Lead Space Planning Specialist

Category/Area of Expertise: Merchandising Marketing Support
Job Requisition: 458631
Address: USA-MA-Quincy-1385 Hancock Street
Store Code: Assortment Services (5165519)
Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of global food retailer Ahold Delhaize, is part of the U.S. family of brands, which includes five leading omnichannel grocery brands - Food Lion, Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. Our associates support the brands with a wide range of services, including Finance, Legal, Sustainability, Commercial, Digital and E-commerce, Technology and more.
Primary Purpose
The Specialist II - Space Planning is accountable for ensuring the effective execution of micro space (planogram) and macro space (floor plan) strategies at store level, in alignment with AUDSA Brand standards and strategic initiatives. This role focuses on managing and optimizing product assortment, store layout, and space utilization to enhance customer satisfaction and drive sales. This Specialist - Space Planning provides analysis, insights, and leadership that ensures the creation of accurate data-driven implementation of planograms and floor plans, while maintaining the integrity of Brand merchandising standards and meeting ADUSA objectives to ensure the best results for the business, meeting the needs of consumers by providing the right products in the right places at the right time. Maintains indirect day to day supervisor of contractors.
Our flexible/ hybrid work schedule includes 3 in-person days at one of our core locations and 2 remote days.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
Principle Duties and Responsibilities

• Owns the retail merchandising request form
• Ensures third-party contractors execute micro-space and macro-space strategies based on brand standards and business objectives.
• Facilitates the creation and adjustment of micro-space (planogram) and macro-space (floor plan) layouts to ensure optimal product placement and store layouts reflecting prescribed store assortment cluster strategies and customer segmentation.
• Leads Brand and Category Management teams to align micro-space and macro-space execution with prescribed Brand initiatives, Category goals, and market trends.
• Accountable for ensuring all micro-space and macro-space activities comply with established merchandising standards and guidelines (aisle flow, brand-blocking, private brand presentation and shelf holding capacity guidelines), to drive optimal presentation, execution, and sales.
• Provides critical analysis to identify opportunities to execute strategy with space data-driven expert recommendations that shape leadership decisions for improving store layouts, planograms, and product assortments, ensuring that all changes support business objectives.
• Owns tracking and reporting on the progress of micro-space and macro-space timelines, ensuring activity deadlines are met and plans are executed according to schedule (e.g., cycle calendar, capital projects and strategic initiatives).
• Executes category resets, special initiatives, and other merchandising activities, providing analytical support and ensuring all tasks align with business priorities.
• Regularly monitors and assesses micro-space and macro-space compliance at store level to ensure planograms and floor plans are executed as intended and meet brand and customer expectations.
• Develops key research and key insights to identify opportunities to assist and execute strategic approach, to implement agreed upon strategy plans through execution at shelf
• Communicates effectively with internal teams such as Category Management, Retail Operations, Replenishment, Pricing, and the CAO Team to ensure alignment and collaboration in executing micro-space and macro-space strategies.
• Provides dotted-line mentorship and guidance to junior team ADUSA and third-party contractor teams, offering expertise in micro space (planogram) and macro space (floor plan) strategies to help develop their skills and knowledge.
• Shares best practices and process improvements for the creation and execution of planograms and floor plans with all ADUSA Brands, ensuring team members align with organizational standards.
• Indirect supervisor of day-to-day contractors (average of 30-55 contractors)

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent field / corporate retail experience
• 5+ years of relevant progressive experience required in a combination of space planning, category merchandising, vendor/broker, store operations or project management roles
• Demonstrated Project management and financial acumen, with budgeting skillsets
• Experience within space planning concepts, processes, and tools/systems (e.g., Blue Yonder, Auto Cad, Apollo, Spaceman, etc.)
• knowledge of Space Planning interdependencies on other functions within
• Excellent written, and verbal communication skills in creation of content and to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Teams)
• Excellent time management skills; Solid attention to details
• Task identification and prioritization skills based on business-critical needs
• Strong problem solving, decision making, and analytical skills
• Conflict resolution
• Strong leadership ability and able to work independently
• Focused on individual and team development
• Strong sense of urgency, integrity, and objectivity
• Ability to influence without authority and ability to sustain high levels of confidentiality

Preferred Qualifications

• Big-box retail (Store Operations, Category Management) experience
• Extensive experience (5+) in either macro or micro space planning
• Advanced knowledge of space planning concepts, processes, and tools/systems (e.g., Blue Yonder, Auto Cad, Apollo, Spaceman, etc.)
• Knowledge of ADUSA Brand merchandising principles and processes
• Proven system experience with Main Frames such as Sega, Aces, RETEK, etc.

IL/MA/MD/NY Salary Range: $86,320 - $129,480
Actual compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on their unique qualifications and experience, internal equity, and market conditions. Final compensation decisions will be made in accordance with company policies and applicable laws.
#LI-SM1 #LI-Hybrid
At Ahold Delhaize USA, we provide services to one of the largest portfolios of grocery companies in the nation, and we're actively seeking top talent.
Our team shares a common motivation to drive change, take ownership and enable our brands to better care for their customers. We thrive on supporting great local grocery brands and their strategies.
Our associates are the heartbeat of our organization. We are committed to offering a welcoming work environment where all associates can succeed and thrive. Guided by our values of courage, care, teamwork, integrity (and even a little humor), we are dedicated to being a great place to work.
We believe in collaboration, curiosity, and continuous learning in all that we think, create and do. While building a culture where personal and professional growth are just as important as business growth, we invest in our people, empowering them to learn, grow and deliver at all levels of the business.