At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape store layouts and optimise space for Fashion, Home, and Beauty products.
- Company: Join M&S, a dynamic and inclusive retail leader transforming the shopping experience.
- Benefits: Enjoy 20% discount, competitive holidays, bonuses, and wellbeing support.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with excellent training and career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on store performance and customer satisfaction.
- Qualifications: Strong analytical skills and ability to build relationships across teams.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
We are looking for a commercially focused, analytically and visually strong individual who can turn insight into action and deliver space optimisation in stores. You will 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.
This role is central to bringing the Fashion, Home and Beauty transformation strategy to life in store. 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.
What you’ll do
- 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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Who you are
- Strong ability to initiate, build, and sustain relationships, influencing effectively at all levels across the Support Centre and Stores.
- Expert understanding of the Space Planning and Merchandising critical path, process flows, competencies, and related activities.
- Understanding of the entire store retailing environment, particularly in relation to product delivery, space execution, and operational processes.
- Knowledge of business IT systems and the space planning interdependencies.
- All relevant FH&B, Space & Retail reporting, and merch systems, specifically: Blue Yonder floor planning, RP, MP, GMOR, PowerBI.
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.
Store Space Performance Planner in London employer: Marks & Spencer Plc
Contact Detail:
Marks & Spencer Plc Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Store Space Performance Planner in London
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company inside out! Research M&S's values, recent projects, and their approach to space optimisation. This will help you tailor your conversations and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of the team.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Connect with current employees on LinkedIn or attend industry events. Building relationships can give you insider info and might even lead to a referral, which is always a bonus!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions related to space planning and merchandising. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and highlight your analytical skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email reiterating your enthusiasm for the role can leave a lasting impression and keep you top of mind for the hiring team.
We think you need these skills to ace Store Space Performance Planner in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Analytical Skills: Make sure to highlight your analytical abilities in your application. We want to see how you can turn data into actionable insights, so share examples of how you've done this in the past!
Be Commercially Focused: Since this role is all about space optimisation and driving sales, emphasise your commercial acumen. Tell us about times when your decisions positively impacted sales or productivity.
Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic application! Tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific skills and experiences that align with the Store Space Performance Planner role. We love seeing candidates who take the time to connect their background to our needs.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks & Spencer Plc
✨Know Your Space
Before the interview, dive deep into understanding the Fashion, Home, and Beauty space. Familiarise yourself with current trends, customer preferences, and how space optimisation can drive sales. This knowledge will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to the company's goals.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Prepare to discuss specific analytical tools and methodologies you've used in previous roles. Be ready to share examples of how you've turned data insights into actionable strategies. Highlight your experience with systems like Blue Yonder and PowerBI, as these are crucial for the role.
✨Build Relationships
Since this role involves collaboration with various teams, think of ways to demonstrate your relationship-building skills. Share past experiences where you successfully influenced stakeholders or worked closely with store teams to achieve common goals. This will show that you can be a trusted partner.
✨Prepare for Practical Scenarios
Expect to be asked about real-life scenarios related to space planning and optimisation. Prepare by thinking through how you would approach challenges like store layout changes or performance issues. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses effectively.