At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic planning to enhance customer experience and drive business growth.
- Company: Join New Look, a feel-good fashion brand with over 55 years of making style accessible.
- Benefits: Enjoy 40% staff discount, healthcare options, and extra leave on your birthday.
- Other info: Flexible working patterns and a commitment to inclusion and diversity.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of shaping customer strategy in a dynamic retail environment.
- Qualifications: Strong background in commercial planning or strategy, ideally in retail or consumer sectors.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We’re the feel-good fashion brand making style accessible and fun for over 55 years, on our website, mobile app and over 300 stores in the UK. By living our values - we play to win, customer obsessed, we are one and it starts with me - we deliver That New Look Feeling for our customers and each other.
THE ROLE
This is a rare and genuinely exciting role. As New Look builds and embeds its first customer-led 5-Year Plan — the Customer Model — the business needs a commercially sharp strategic planner to sit at the centre of how that model is understood, communicated and operationalised across the organisation. This is not a data role and it is not a reporting role. It is a translation and strategy role — taking the outputs of the Customer Model and turning them into commercial narratives, planning frameworks and strategic recommendations that the business can act on. You will work across Customer Analytics, Customer Insight, Finance, BMD and Commercial as the internal planning consultancy for the function.
WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING
- Leadership & Influence: Play a lead role across the business by providing insight and input into the development of commercial and business strategy, putting the customer at the heart of business priorities. Provide leadership and support in shaping customer strategy and the use of customer data, insight and ways of working to enable a more customer-centric organisation. Use data and analytical insight to inform channel trading plans, monitor customer profitability and understand the role each lever plays in driving incremental EBITDA. Partner with the Customer Senior Management Team to influence priorities and ensure key KPIs are robust, understood and delivered. Act as a key stakeholder in aligning strategic ambition with the financial plan, ensuring corporate strategy is reflected in channel and customer strategies. Own the commercial narrative for Customer Model outputs, translating scenario changes, assumptions and results into clear stories for Finance, Channel and leadership audiences. Produce executive-ready planning documents and presentations that connect model outputs to business decisions. Support the Head of Customer Intelligence & Commercial Planning in presenting model outputs at Leadership and Board level. Act as the primary point of contact for business teams seeking to understand what the Customer Model is showing and what it means for their area.
- Strategic & Commercial Planning: Lead the annual customer planning cycle, coordinating inputs from Analytics, Insight and RSPP into a single integrated commercial plan. Develop and maintain strategic scenario frameworks that translate customer sensitivities across retention, acquisition and margin efficiency into clear commercial implications. Partner with Finance, including Commercial Finance and FP&A, to ensure customer assumptions are reflected in forecasting processes. Identify emerging trends and risks from model outputs, escalating them with clear commercial framing and recommended actions.
- Customer Reporting — Forward Commercial Plan: Own and publish the Customer Commercial Plan, ensuring it is aligned with key business stakeholders. Bring together model outputs, RSPP analysis and Customer Insight into a forward-looking view of performance, opportunity and risk. Ensure Customer Planning outputs are executive-ready, concise and focused on clear decisions at leadership level.
- Cross-Functional Planning Support: Act as the internal planning consultancy across Analytics, Insight and RSPP, helping teams connect specialist outputs to commercial priorities. Partner with Customer Analytics on in-year performance versus plan, identifying variances and supporting root-cause analysis. Partner with RSPP on margin efficiency, translating discount and promotional analysis into planning implications. Support the business in operationalising model targets, working with Commercial, BMD and Finance to define the actions required to deliver against plan. Lead and develop the Planning Intelligence Executive and Reporting Intelligence Executive. Establish a clear team operating model, defining outputs, cadence and audience for all Customer Planning deliverables. Build the team’s reputation as the go-to function for commercial planning clarity across the business.
WHO YOU ARE
- Strong commercial planning or strategy background — ideally in retail, consumer or FMCG.
- Proven ability to translate complex data and modelling outputs into clear commercial narratives for senior audiences.
- Experience working with financial planning models, scenario analysis or customer planning frameworks.
- Highly credible with senior stakeholders — comfortable presenting to and influencing at Director and C-Suite level.
- Experience working with a customer planning model or long-range forecasting tool.
- Exposure to retail P&L, margin dynamics or customer lifetime value modelling.
- Background in management consulting, strategy or commercial finance.
- Familiarity with PowerBI or data platforms (Amperity, Databricks).
- A working knowledge of coding (python / SQL).
WHATS IN IT FOR YOU
- 40% staff discount plus friends & family discounts throughout the year.
- Access to our reward platform for external discount and offers.
- Profit related bonus scheme.
- Option to join our Healthcare Private Medical Scheme.
- Virtual GP access for you and your children – it allows you to speak to a doctor at a time and date that suits you.
- All employees are covered by our life assurance policy from day one.
- Unlock extra leave with our buy more holiday scheme.
- Celebrate YOU! Enjoy an extra paid day off on your birthday each year.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and shared parental leave (eligible after 2 years service).
- Spread the cost of your commute with interest‑free season ticket loans.
- Do your bit for the environment and save money with our Cycle2Work scheme.
- We’re proud to partner with the Retail Trust and Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust.
Why New Look?
We care about you and the planet and believe fashion should be a force for positive change. We celebrate inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We’re proud of our inclusive culture and our talented team members who embrace our shared purpose, behaviours and values. We prioritise development, offering training to support your progression, so you can be your absolute best and achieve your goals. We pride ourselves on being a flexible employer, our colleagues work a range of patterns. If you have a specific pattern in mind, we're keen to discuss this with you in line with the output needed for the role.
Senior Commercial Planning Manager employer: New Look
At New Look, we are not just a fashion brand; we are a community that values inclusivity, personal growth, and environmental responsibility. As a Senior Commercial Planning Manager, you will thrive in a dynamic work culture that prioritises collaboration and innovation, while enjoying exceptional benefits such as a generous staff discount, flexible working patterns, and comprehensive healthcare options. Join us in shaping a customer-centric future where your strategic insights will directly influence our business success and your professional development is actively supported.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Commercial Planning Manager
✨Show Your Creative Side
In marketing communications, standing out is key. Get creative with your application! Consider designing a mini-campaign or pitch that highlights your skills and understanding of the brand. Tailor it for New Look and show them what you can bring to the table.
✨Engage in Marketing Communities
Get involved in local or online marketing communications groups. Check out platforms like Meetup for events and workshops. Networking here can lead to hidden job openings and valuable insights into the industry trends—this is where we often discover what companies like New Look are looking for.
✨Leverage Social Media
Use platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter to showcase your passion for marketing communications. Share insights, articles, and your own content that resonates with the industry. Tagging or interacting with New Look on these platforms can catch the eye of recruiters and show you're genuinely interested in them.
✨Attend Industry Events
Keep an eye out for marketing conferences and workshops. These are great places to meet potential employers face-to-face and make connections that could land you a full-time role at New Look. Bring your business cards and be prepared to chat about how you can contribute!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Commercial Planning Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Craft an Impactful Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Focus on your passion for marketing communications and how your previous experiences can benefit New Look. Make sure to mention specific campaigns or projects you’ve worked on that showcase your creativity and strategic thinking.
Showcase Your Writing Skills:As you're diving into a marketing communications role, your writing ability is crucial. Include samples of your work, like blog posts, press releases, or social media campaigns in your application. This lets us see your style and how you engage with different audiences.
Tailor Your CV to Marketing:Your CV should highlight relevant marketing skills and experiences! Include specific tools or platforms you’ve used, like Google Analytics or social media management software. Mention any certifications or workshops related to marketing that you've completed – they can give you an edge!
Demonstrate Your Understanding of New Look:Show us that you’ve done your homework! In your application, briefly mention what you admire about New Look’s marketing approach or any recent campaigns that caught your attention. This can reveal your enthusiasm for the role and your genuine interest in joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at New Look
✨Showcase Your Creative Campaigns
Get ready to flaunt your portfolio! Include examples of previous marketing campaigns you've worked on, especially those that showcase your creativity and strategy. Recruiters at New Look will be keen to see how you conceptualise and execute campaigns, so highlight any measurable outcomes to back up your claims.
✨Know Your Digital Tools Inside Out
If you’re heading into a marketing-communications role, make sure you're comfortable discussing key digital marketing tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or Hootsuite. Expect some technical questions about how you've used these tools in the past, as they'll want to gauge your hands-on experience and how you analyse data to drive marketing decisions.
✨Be Ready for Scenario-Based Questions
At New Look, they may throw some scenario-based questions your way, aimed at testing your problem-solving skills in real-life marketing situations. Think through potential challenges you’ve faced, how you navigated them, and be prepared to discuss your thought process and outcome.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Marketing
As you’re applying for a full-time position, show that you're not just looking for a job, but a career in marketing. Talk about the latest trends in marketing communications, your favourite campaigns, and why they inspire you. Your enthusiasm can really make you stand out and demonstrate that you’re committed to growing within the field.
