Store Space Performance Planner in City of London

We are looking for a commercially focused, analytically and visually strong individual who can turn insight into action and deliver space optimisation in stores. As a Store Space Performance Planner, you play a central part in shaping how our stores bring the Fashion, Home and Beauty space and transformation strategy to life. Operating across multiple regions within a division, you will lead the application, allocation and optimisation of space through regular store visits, robust grading decisions and macro space changes.

As a key partner to Store, Regional and Divisional leadership teams, you will influence and support the delivery of macro space optimisation. Using analytical tools, performance insight and close collaboration with Regional Managers, Store teams and BU space teams, you will identify opportunities to drive sales, meet customer needs and drive space productivity. This is a varied role working across multiple stakeholder teams, requiring strong commercial acumen, influential partnership skills and the ability to translate data led insight into practical, strategic outcomes across a complex estate.

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:

• 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.

Your key accountabilities will include:

• Drive FHB Space & Grading Across the Division: Oversee all aspects of Fashion, Home and Beauty space and grading within your division, ensuring space is used efficiently, aligns with business strategy and meets customer needs to maximise sales, productivity and ROI.
• Drive commercial Space Optimisation across the Estate: Lead reviews of every store throughout the year using a Red/Amber/Green methodology to assess complexity, identify opportunities, and drive BU space optimisation. Analyse store space performance to identify opportunities for macro BU change, using data to build clear, commercially grounded recommendations for senior stakeholders. Produce PIRs to ensure learnings and insights are embedded into future store proposals.
• Develop & Present Store Block Plans: Create proposed macro space block plans to illustrate space changes, model the commercial benefits, and compile compelling summaries. Chair divisional store space surgeries involving Regional managers, Field VM and Space management. Ensure commercial, operational and Space priorities are aligned, and that Space macro decision making remains strategic and future focused, presenting store space proposals in these sessions.
• Translate Strategy Into Practical Application: With the Store Performance Manager and BU Space Planning teams translate strategy, grading frameworks and space planning principles into actionable plans for each store. Use space performance data, modelling tools, and productivity levers to support decision making and presenting commercially grounded recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Act as Regional Space Partner and voice of stores: Serve as the primary point of contact for Regional Managers on all FHB space related topics. Build trusted relationships with Regional Managers and Store Directors, securing alignment and buy in to deliver space optimisation with momentum. Lead regular visits to stores with senior stakeholders to understand and provide expert guidance on operational realities, customer behaviour and the practicalities of delivering macro moves at scale. Support stores in adopting the M&S Way for Space and upskill new Store Managers and Regional Managers in the FHB Space and Transformation strategies.

Who you are:

• Ability to initiate, build and maintain strong working relationships and influence Space Planning, Retail, Stores, BUs (Business Unit) with all key stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, numerical, and interpretive commercial skills.
• Able to build and present clear recommendations to drive space performance across your division.
• Be able to challenge and debate with key senior stakeholders, presenting clear and concise fact-based decisions.
• JDA/ Blue Yonder/ Relex experience - although can upskill on the job.

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.