Lead Space Planner - Retail Space Optimization and Project Management

Sr Business Partner SPT

Lead Space Planner – L5
Role Overview
As a Lead Space Planner, you will act as the strategic business partner and single point of contact for one or more divisions/categories. You’ll blend domain expertise, data-driven decision-making, and emerging technologies to drive space-optimization strategies that bring Target’s business priorities to life across stores. You’ll mentor teams, manage end to end projects, and champion automation and AI-driven solutions that enhance operational rigor, speed, and accuracy. This is a people-influencing and strategic enablement role required in space planning, project management, stakeholder engagement, and process optimization.

Key Responsibilities
Business Strategy Implementation

• Serve as the single point of contact for your business division/category, building deep contextual knowledge across fixtures, segmentation, presentation guidelines, labeling, and in-store marketing.

• Collaborate closely with Category Managers, Buyers, Visual Merchandising, and Non-Category Managers to understand strategic priorities, seasonal objectives, and guest insights.

• Translate business strategies into executable programs, managing timelines, dependencies, and deliverables through master Timing & Action (T&A) calendars.

• Own end-to-end program management for business initiatives – Transitions, NSR, Special projects within your division — from strategic brief through accurate on time store execution — ensuring strategies come to life

• Lead the simplification, communication, and training of category strategies to ensure effective adoption by project teams.

• Through data analysis to evaluate and recommend optimal adjacencies, space allocations, and product placement.

Operational Excellence

• Lead end-to-end project management for divisional space programs—scope definition, planning, resource allocation, risk mitigation, execution, and closure.

• Maintain high operational discipline using key performance metrics, weekly/monthly dashboards, and project-closure reports.

• Leverage digital tools, automation, and predictive analytics to improve efficiency, reduce errors, and optimize resource planning.

• Utilize AI-assisted planogram generation and machine-learning-based product placement tools to accelerate and refine planning outcomes.

• Collaborate with data engineering teams to integrate real-time store feedback loops

• Conduct post-implementation analysis to capture learnings and influence future strategies.

• Manage proofing, change control, and late change management processes to minimize execution risks.

• Partner with Product and Tech teams to define and validate system enhancements that support next generation planning workflows.

People Leadership & Capability Development

• Mentor and coach a team of analysts and cross-functional partners on strategy translation, project management, and technical tool usage.

• Lead strategy deployment using structured project-management frameworks (Agile/Lean principles) ensuring clear goals, resource alignment, and measurable outcomes.

• Drive knowledge management—maintaining division-specific playbooks, adjacency guides, process documentation, and digital learning assets.

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, inclusion, and collaboration focused on enterprise goals rather than individual outcomes.

• Lead training programs and refreshers for business strategy, CFT engagement, and system/tool advancements.

• Participate in product sprint reviews to test and implement new planning capabilities and digital innovations.
  
  
  Emerging Skills & Technology Competencies

To stay future-ready, you’ll be expected to demonstrate or develop expertise in:

• AI/ML-based planogram optimization for store layouts.

• Predictive analytics for assortment and space forecasting.

Required Qualifications

Education
Bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, Commerce, Fashion, Civil/Architecture or related field.

• Certifications in Project Management preferred.

Experience

• 6–8 years of experience in space planning, retail merchandising, store design, or business operations

• Proven success in managing end-to-end retail programs and influencing cross-functional global teams.

• Strong experience with AutoCAD/Revit, JDA (Blue Yonder) or equivalent space-planning tools, and data-driven decisioning platforms.
  

Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking – connect long-term business goals to store-level execution.

• Analytical Acumen – derive insights from spatial and business data.

• Project Management – plan, execute, and govern complex cross-functional programs.

• Communication – simplify complex strategies for diverse stakeholders.

• Innovation Mindset – embrace automation, digitalization, and experimentation.

• Inclusive Leadership – build collaboration and coach for growth.

Experience Level

Senior Level