Role Title: Assistant Space Planner

About us:

At Debenhams, the passion and ambition of our people has been shaping who we are for more than 200 years.

We are a leading multichannel global retailer with over 29,000 employees across 247 stores in 29 countries.  With a unique range offering of own brand, Designer at Debenhams and international brands across fashion and home we offer choice, value and style to customers when and how they choose to shop.

We are constantly expanding in the UK, internationally and online and need the best talent to help us achieve our goals.

Everyone is someone at Debenhams, who will you be?

Division:

The Space Planning & Store Merchandising Division are a team of 27. The Space Planning Team comprise of Assistant Space Planners & Space Planning Managers who work with a cluster of approximately 25 stores in each pairing, which are grouped by market size or project; reporting into 2 Senior Managers & a Director.  In addition, each of the Planning teams work alongside a division to ensure company strategy is met within that area. They gather information and make recommendations and proposals for stores and divisions. They evaluate and review opportunities during planning and also complete post investment analysis.  

Job Role:

With this role you will provide support to the Space Planning Manager with regard to the creation and management of store layout plans and fixture planning. You will support the delivery of Space Optimisation/Delivering new brand opportunities/driving seasonal changes/focus on profit building.

In conjunction with the Space Planning Manager you will carry out a space review twice a year. The review will be structured to provide recommendations for the following season in line with Company strategy. Supporting with space performance data collection and reporting as required. 

As an assistant you will be involved in post investment analysis (PIA) for your cluster of stores; review capital expenditure to ensure that recommended space changes deliver the required financial returns; analyse the performance of ‘trial’ activities and rollouts; and feedback findings to key stakeholders.

You’ll have gained retail experience from a store role ideally as a Sales Manager, alternatively you’ll be working in Head Office within Merchandising or Distribution and want to gain experience working within the Space Planning and Trading Division.

Candidate requirements:

It is integral for the candidate to be highly numerate and have strong attention to detail. 

Advanced Excel skills and being able to manipulate/report on high volumes of data using lookup and other formulas, along with an understanding of MS Access and other MS Office programmes, is preferable.

You will have strong communication and influencing skills with the ability to build relationships easily across the business at all levels of seniority.

An interest in retail and space planning, along with previous experience in retail, is preferable.

The ideal candidate will be a self-starter who is motivated to anticipate business needs and, as required, can work on their own initiative.

Please note this is not an architectural design role.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary
• 25% discount
• 34 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays)
• Company pension scheme
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Onsite subsidised restaurant
• Access to excellent in house training that will really progress your career!