Sr. Manager of Space Strategy & Format

Req ID: 471377* This is an onsite role located in Oklahoma CityBenefits: * Fuel Your Growth with Love's - company funded tuition assistance * Paid Time Off * 401(k) - 100% Match up to 5% * Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance after 30 days * Competitive Pay Career DevelopmentWelcome to Love's: The Senior Manager, Space Strategy & Format plays a key leadership role in shaping the in-store customer experience across all store types in the enterprise. This position is responsible for developing and executing space optimization strategies, store format innovations, and merchandise placement standards that maximize sales, profitability, and customer satisfaction.Job Functions:Lead the development and execution of space planning strategies that align with company financial, and customer experience goals and balance the needs across the Merchandising, Fresh Kitchen, and Other Income departmentsAnalyze category performance, traffic flow, and market trends to optimize product adjacencies, space allocation, and planogram effectivenessPartner with Analytics and Data Science teams to develop solutions and measure the impact of space decisions on sales, margin, and customer experienceDrive the evolution of store formats to support our evolving customer needs, including new prototypes and remodelsEstablish best practices and benchmarks for space planning activities across departments and store typesCollaborate with Real Estate, Construction, and Design teams to ensure store layouts balance operational efficiency with financial goalsProvide thoughtful leadership and insights to senior leadership on space utilization, customer behavior, and industry trendsSynthesize findings and recommendations into clear, compelling presentations for executives and cross-functional partnersOversee the operation and strategic use of the Innovation Center, including its model store and collaborative meeting facilitiesDirect the operations of the model store as a test lab to evaluate planograms, floorplans, new fixtures, and customer flow patterns in real-world conditionsPartner with vendors and category managers to co-develop merchandising solutions and assess their performance before chain-wide rolloutLead, coach, and develop a team of Space Planners and Floor Planners to establish best practices and benchmarks that ensure accurate, scalable, and high-quality execution of merchandising strategiesManage relationships with technology vendors that support space planning and store design toolsOwn and manage the technology budget for space planning, ensuring efficient investment in systems, tools, and Innovation Center capabilitiesBuild team capability in space planning tools, process efficiency, and data-driven decision-makingFoster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability within the teamExperience and Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or related fieldMaster's degree in relevant field preferred but not required8+ years of experience in retail space planning, merchandising strategy, or store development4+ years of leadership/management experience with demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teamsStrong analytical and strategic thinking skills with ability to translate insights into actionable strategiesAbility to balance long-term innovation with near-term execution prioritiesSkills and Physical Demands:* Hard Skills: Proficient with Microsoft Office products and space planning software (e.g., JDA/Blue Yonder, Apollo, or similar), knowledge of retail operations, merchandising, store design best practices, and survey platforms (Medallia & Qualtrics)* Soft Skills: Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, exhitbit a customer-first attitude, detail-oriented, self-motivated, good time management and planning skillOur Culture:Fueling customers' journeys since 1964, innovation leads the way for this family-owned and operated business headquartered in Oklahoma City. With nearly 40,000 team members, travel stops are the core business along with products and services that provide value for professional drivers, fleets, traveling public, RVers, alternative energy and wholesale fuel customers. Giving back to communities and an inclusive workplace are hallmarks of the award-winning culture.Love's is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Veterans encouraged to apply.Job Category: CorporateNearest Major Market: Oklahoma CityNearest Secondary Market: OklahomaJob Segment: Real Estate, Marketing Manager, Merchandising, Retail Design, Testing, Sales, Marketing, Retail, Technology