Location Planning Manager

• Leads the development of the store estate strategy for specific regions of the UK, acting as the primary source of insight and business subject matter expert.
• Uses available data, insight analytics and standalone analysis projects to shape strategy, support decision making and answer key property related questions.
• Develops business cases for new store openings, extensions, relocations, closures, downsizes and rebalancing of footage, presenting recommendations and outcomes to senior stakeholders.
• Visits all new site and existing store opportunities, either with Acquisition colleagues, leadership or independently, with regular travel, field-based working and overnight stays as required.
• Builds strong partnerships with Retail Regional Managers and key stakeholders across Property, Finance, Store Development, Store Planning, Retail Space Planning, Customer Insight and Corporate Communications to ensure a collaborative approach and sharing of knowledge and insight.
• Leads on PIRs for new openings, analysing forecast versus actual performance, making recommendations for future actions and developing relationships with key external data and service providers.
• Drives improved insight through better digital solutions and location planning innovation, while maintaining a strong understanding of UK retail market trends and interpreting these in relation to M&S.

Who You Will Be

• An experienced analyst with previous experience in a location planning, market development or similar analytical role.
• A strong communicator with excellent presentation skills, confident explaining complex analysis to a wide range of stakeholders, including senior management.
• A relationship builder with evidence of developing strong stakeholder partnerships and working effectively with external third party providers.
• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently, managing competing priorities and using your own initiative to create and develop analytical projects.
• Flexible and mobile, ideally based in the East of England or London, with the ability to travel regularly and stay away from home overnight when required.
• A full UK driving licence holder.

What You Will Bring

• Well-developed analytical skills, with experience of delivering analysis projects using large and complex data sets.
• Strong technical capability, ideally including Machine Learning models, gravity models, predictive sales forecasting and GIS tools such as MapInfo, ArcGIS or QGIS.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel skills, with experience using analytical tools such as Power BI, SQL, Python or Alteryx desirable but not essential, alongside an understanding of Big Data platforms.
• A solid understanding of financial modelling, including discounted cash flow analysis, NPV, IRR and payback calculations.
• Experience of developing and presenting robust business cases to support strategic decision making.