Retail

Store Planner job description

A Store Planner optimizes retail floor layouts, inventory capacity, and visual merchandising to maximize sales performance and enhance the customer experience.

Published May 13, 2026Updated May 17, 20267663 likes

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Job brief

We are seeking a detail-oriented Store Planner to join our retail operations team and spearhead our next phase of in-store optimization. You will take ownership of our space planning strategy, translating high-level commercial targets into practical, high-conversion store layouts that resonate with our target demographic. If you have a passion for retail architecture, data analysis, and creating seamless shopping journeys, we want to hear from you. Join us to influence how millions of customers interact with our products and help drive sustained growth across our entire physical footprint.

Key highlights

Design and maintain detailed floor plans and category-level schematics using industry-standard space planning software to ensure optimal product density.
Analyze historical sales data, inventory turnover rates, and market research to adjust space allocation for high-performing product categories.
Collaborate with merchandising and procurement teams to plan seasonal store refreshes and ensure new product launches are effectively merchandised.
Develop and distribute comprehensive planograms to store managers, providing clear instructions for execution and maintaining consistency across all locations.

What is a Store Planner?

A Store Planner is a strategic retail specialist focused on maximizing revenue per square foot through data-driven space allocation and floor plan optimization. By utilizing CAD software and retail analytics, a Store Planner designs efficient store layouts that guide customer traffic flow and highlight high-margin product categories. Their work bridges the gap between commercial strategy and operational execution, ensuring that merchandising plans translate into visually compelling and shopper-friendly environments.

What does a Store Planner do?

On a typical day, a Store Planner develops detailed planograms and store schematics using software like JDA Space Planning or AutoCAD to align with current inventory levels and marketing campaigns. They analyze retail performance metrics—such as sell-through rates and density reports—to refine product placement and shelf capacity across various store formats. They collaborate closely with category managers and visual merchandising teams to launch new seasonal collections and ensure all physical retail sites maintain brand standards for accessibility and aesthetic appeal.

Key responsibilities

Design and maintain detailed floor plans and category-level schematics using industry-standard space planning software to ensure optimal product density.
Analyze historical sales data, inventory turnover rates, and market research to adjust space allocation for high-performing product categories.
Collaborate with merchandising and procurement teams to plan seasonal store refreshes and ensure new product launches are effectively merchandised.
Develop and distribute comprehensive planograms to store managers, providing clear instructions for execution and maintaining consistency across all locations.
Conduct virtual or on-site store audits to evaluate the effectiveness of current layouts and gather feedback on operational bottlenecks or customer flow.
Partner with the visual merchandising department to integrate marketing signage, promotional displays, and point-of-purchase collateral into the store layout.
Monitor inventory health metrics and adjust planograms to accommodate stock fluctuations, preventing overstock or out-of-stock scenarios in key sales areas.
Provide regular reports to regional retail directors regarding space utilization efficiency and the impact of layout changes on store-level revenue.

Requirements and skills

3+ years of professional experience in retail space planning, store operations, or retail merchandising management.
Advanced proficiency in space planning software such as JDA (Blue Yonder) Space Planning, Spaceman, or AutoCAD for floor plan development.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret large datasets from POS systems to identify trends in product movement and customer behavior.
Bachelor’s degree in Retail Management, Interior Design, Business Administration, or a related field of study.
Deep understanding of retail math, including concepts such as GMROI (Gross Margin Return on Investment) and sales-per-square-foot calculations.
Proven track record of managing cross-functional projects between corporate merchandising teams and field-based store personnel.
Certification in Lean Six Sigma or retail management programs is highly preferred to demonstrate an aptitude for operational efficiency.
Expertise in Microsoft Excel for data modeling, pivot tables, and visualization to communicate space productivity insights to senior stakeholders.

FAQs

What does a Store Planner do on a daily basis?

A Store Planner spends their daily work life analyzing store performance data and creating actionable layout designs. They spend significant time in specialized software like JDA or AutoCAD to build or update planograms that reflect changing inventory needs and seasonal promotional cycles. Furthermore, they communicate constantly with store management and merchandising teams to ensure that the physical implementation of these plans results in a frictionless customer shopping experience.

What skills are required to become a successful Store Planner?

A successful Store Planner must balance technical software proficiency with strong analytical and communication skills. Mastery of space planning platforms is essential, as is a deep understanding of retail mathematics, such as calculating density and GMROI. Additionally, these professionals need to be highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of translating complex merchandising data into clear, visual instructions that frontline retail staff can implement correctly.

Who does a Store Planner work with within a retail organization?

A Store Planner functions as a central hub between several key departments, primarily collaborating with merchandising, buying, and visual display teams. They also work closely with regional retail directors and individual store managers to provide guidance on floor execution. This cross-functional interaction ensures that the store layout is not just visually appealing, but also operationally sound and aligned with the company’s broader financial and inventory goals.

Why is the role of a Store Planner important for retail sales?

The Store Planner is critical because they directly control how a customer interacts with a product, which is the primary driver of impulse purchasing and brand loyalty. By optimizing the path the customer takes and ensuring the right amount of inventory is displayed in the right spot, a Store Planner can significantly increase sales-per-square-foot. Their ability to refine store efficiency and presentation effectively turns the physical retail space into a high-performing sales tool.