Store Space Performance Planner

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.

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 in doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us. Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special:

• 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:

• 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. Ensure commercial, operational and Space priorities are aligned, and that Space macro decision making remains strategic and future focused, presenting your 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 leavers 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

Your skills and experience will include:

• 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, including relevant and essential systems.
• 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.

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.