Micro Space Planner-6 Months Fixed Term

Dunelm; Leicester; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Dunelm is seeking a detail-oriented merchandiser to lead space planning and product launches for our store network. The role requires strong Excel and presentation skills, plus the ability to work with Store Operations, Commercial and POS teams to implement effective planograms.

You will own the ME range strategy, drive store standards, and stay ahead of retail trends to enhance the customer experience across channels.

Qualifications

• This role requires strong space planning and layout skills to translate concepts into store-ready plans.
• You should be able to communicate clearly with stakeholders at all levels and influence decision-making.
• Proactive, owner-like attitude with focus on customer experience and store standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead the launch of product ranges across campaigns to ensure easy shopping and replenishment for stores.
• Collaborate with Store Operations, Commercial and POS teams to create effective planograms.
• Build flexibility into ME ranges to suit different store formats and improve sales productivity.
• Support the delivery of store standards and ensure a seamless omnichannel shopping experience.
• Act as department expert, owning critical path and staying up to date with trends.

Skills

Excel

Space planning

PowerPoint

Word

Tools

Space planning tools

Job description

Overview

Home. There’s no place like it. And there’s no feeling like helping people create the joy of feeling truly at home. At Dunelm, that’s what we do. We’re the UK's number one choice for homewares because we make home life lovelier for our customers.

We are the UK’s Number One homewares retailer offering over 100,000 products building a consumer-focused total retail business that delights customers through our multichannel operation.

We are ambitious in our plans to drive further expansion of the business to more customers, shopping more frequently, with more choice, enhanced digital and physical services, and new capabilities to innovate and operate at pace in a fast-changing landscape. In developing the business for the long-term benefit of our customers, we are investing in our supply chain, stores and technology to improve the customer proposition as we move forward.

The department looks after everything that shapes our in‑store experience, including store format, design, space planning, planograms, and POS and signage. These are our core focus areas, however we work closely with teams across the business to make sure customers enjoy a consistent experience wherever they shop. That means partnering with Marketing, Store Operations, Continuous Improvement, Space Planning, Commercial, I&A, Finance, and Store Development, and supporting wider business objectives when needed.

We keep a close eye on what is happening across the homewares industry, staying informed on new product ideas, changes in planogramming, sustainability developments, store layouts, and how retailers communicate with customers.

One of our most important outputs is store format. This ranges from small improvements to full relaunches of entire departments. These changes can include anything from layout and flow to fixtures and fittings, planograms, signage, and POS.

What you'll be doing

Launching Product Successfully

• Lead the launch of MEs across Spring/Summer, Autumn/Winter, and all weekly campaigns, attacks and special buys.
• Make sure every launch feels easy to shop and easy for our store colleagues to replenish.
• Work closely with Store Operations, Commercial and POS teams to create planograms that truly work in real stores.

Supporting Our Commercial Strategy

• Work with teams across the business to make sure any changes also work smoothly for Central Merchandising, RO and our stores.
• Keep the wider commercial strategy front and centre, helping us make decisions that support sales and customer experience.

Creating Flexibility in Ranges

• Build more flexibility into grades/MEs so we can plan ranges that suit different store formats.
• Focus on improving sales productivity, working alongside the I&A team to develop helpful analysis that supports better decision‑making.

Driving Brilliant Store Standards

• Support the delivery of our Plan on a Page and all Brilliant Store initiatives.
• Champion ways to make the shopping experience seamless and consistent across every channel.

Being the Department Expert

• Become the go‑to expert for your departments, owning the ME critical path from start to finish.
• Understand how customers experience the range in-store, and how different formats, POS, signage and store operations all play a part.
• Keep yourself up to date with retail trends, competitor activity and what’s happening in the wider homewares industry and use that knowledge to make our offer even better.

What we'll look for in you

• This role involves a good amount of space planning, so being confident with Excel, space‑planning tools, PowerPoint and Word will really help you shine. You don’t need to be a tech wizard just comfortable using the tools that help us bring great layouts to life.
• You’ll also need to communicate clearly and confidently with people at all levels, including senior managers. Whether you’re presenting an update, joining a commercial review, or offering your point of view in a strategy meeting, we’ll look to you as the ME expert in the room.
• You will be working with lots of different teams, all with their own pressures and priorities, so strong emotional intelligence is key. You’ll need to listen, understand, and influence in a way that keeps everyone moving in the same direction.
• A positive, can‑do attitude will take you a long way here. We are looking for someone who acts like an owner: making thoughtful decisions, bringing fresh ideas, and always thinking about what’s best for our customers.