At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative store designs and create inspiring in-store environments for Waitrose.
- Company: Join Waitrose, a leader in retail with a focus on creativity and sustainability.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £75,000, hybrid working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Flexible working pattern with a mix of office and home-based work.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on customer experiences while leading a creative team.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in design leadership and team management.
The predicted salary is between 67500 - 75000 £ per year.
We have an opportunity for a Store Concept Design Senior Manager to lead and inspire the development of creative, innovative, and commercially effective in-store environments across Waitrose bringing to life ‘The Home of The Food Lover’. In this role, you will lead concept designs, from interior layouts and equipment to graphical and signage solutions, across Core, Convenience, Food Service, and Business-to-Business formats. You’ll champion sustainability, operational efficiency, and customer-centric design while guiding both in-house talent and external agencies. You will be an experienced people manager able to manage, coach and develop a small team of designers and assistant designers.
Expected salary - Salary up to £75,000 depending on experience.
Contract type - This position is a Permanent contract.
Working pattern/flexible working - The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. Alongside this we have also signalled a clear intent for Central teams to work ‘more in person than not.’ For the Store Concept Design team this means 3 days a week of in-person time with Tuesday and Wednesday being the core days whilst the other day may be at head office, at suppliers, or in-branch. Core days may also need to flex depending on core projects and may occasionally involve a weekend.
Location - Bracknell
The application process requires you to upload your recent portfolio/examples of work.
Key responsibilities
- Lead Design Direction: Set clear, innovative design direction for interior spaces, equipment, and signage that differentiates Waitrose from competitors.
- People Leadership: Manage, coach, and develop a team of up to 4 Store Concept Designers and Assistant Designers, fostering a culture of creativity and continuous growth.
- End-to-End Delivery: Guide concepts from ideation to in-store delivery through our Development Track process, managing Stage Gate activity checklists, project timelines, and budgets.
- Omnichannel Integration: Think holistically across all customer touchpoints, ensuring physical estate designs complement an omnichannel shopping experience.
Store Concept Design Senior Manager employer: Waitrose & Partners
Waitrose & Partners in Harlow is an excellent employer, offering a vibrant work culture that prioritises customer satisfaction and teamwork. Employees benefit from comprehensive training, opportunities for career advancement, and a commitment to work-life balance, making it a rewarding place to grow your career in the retail sector.
