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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Collaborate on space strategy and optimise store performance through data-driven insights.
- Company: Join the dynamic team at Marks & Spencer, a leader in retail innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, and a generous pension scheme.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in retail by driving performance and enhancing customer experiences.
- Qualifications: Strong analytical skills and proficiency in Excel; knowledge of space planning is a plus.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with opportunities for personal growth and community support.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 43200 £ per year.
We are looking for a BU Grading Planner to join the team on a 12-month fixed-term contract. Working closely with the Space Planning Manager, the BU Grading Planner partners with Business Units to develop and deliver the BU Space Strategy. The role is accountable for BU space allocation across Seasonal and All-Year-Round (AYR) ranges, identifying opportunities to drive store and category performance in sales, margin, and controllable contribution.
You will translate BU and Department strategies into a clear grading framework for each phase, ensuring space and stock are deployed to deliver a profitable return. This role plays a key part in optimising space use, supporting commercial decision-making, and enabling the delivery of customer-led, performance-driven space plans.
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.
- 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 supporting the development and delivery of the space strategy for the BU, fully aligned to the overall C&H strategy and working with the Space planning manager on the development and delivery of the BU strategy.
- Ensure delivery of the Space planning critical path aligning to the Buying critical path.
- Drive space productivity through the use of space data, insight, and analytics to inform grading optimisation, densities, ratios, space %TTs and SDG space allocation.
- Share Space performance data with BU’s on a weekly basis calling out opportunities for improvement. Ensure this information is the most optimal view of space, working with the other BU grading planners to improve when required.
- Work collaboratively with the Space and template planner to drive the accuracy, optimisation, and delivery of space planning for their BU.
- Ensure work is appropriately prioritised and resourced to meet the demands of Transformation.
Who you are
- Your skills and experience will include a strong understanding of the Space/Merchandising critical path, process flows, competencies and activities.
- Good knowledge of the Space and Merchandising.
- Strong numerical and analytical skills.
- Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint to a high standard.
- All relevant C&H, Space & Retail reporting, and merch systems, specifically: JDA floorplanning, RP, MP, GMOR, PowerBI, Blue Yonder.
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.
BU Grading Planner employer: Marks & Spencer Plc
Contact Detail:
Marks & Spencer Plc Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land BU Grading Planner
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those already working at M&S. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insider info on what they're looking for in a BU Grading Planner.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for your interview by diving deep into M&S's space strategy. Show us you understand how to optimise space use and drive performance. Bring examples of how you've done this before or how you'd approach it!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just wait for the job to come to you! Apply through our website and keep an eye on new openings. The more proactive you are, the better your chances of landing that role.
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after your interview with a thank-you note. It’s a simple gesture that shows your enthusiasm for the role and keeps you fresh in their minds. Plus, who doesn’t love a bit of gratitude?
We think you need these skills to ace BU Grading Planner
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight how your skills align with the BU Grading Planner role. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role involves a lot of data analysis, be sure to include examples of how you've used numerical and analytical skills in past roles. We want to see how you can drive space productivity!
Keep It Clear and Concise: When writing your application, aim for clarity. Use bullet points where possible and keep your sentences short. We appreciate straightforward communication, so make it easy for us to see your strengths.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This way, your application will go straight to our team, and you'll be one step closer to joining us in bringing the magic of M&S to our customers!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks & Spencer Plc
✨Know Your Space Strategy
Before the interview, make sure you understand the BU Space Strategy and how it aligns with the overall C&H strategy. Familiarise yourself with key terms like space allocation, grading frameworks, and performance metrics. This will show that you're not just interested in the role but also invested in the company's goals.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Since this role requires strong numerical and analytical skills, be prepared to discuss your experience with data analysis and tools like Microsoft Excel and PowerBI. Bring examples of how you've used data to drive decisions or improve processes in previous roles.
✨Collaborative Mindset
Emphasise your ability to work collaboratively with different teams. Share examples of how you've partnered with others to achieve a common goal, especially in space planning or merchandising contexts. This will highlight your fit for a role that values teamwork and communication.
✨Prepare Questions About Performance Metrics
Have a few insightful questions ready about how success is measured in this role. Ask about the key performance indicators (KPIs) for space productivity and how the team tracks improvements. This shows your proactive approach and genuine interest in contributing to the team's success.
