

• Space Planning & Optimisation
  • Develop and maintain space planning principles across all stores, aligning layouts with commercial priorities and customer missions.
  • Own space allocation across categories, ensuring optimal use of indoor and outdoor retail space.
  • Continuously review and refine store layouts based on performance data and seasonal trading patterns.
• Data-Led Decision Making
  • Analyse sales density (e.g. sales per square metre, per linear metre) to evaluate space productivity across categories and locations.
  • Use data insights to recommend reallocations of space to improve profitability and customer experience.
  • Build and maintain dashboards and reporting frameworks to track space performance and ROI.
  • Leverage historical sales, stock turn, margin, and footfall data to support planning decisions.
• Commercial Performance
  • Partner with Buying, Merchandising, and Operations teams to ensure space plans reflect commercial strategy and product priorities.
  • Identify underperforming categories or space inefficiencies and propose actionable improvements.
  • Support range reviews with clear, evidence-based recommendations on space requirements and productivity targets.
• Testing & Continuous Improvement
  • Design and implement in-store trials to test new layouts, category adjacencies, and merchandising approaches.
  • Measure and evaluate trial outcomes using defined KPIs, including sales density uplift and conversion rates.
  • Roll out successful initiatives across the estate with clear guidelines and performance expectations.
• Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Work closely with store teams to ensure effective execution of space plans and gather feedback from the shop floor.
  • Present insights and recommendations to senior leadership, translating data into clear commercial actions.

Who we are looking for

• Proven experience in space planning, merchandising analytics, or retail performance optimisation.
• Strong analytical capability with experience using data tools (e.g. Excel, Power BI, Tableau or similar).
• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex data sets and translate insights into actionable strategies.
• Commercial mindset with a strong understanding of retail KPIs and category performance drivers.
• Experience working in multi-site retail environments.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Highly detail-oriented with a passion for data accuracy and integrity.
• Curious and proactive, with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Able to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
• Confident in challenging assumptions using data-led evidence.

What we offer

• Generous annual leave entitlement. Use your holidays when you want with limited statutory days off required.
• Treat yourself with generous uncapped discount across our stores with 50% off in our Restaurants, 25% off in the Garden Centre and 10% off in our food halls.
• Access to Stream - support your financial wellbeing, with ability to access earnings ahead of pay day, save for future and financial advice.
• Access to Retail Trust - seek confidential support, access to a virtual GP, free counselling service and discounted retail rewards with our employee wellbeing platform.
• Access to Dobbies Academy - continue your development with our eLearning platform and development programmes.
• Thriving culture; the Dobbies team are passionate, diverse and committed to making it work for our customers.