Love's Travel Stops · 3 months ago
Sr. Manager of Space Strategy & Format
Oklahoma City, OK
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
8+ years expLove's Travel Stops is a family-owned business that has been fueling customers' journeys since 1964, with a focus on innovation and customer service. The Senior Manager of Space Strategy & Format is responsible for developing and executing space optimization strategies and store format innovations to enhance customer experience and maximize sales across various store types.
Retail
Responsibilities
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
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or related field
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
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)
Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills
Exhibit a customer-first attitude
Detail-oriented
Self-motivated
Good time management and planning skill
Preferred
Master's degree in relevant field
Benefits
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 Development
Company
Love's Travel Stops
Founded in 1964 by Tom Love, Love’s Family of Companies is headquartered in Oklahoma City, and remains entirely family-owned and operated.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Love's Travel Stops has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (1)
2024 (3)
2023 (5)
2022 (2)
2021 (5)
2020 (9)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Brianna Hubbard, SHRM-CP
HR Business Partner
Derek Rusinek
Field Employee Relations Partner
Company data provided by crunchbase