Senior Retail Space Planner - Customer Proposition Wholesale (Newtownabbey, United Kingdom) @ Henderson Group

Senior Retail Space Planner - Customer Proposition (Wholesale) Attractive Salary, Benefits & Bonus 36.5 Hour week (Hybrid) (Flexible working arrangements considered) Newtownabbey Who are we? Henderson Group is proud to be Northern Ireland’s leading foodservice provider and one of the region’s largest employers. Our group encompasses Henderson Wholesale, Henderson Retail, Henderson Foodservice and Henderson Group Property who work together to serve customers and communities across Northern Ireland, supported by more than 6,000 colleagues.

We're a family-owned team that cares about our people and the community in which we live. Our commitment to creating a positive place to work is reflected in our Investors in People accreditation. For those joining Henderson Group, this means being part of an organisation that values your contribution, supports your development and encourages you to build your skills, share ideas and grow your career.

A look into the role Our Customer Proposition team which consists of Format Development, Commercial Development along with Space Planning and Category Development playing a key role in shaping our store offering to meet the needs of our customers. As a result of growth, we are now recruiting for a Senior Retail Space Planner. Our retail Space Planning Team support our long-term vision and execution for category growth strategies. The main objective is to execute Range Reviews that tie in with Category Plans which are designed to ensure our stores carry the optimum range to meet consumer demand and maximise sales, profit and efficiencies.

• As a Senior Retail Space Planner, you will carry out the following duties: Develop and maintain micro layout principles across formats, defining customer flows, product Develop and maintain store layout principles across HRL formats, defining customer flows, product adjacencies and cross-merchandising opportunities to enhance the shopping experience Support category and space strategy development, identifying emerging trends, growth opportunities and potential for new and existing categories.
• Use sales data and shopper and supplier insights to optimise product ranges, shelf positioning and space allocation across store formats.
• Work with Trading Managers and the Food Development team to agree category strategies and drive improvements in sales, profitability and efficiency.
• Manage the Range Review process across Ambient, Frozen and Fresh categories, ensuring timely delivery, clear communication and stakeholder buy-in.
• Evaluate range review performance, measuring improvements in sales, profitability and efficiency and taking corrective action where needed.
• Optimise store layouts and bay counts using category performance data to support new stores, refits and existing store improvements.
• Develop category planograms with Trading to support the profitable rollout of ASR across HRL and HWL stores.
• Identify process improvements and better use of technology to enhance efficiency and data accuracy throughout the range review process.
• Lead, coach and develop the team, ensuring effective category plans land to maximise store space, meet customer demand and drive sales.
• Provide the team with clear direction, support and development opportunities through regular feedback and performance reviews.
• Manage team resources and workloads effectively, ensuring priorities are delivered.
• Skills for Success Joining us as Senior Retail Space Planner , the minimum criteria you’ll need is: Significant experience in the FMCG sector Solid working knowledge of Category Management, space planning, or similar retail/commercial environments Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, with particular expertise in Excel, including data analysis, reporting, and presenting insights in a clear and actionable format.
• Full Clean UK/EU Driving License with access to your own vehicle for travel purposes The Attributes you’ll need include: Strong analytical mindset with the ability to use initiative, solve problems, and make data-driven decisions.
• Creative flair and meticulous attention to detail, ensuring high-quality output in all tasks.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of engaging confidently and effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Commercially minded and results-oriented, with a focus on achieving measurable business outcomes.
• Proactive in challenging existing processes and proposing innovative solutions to drive efficiency and growth.
• It is Desirable if you have: Third Level Qualification in Business or a relevant subject Proficiency with QlikView or comparable tools for conducting rigorous data-driven analyses.
• Solid understanding of the NI convenience retail market Previous experience within food retail or wholesale environments Consumer insights experience Expertise in critical path planning to manage complex projects and ensure timely delivery.
• Hands on experience in Category Management Experience in space planning, optimising product placement to maximise sales and customer engagement.

Are we right for you?

As part of this role, it will be important that you feel aligned with the values that we live and work by. Ambition – We always strive to be better. We seek new challenges and look for ways to do things better. Customer First – We provide exceptional service. We put customers at the heart of everything and support our communities. Teamwork – We succeed together. We help colleagues to succeed, and we share our knowledge and skills. Integrity – We are fair, honest and ethical. We treat everyone with dignity and respect. We are inclusive and champion diversity.

The Reward The impact you can make with Henderson Group goes far beyond your day to day. You will be part of a business supporting defibrillator installations and school sports days. You will have the balance necessary to enjoy your job and your life. We will help you to feel proud of what you do and achieve. And we will be here to celebrate your success. Our business has been recognised externally for delivering excellence in employment. We value employee development and heavily invest in our people. Benefits include market competitive salary, contributory pension scheme, bonus, healthcare, life assurance, employee assistance programme, social club, Reward Gateway Employee Recognition & Discount Scheme throughout UK/Ireland, staff discount (grocery/fuel) at SPAR/EUROSPAR Henderson Group company-owned stores and many more.

This is a full-time position working 36.5 hours per week. Working hours will be 8:45am-4:45pm Monday to Thursday and 8:45am-3:45pm Friday. We are open to considering alternative working arrangements, including flexibility around working hours and working patterns, where these can be accommodated within business requirements. Hybrid working arrangement available. If you'd like to speak with us before making your application, our Talent Acquisition Specialist - Joanne McClelland would be happy to have a confidential chat with you about the role on offer - email [email protected] to get in touch. This position will require travel across NI & GB as and when needed. Completed applications must be submitted online by midnight on Thursday 26th November 2026 We are an equal opportunities employer.