Location Strategy Analyst

Costa Coffee; High Wycombe; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Share SIP

Annual bonus

Smart pension

Costa Financial Support Fund

Store discounts

Job summary

Costa Coffee is seeking a Location Planning Analyst to drive data-driven site recommendations across the UK and global markets. The role uses GIS and forecasting tools to translate performance and market data into actionable insights for investment decisions and growth.

You will collaborate with Property, Growth and leadership teams, deliver strategic location analyses, and contribute to Costa’s expanding store network while supporting the Costa Foundation and community initiatives.

Qualifications

• Understanding of location planning principles including catchments and site quality drivers.
• Experience using GIS and spatial analysis to identify opportunities and guide decisions.
• Knowledge of retail, hospitality or consumer-location dynamics in multi-site environments.
• Ability to balance data-led insight with practical commercial judgement.
• Confidently present insights to senior audiences in clear, actionable form.

Responsibilities

• Deliver clear, data-driven recommendations to Property, Growth and leadership teams.
• Use spatial analysis to identify growth opportunities, white space locations and cannibalisation risks.
• Develop and maintain the location strategy toolkit for property investment and retail strategy.
• Run ad hoc analyses to support network strategy decisions across UK and global markets.
• Continuously improve location planning tools, reporting and methodologies for consistency.
• Advise on site acquisitions with Property Acquisition Managers and align with network strategy.

Skills

GIS and spatial analysis

Data forecasting

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder communication

Tools

GIS software

Mapping tools

Job description

Location Planning Analyst

At Costa Coffee, we are what we craft. We’re reimagining coffee experiences in over 50 countries and counting, as a key part of the Coca-Cola System. Whether you get your coffee in a store, from a machine, at home, or on the go – we’ve got you covered.

This role supports Costa’s UK&I and global growth strategy by providing data-driven and commercially focused location planning insights to inform where and how Costa stores can deliver success for both our customers and the business. Using GIS, forecasting tools and market analysis, it translates customer, performance and market data into clear recommendations that help teams make confident investment decisions and maximise growth opportunities.

Our teams make a difference. Whether that’s working on new tech for the perfect pour, helping our teams grow, creating award-winning campaigns, crunching the numbers, or developing the latest exciting menu item; together, we stir up success.

We may be a global brand, but we haven’t forgotten our roots. That's where the Costa Foundation and our fantastic community agenda come in. Whatever your role, you can help us change lives in coffee growing communities and help your local community too.

We also want to help you grow in your career through amazing experiences, our apprenticeship scheme, and development programmes. At Costa, you can go beyond the day-to-day and as a Location Planning Analyst, there’s never been a better time to join.

So, why Costa? We didn’t become a global coffee brand by sitting back. When you work here, you join a community that values passion, progression and integrity, with some pretty brilliant perks to sweeten the deal:

• Own a piece of Costa’s success by becoming a share owner in Coca-Cola with our Share Investment Plan (SIP)
• An annual discretionary bonus scheme, based on business results and individual contribution.
• A smart pension that saves you money on tax and national insurance, and matches your contributions up to 10%
• The Costa Financial Support Fund, supporting team members who find themselves in unexpected financial pressure
• 50% discount in all Costa-owned stores, and 25% off in other participating stores
• Private medical cover thanks to our Private Healthcare scheme
• And that’s not all. Explore even more of our perks here: https://bit.ly/costaperks

We’re passionate about being a great place to work, where you can bring your unique self into our mix. We firmly support diversity, equity and inclusion, and continue to work with our teams to shape the future of our culture and values: Disciplined to Deliver, Passion for Progress, Win with Warmth, Courage to Challenge and Trusted Team Players.

What you’ll do:

Being a Location Planning Analystis about so much more than bringing our coffee to the world. It’s your chance to stir up real success - which means you will:

• Deliver clear, data-driven recommendations to Property, Growth and leadership teams, enabling informed investment decisions.
• Use spatial analysis tools and techniques to find and unlock growth opportunities, white space locations and potential cannibalisation risks.
• Develop, enhance and maintain the location strategy toolkit ensuring we are setting ourselves up to make effective decisions about property investment decisions, proposition development and retail strategy.
• Run ad hoc analysis to support decision making on network strategy across UK and global markets.
• Continuously improve location planning tools, reporting and methodologies to ensure accurate, consistent and actionable insights.
• Be a key liaison and relationship lead with our Property Acquisition Managers, advising on the sales potential of new sites, challenging business case assumptions and ensuring site acquisitions are aligned with our network strategy ambitions.

Who you are It’s your unique ingredients we’re interested in:

• You will have an understanding of location planning principles, including catchments, competitor impact, customer missions and site quality drivers.
• Experience using GIS, mapping and spatial analysis to identify opportunities, assess risks and guide business decisions.
• Knowledge of retail, hospitality, convenience or consumer-location dynamics, ideally within a multi-site environment.
• Ability to balance data-led insight with practical commercial judgement when recommendations are not clear-cut.
• Confidence presenting insights and findings to senior audiences, distilling complex data into clear outcomes and recommendations.

Where you’ll work:

Right now, our Support Centre teams work flexibly, blending home working with in-person time whenever it matters most – whether that’s a team moment, a creative session, or simply coming together to share ideas, based out of our Innovation Centre in Loudwater, High Wycombe. From January 2027, this will be a Hybrid role, 3 days per week in the office. For any reasonable adjustments and general queries, please get in touch with [e-mail]