Sr. Manager of Space Strategy & Format

Sr. Manager of Space Strategy & Format

Location: Oklahoma City, OK, US, 73137

Career Development

Welcome 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 departments
• Analyze category performance, traffic flow, and market trends to optimize product adjacencies, space allocation, and planogram effectiveness
• Partner with Analytics and Data Science teams to develop solutions and measure the impact of space decisions on sales, margin, and customer experience
• Drive the evolution of store formats to support our evolving customer needs, including new prototypes and remodels
• Establish best practices and benchmarks for space planning activities across departments and store types
• Collaborate with Real Estate, Construction, and Design teams to ensure store layouts balance operational efficiency with financial goals
• Provide thoughtful leadership and insights to senior leadership on space utilization, customer behavior, and industry trends
• Synthesize findings and recommendations into clear, compelling presentations for executives and cross-functional partners
• Oversee the operation and strategic use of the Innovation Center, including its model store and collaborative meeting facilities
• Direct the operations of the model store as a test lab to evaluate planograms, floorplans, new fixtures, and customer flow patterns in real-world conditions
• Partner with vendors and category managers to co-develop merchandising solutions and assess their performance before chain-wide rollout
• Lead, 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 strategies
• Manage relationships with technology vendors that support space planning and store design tools
• Own and manage the technology budget for space planning, ensuring efficient investment in systems, tools, and Innovation Center capabilities
• Build team capability in space planning tools, process efficiency, and data-driven decision-making
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability within the team

Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or related field
• Master's degree in relevant field preferred but not required
• 8+ years of experience in retail space planning, merchandising strategy, or store development
• 4+ years of leadership/management experience with demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with ability to translate insights into actionable strategies
• Ability to balance long-term innovation with near-term execution priorities

Skills 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, exhibit a customer-first attitude, detail-oriented, self-motivated, good time management and planning skill

Our 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: Corporate