Marks and Spencer
Head of Technical Standards and Specification
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As Technical Specification & Standards Manager
You will lead the development, governance and continuous improvement of building, engineering and equipment specifications across the retail estate. Acting as the technical authority, you will ensure all store development activity delivers consistent brand standards, safe and compliant environments, and cost effective, future proofed solutions aligned to sustainability ambitions.
This is a key leadership role, managing a team of specialist managers and working cross functionally to shape specification strategy across new stores, renewals, refurbishments and store environment.
Support centre mobility role with travel to Waterside and across the estate as required.
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What You’ll Do
Your key accountabilities will include:
- Lead the development and governance of building, mechanical, electrical, refrigeration and equipment specifications across the estate
- Set standards and compliance frameworks covering materials, finishes, HVAC, power, data, fire safety, accessibility and life safety
- Own and evolve specification strategies to ensure alignment with brand, cost, operational performance and sustainability goals
- Drive innovation and continuous improvement through the adoption of new technologies, including energy, carbon reduction and refrigeration solutions
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure consistent delivery, quality control and effective rollout across all store formats
What You Will Be
Your skills and experience will include:
- Provide leadership to a team of specialist technical managers across engineering and equipment disciplines
- Act as the central technical interface across Design, Construction, Procurement, Facilities Management and Sustainability teams
- Oversee supplier engagement, ensuring high quality, cost effective and scalable manufacturing and installation solutions
- Use operational data and performance insight to drive continuous improvement in asset performance and efficiency
- Ensure all specifications support long term resilience, compliance and Plan A sustainability outcomes
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What You Will Bring
- Proven experience in building and technical specifications within retail or large scale estates
- Strong understanding of fire, health and safety regulations and compliance requirements
- Engineering qualification or equivalent industry experience within mechanical, electrical or refrigeration disciplines
- Knowledge of energy and carbon reduction technologies and strategies
- Strong communication, influencing and organisational skills with the ability to lead cross functional collaboration
What’s in it for you?
Working at M&S means being part of something bigger - helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We’re inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing.
Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:
- 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you’ve completed your probation
- Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more
- Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours
- Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future
- Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one
- Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal
- Market-leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave
- 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services
- One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you
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Everyone’s welcome
We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.
We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.
If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.
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