Planning Specialist - Shop Design

WHO YOU ARE
We are looking for you who bring experience in Retail Shop Design. We believe you have passion in creating the future IKEA and that you get inspired by working together in an ever-changing multi-dimensional environment. You get energized by driving business growth and by contributing to overall success and results through collaboration. As a person you are motivated by increasing customer value and finding new ways through co-creation with colleagues and other IKEA units and of course you share and live the IKEA culture and values.


We believe you have IKEA retail experience, bringing minimum 5 years’ experience working with home furnishing and retail design solution development. You bring experience in working with Rough layouts and, preferably, as a leader in your competence area (e.g.Store Shop Design/Visual Merchandiser Manager, Service Office Shop Design/ Visual Merchandise leader or specialist, Team Leader for Shop Design/Visual Merchandise). You also are experienced both in Rough and Fine planning, as well as having a good overview of the Showroom/Furniture areas. Moreover we believe you have interpersonal skills and experience working in a multicultural environment.


You have knowledge in:
• Retail Establishment Process
• Home furnishing the IKEA way (living situations, style groups, store communication, furnishing with light)
• strengthening the uniqueness of the IKEA identity in range presentation and throughout the layout
• trends that influence home furnishing, retail design and communication to gain insight to for customers in our retail environment
• customers' living situations in different areas around the world as well as their needs in everyday life at home
• customer shopping and buying behaviour in a multichannel retail landscape
• methods for optimisation of commercial square meters, methods for presenting the range using store media and store layout as commercial tool
• how to steer the customer to relevant products or services
• IKEA concept, brand objectives, values and vision
• The work method for presenting the IKEA range


In the role as Planning Specialist you need the ability to design retail spaces and retail solutions using new methods, digital systems and processes to improve performance. You have a creative mind-set with ability to encourage creative ideas and new value-adding perspectives. Moreover you understand the customer needs and you challenge common ways of working. You are a successful communicator and you can present clearly within your specific area of expertise using IKEA tone of voice.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
We are recruiting for several Planning Specialist positions. We are looking for a mix of Planning Specialists, bringing knowledge and experience from different competence areas. We are looking for you who bring experience in Retail Shop Design.


In this role you are responsible to plan retail spaces and retail solutions for new Customer Meeting Points (CMPs) and major rebuilds based on our most recent home furnishing and merchandising solutions. You will secure planning of CMPs that present the range in a vital, inspiring way fitting the needs of the many and that enable access to the whole range in a multichannel retail world of IKEA.


You will:
• create detailed planning of new CMPs and major rebuilds
• contribute to designing retail spaces and solutions to become visually attractive and drive sales, based on the customer journeys of the new CMP and based on market input and local needs
• contribute to creating inspiring presentation solutions that reflect a wide variety of styles and price levels and life at home activities with seasonal relevance connected to the commercial activities
• provide design solutions that are documented and ready for implementation by market organisations
• support the commercial team by providing information of planned range and products for all design solutions
• provide information of all merchandise equipment and other support elements for turn-key implementation
• ensure efficient CMPs that present the range in a vital, inspiring way fitting the needs of the many and that enable access to the whole range in a multichannel retail world of IKEA
• create solutions that are adapted to efficient daily operation of the CMPs
• be at the forefront of new solutions and new technology in order to optimise customer experience and efficiency of CMPs
• support the market implementation, in order to learn for new projects and share knowledge
• work across functions within Ingka Group and collaborate with other IKEA units
• drive an open and sharing climate, being a role model of the IKEA values
• be adaptable and a self-starter while working in a fast-paced environment


This role is based in Malmö and will report to the Planning Team Leader.
ABOUT THIS WORK AREA
With the customer at the heart of everything we do, Group Expansion takes responsibility for strategic expansion planning enabling penetration of existing and new markets. We take the lead for business development of existing and new customer meeting points. We act on business needs and empower the markets to maximise accessibility, implement our retailing concepts and fully utilise our assets in the new world of IKEA – all at lowest cost, with economy of scale and sustained profitability.