At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to optimise shop space and enhance customer experience.
- Company: Join the UK's largest employee-owned business with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, and personal development opportunities.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with excellent career growth potential.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on retail strategies and customer satisfaction.
- Qualifications: Strong analytical skills and leadership experience required.
The predicted salary is between 52000 - 78000 € per year.
As the Space Planning Manager within the Store Experience Directorate, you will lead a Space Planning team to develop the Physical Estate Space strategies for all Shop Formats. You will be ultimately accountable for realising optimal proposition blueprints onto the shop floor to deliver customer centric adjacencies and commercial performance metrics. You will develop and utilise the shop blueprint to optimise the use of space, maximising profitability and ensuring an excellent customer experience.
You will be an experienced, analytical and commercial leader who will use their broad expert knowledge of shops and space to plan and optimise our Physical Estate profitability. You will lead, develop and coach a high performing team of individuals with a focus on personal development. You will be recognised as adept at leading a successful matrix team, engaging and recognising each other's professional strengths. You will represent the Space team in major project steering groups, influencing and consulting with stakeholders across the business to ensure plans are aligned to team priorities and best outcomes.
Key responsibilities:
- Lead and develop the Directorate space strategy proposition and blueprints for all shop formats.
- Optimum allocation of space to assortment to deliver strategy profitability and maximise customer experience.
- Effective leadership and development of Level 7s and Level 8s to ensure continued growth of a High Performing team.
- Drive space performance through effective allocation of space; product, service, experience and design propositions with a view to reduce costs where possible and deliver optimal return per sq ft.
- Develop and evolve the Shop Blueprint that balances commercial, customer, services, assortment, flow, adjacencies and stock targets, triangulating competing ambitions.
- Translate commercial, customer, retail and property strategy into all Physical Estate activity providing space briefs that span new concepts, projects, formats and seasonal change, balancing customer and profit needs.
- Provide proactive and reactive insight, expertise, challenge and support to develop and define propositional space strategies.
- Support the development of propositional opportunities with key stakeholders, carrying out feasibility activity and scoping alongside supporting in building business cases and developing commercial opportunities.
- Work effectively across all Physical Estate teams spanning Property, Customer and Trading to optimise the use of our physical estate through new formats, downsizes and physical estate interventions.
- Influence Merchandising teams to reduce working capital and deliver optimal allocations of assortments to space through effective ranging and planning.
- Ensure all projects optimise space, balancing great customer experience with presentation and linear requirements.
- Develop and generate ideas and opportunities to drive greater value from our estate particularly in Q4 and with seasonal opportunities.
- Support and upskill Partners across the business to deliver commercially sound and customer centric value additive projects and opportunities.
- Increase business understanding and awareness of space metrics such that they become business-as-usual. Champion the use of space to deliver retail benefit and optimisation.
Essential skills/experience you'll need:
- Demonstrates strong commercial awareness.
- Demonstrates strong analytical skills.
- Experience in process improvement.
- Excellent planning, organisation and orchestration skills.
- Ability to manage the complexities and competing priorities and strategies to make courageous decisions.
- Strong leadership skills.
- Excellent cross functional working skills and Stakeholder management.
- Verbal / written communication.
Desirable skills/experience you may have:
- Experience in a trading and/or branch role is an advantage.
- Line Management and leadership (matrix management desirable).
- Experience of continuous improvement.
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.
Important points to note: It's important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you'll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays.
Space Planning Manager employer: John Lewis & Partners
As a Space Planning Manager at our London Head Office, you will thrive in an inclusive and dynamic work culture that prioritises personal development and collaboration. With a focus on employee ownership, we offer a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects while enjoying flexible working arrangements and a commitment to work-life balance. Join us in shaping the future of retail, where your expertise will be valued and your growth supported within a high-performing team.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Space Planning Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how they align with your own. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of the team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your communication skills! Whether it's verbal or written, being able to articulate your thoughts clearly is key. Consider mock interviews with friends or use online resources to refine your pitch.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you're serious about joining us and makes it easier for us to keep track of your application.
We think you need these skills to ace Space Planning Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in space planning and team leadership. We want to see how your skills align with our needs, so don’t hold back on showcasing your commercial awareness and analytical prowess!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:As a Space Planning Manager, you'll be leading a team, so it's crucial to demonstrate your leadership abilities. Share examples of how you've developed and coached teams in the past, and how you’ve navigated complex stakeholder relationships.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, clarity is key! Use straightforward language and structure your thoughts logically. We appreciate a well-organised application that makes it easy for us to see your qualifications and fit for the role.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our company culture there!
How to prepare for a job interview at John Lewis & Partners
✨Know Your Space
Before the interview, dive deep into understanding the company's space strategies and shop formats. Familiarise yourself with their current layouts and think about how you could optimise them. This will show your analytical skills and commercial awareness right from the start.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past. Highlight your experience in developing high-performing teams and how you've coached individuals to achieve their best. This is crucial for a role that requires effective leadership and collaboration.
✨Communicate Effectively
Practice your communication skills, especially in terms of active listening and assertive dialogue. Be ready to discuss how you've resolved professional differences in the past and how you adapt your communication style to different stakeholders. This will demonstrate your ability to influence and engage others.
✨Bring Ideas to the Table
Think creatively about potential improvements or innovations in space planning that could benefit the company. Prepare to discuss these ideas during the interview, showing that you're proactive and ready to contribute to the team’s success from day one.
