Lead Analyst Space and Assortment

SAS Retail Services; Matthews (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

SAS Retail Services, Inc. is seeking a Lead Analyst Space and Assortment to partner with merchandising and client teams, leveraging analytics and space planning expertise to optimize space, floorplans, and planograms while influencing stakeholders through data-driven storytelling and strategic recommendations.

The ideal candidate combines strong analytical capabilities with space planning mastery and 6-8 years of planogram experience, along with excellent communication and proficiency in Excel,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience.
• 6-8 years of experience with planograms or floorplans.
• Experience with analysis in a professional setting.
• Merchandising experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional initiatives to align merchandising strategies with client objectives and business priorities.
• Analyze customer, market, and competitive data to identify trends, opportunities and actionable insights.
• Develop assortment, floorplan, and space optimization strategies that support business growth.
• Create compelling merchandising presentations and recommendations for implementation.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Space planning

Data-driven storytelling

Stakeholder influence

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Summary

Lead Analyst Space and AssortmentAbout the Company Our company is a leading North American sales and marketing agency providing outsourced sales, merchandising, category management, and marketing solutions for manufacturers, suppliers, and producers of consumer packaged goods (CPG) and food products. We support a broad range of retail channels, including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty retail, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics, and home improvement. By partnering with both manufacturers and retailers, we help bring the best products to consumers while driving growth and operational excellence across the marketplace.

Position Summary The Lead Analyst Space and Assortment serves as a strategic partner to merchandising and client teams, leveraging consumer insights, analytics, and space planning expertise to optimize assortments, floorplans, and planograms. This role leads cross-functional collaboration, develops actionable recommendations, and drives merchandising strategies that enhance the shopper experience while supporting client business objectives. The ideal candidate combines strong analytical capabilities with deep space planning expertise and the ability to influence stakeholders through data-driven storytelling and strategic recommendations.

Key Responsibilities

• Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Planning & Analytics - Lead cross-functional initiatives to align merchandising strategies with client objectives and business priorities. - Analyze customer, market, and competitive data to identify trends, opportunities, and actionable insights. - Interpret complex analytical findings and communicate recommendations clearly to diverse audiences. - Develop assortment, floorplan, and space optimization strategies that support business growth and improve retail execution.
• Space Planning & Merchandising - Serve as the subject matter expert for space planning, planograms, floorplans, and merchandising analytics. - Provide strategic guidance to merchandising teams on best practices related to product placement, category optimization, and space allocation. - Create compelling merchandising presentations and recommendations designed to improve the consumer shopping experience. - Partner with retailer and customer-facing teams to support meetings, validate recommendations, and ensure successful implementation of merchandising strategies.
• Process Improvement & Project Management - Manage and maintain space planning workflows, reporting processes, and analytical tools. - Identify and implement opportunities to improve efficiency, data quality, and overall team effectiveness. - Ensure timely execution of projects while maintaining high standards of accuracy and quality. - Lead or support project teams by prioritizing workloads, coordinating deliverables, and ensuring consistent project completion.
• Collaboration & Leadership - Act as a trusted advisor to merchandising, analytics, and client teams. - Build strong partnerships across departments and stakeholders to achieve shared business goals. - Provide guidance, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing support to team members as needed.
• Reporting StructureDirect Reports - No direct supervisory responsibilities.
• Indirect Leadership - May provide guidance, coaching, mentoring, or project leadership to cross-functional team members and indirect reports.
• Travel Requirements - Travel and driving are not essential functions of this position.

This position will remain open until filled.

Responsibilities

The Companyis one of North America’s leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods.The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities - Lead cross-functional teams to align on client objectives, ensure best practices for space allocation and/or shelf placement, and deliver presentations and recommendations for assortment and space optimization solutions. - Responsible for gathering customer insights and competitive data to support business objectives. Interprets analytical results, draws conclusions, and delivers clear, concise information across the business. - Create and communicate merchandising presentations on strategies to enhance consumer shopping experience. May also support team members in retailer facing meetings to ensure objectives are met and notes are taken away or adjusted. - Key business partner and advisor for merchandising organization on all matters related to space planning/analytics and planogram/floorplans. - Manages and maintains spatial information workflows and analytics and makes recommendations for optimizing processes. - May lead or support a team, delegating workload and ensuring consistent project completion.

Supervisory Responsibilities Direct Reports - This position does not have supervisory responsibilities for direct reports Indirect Reports - This position may have guidance or mentoring responsibilities for indirect reports.

Travel and/or Driving Requirements - Travel and Driving are not essential duties or functions of this job.

Minimum Qualifications The following are the minimum job-related qualifications which an individual needs in order to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the job Education Level: (Required): Bacehlors Degree or equivalent job-related experience Field of Study/Area of Experience: 6-8 years of experience with Planograms or Floorplans Experience with analysis in a professional setting Experience in merchandising is a plus.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities Possesses a strong understanding of space planning processes Collaborates effectively across departments and customer teams Thrives in deadline-driven environments Highly organized, reliable, and skilled in drawing insights to influence decisions and drive results Excellent communication abilities Microsoft Office experience : Proficient in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Environmental & Physical Requirements Office / Sedentary Requirements Incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of the job. Work is performed primarily in an office environment. Typically requires the ability to sit for extended periods of time (66%+ each day), ability to hear the telephone, ability to enter data on a computer and may also require the ability to lift up to 10 pounds.

Additional Information RegardingThe Company Job Duties and Job Descriptions Job duties include additional responsibilities as assigned by one’s supervisor or other manager related to the position/department. This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.The Companyreserves the right at any time with or without notice to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job position or assign additional job responsibilities, subject to applicable law.The Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable a qualified applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.

Important Information

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of associates so classified.

The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment practices without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental disability, or any other category protected by law. As part of this commitment, the Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable an applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by law.