Space Planning Manager

We're looking for a Space Planning Manager to play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the Space strategy for our Home & Beauty business. This role will support the development of the overall Space functional strategy and the FH&B Space Transformation, while actively driving the strategic direction of Business Unit (BU) Space Planning.

Partnering closely with the Head of BU Space Planning and senior stakeholders across the Business Units, you'll own end-to-end BU space strategies. This includes full accountability for space allocation, seasonal and all-year-round (AYR) space usage, and identifying opportunities to unlock improved store and category performance across sales, margin, and controllable contribution.

You'll lead all space-related change initiatives, from BAU seasonal updates and retail trading adjustments through to large-scale transformation projects, taking ownership from ideation through to flawless in-store delivery. With accountability for optimising space across BUs, you'll ensure space is used effectively to support both commercial performance and long-term strategic objectives.

A key part of the role is leading and developing a specialist space planning team, responsible for merchandise-to-space planning, grading, and micro space planning. You'll collaborate closely with cross-functional peers to ensure space decisions are customer-centric, commercially robust, and aligned to wider business goals.

You'll also oversee the creation, governance, and delivery of planograms, ensuring consistent, accurate, and high-quality implementation of space and display strategies in store. Finally, you'll play a critical role in the transition from current systems to new Assortment Planning (AP) systems, supporting successful adoption, smooth changeover, and the continuity of high-quality space planning outputs throughout the transformation.

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.

Your key accountabilities will include:

• Effective leadership, with the ability to inspire, guide, and motivate teams to deliver high quality outcomes.
• Co-own, with the Head of BU Space Planning, key relationships with BU Directors and assortment SMEs across Retail, Store Planning & Design, VM, Merchandising, and Supply Chain, building a strong matrix network of colleagues working within BU space and establishing new, collaborative ways of working.
• Lead key elements of the Space Transformation Programme into actionable plans for the BU Space Planning team, embedding the programme's opportunities, ambitions, and new ways of working into team transformation initiatives.
• Actively challenge and champion the dynamic use of space, generating ideas that enable flexibility, seasonal adaptability, and the ability to capitalise on clear commercial opportunities.
• Own 'Space to Stock Efficiency' and space productivity objectives by ensuring effective space allocation and harmonised stock width, depth, square footage, linear space, and fixture design-working closely with VM to optimise use and planning.

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.

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.