Contract type: Fixed Term Contract (12 months)
Location: Hatfield (Hybrid working – 3 days in the office)
Working hours per week: 40 hours – Full-time
Level: Manager
Application Closing Date: Wednesday 25th February
About Us
Our mission is to deliver joy in every shop, through unbeatable choice, unrivalled service, and reassuringly good value.
We're Ocado Retail, a market-leading joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S, and the world's largest dedicated online supermarket, Not only is the only place to shop a full range of M&S food online, it's also the home to the widest online supermarket range in the UK and champion of small, independent brands. We're also the brains behind Zoom by Ocado, our same-day grocery delivery service.
About The Team And The Role
We're looking for a highly motivated, curious and collaborative individual to join our Commercial Strategy team as a Commercial Strategy Manager. This role sits within the broader Commercial Development function, operating alongside the Commercial Partnerships team.
In this role, you'll be instrumental in helping to shape the future of Ocado Retail by setting the strategic direction of the Commercial organisation in championing choice for our customers. You'll be a key player in scoping, coordinating, and collaborating cross-functionally with wider business teams to drive high-impact strategic projects. This requires leading the analytical work bottom-up to ensure successful delivery, coordinating across different teams and influencing senior stakeholders.
What You'll Do
Lead High-Impact Strategic Projects
Scope and lead a portfolio of strategic projects, solving business-critical issues and supporting the development of new commercial propositions
Conduct deep-dive analysis and develop robust business cases to understand the potential impact and size of an opportunity for Ocado Retail.
Lead complex cross-functional projects across Commercial, Customer, Operations, and with partners to bring new initiatives to life.
Write compelling communications and present clear recommendations to influence the decision-making of senior stakeholders
Take project management responsibility for the delivery of projects on time, taking ownership and driving results at a fast pace
Define and track success metrics for strategic initiatives, taking corrective action where necessary to ensure benefit realisation
Identify Insight-Led Opportunities
Continuously monitor the grocery retail landscape, identifying emerging trends and competitor developments to ensure Ocado remains unbeatable on choice.
Translate market insights into actionable project opportunities that can support Ocado's long-term growth opportunities
Share best practices and key learnings with the commercial team to foster a continuous culture of strategic thinking
Provide Ad-Hoc Strategic Support
Act as a go-to resource for the Commercial team, providing quick, data-driven insights, problem-solving support, and project management for ad-hoc business challenges
Act as a key thought partner to senior leaders within the Commercial organisation, sharing insights and perspectives on Ocado and the wider consumer market
Who You Are
Strategic thinking & problem-solving: A proven ability to break down complex, ambiguous problems into manageable parts, develop actionable workplans, and generate clear, concise recommendations
Commercial acumen: A strong understanding of revenue and margin drivers within a consumer business
Analytical excellence: Strong quantitative and analytical skills, with proficiency in Excel and data reporting/BI tools (e.g., Tableau) and experience developing clear analytical briefs
Advanced Storytelling & Synthesis: Able to distil large amounts of data into a single, compelling narrative for executive-level audiences
Communication and influence: Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills with the ability to communicate effectively with senior executives and flex styles for a range of audiences
Project ownership & delivery: Proven experience leading or delivering projects from ideation to implementation and a track record of taking ownership and delivering results
Experience: A minimum of 4+ years of experience in a strategy consultancy, in-house strategic role within a fast-paced retail or e-commerce business, or broader commercial role with a strategy edge
What's In It For You
By joining Ocado Retail, you'll have the chance to experience life at the world's largest online retailer, work with an amazing bunch of people who challenge what's possible each day, and grow your skills and career in online retail.
If that's not enough to tempt you, you'll also get access to loads of great benefits to sweeten the deal. Here's a taste of what we offer:
Health & Wellbeing: Private medical insurance with option to add your family, Digital GP appointments, market-leading family policies, mental health support, discounted gym memberships, dental insurance, and more.
Spend & Save: Annual bonus scheme split between personal and business objectives, recognition with reward platform, up to 7% matched pension contributions, 15% Ocado discount, 20% M&S discount, free breakfast every day in the office, electric vehicle leasing scheme, and free shuttle bus from Hatfield station to the office.
Never miss the moments that matter: Hybrid working, 26 days holiday plus 8 flexible bank holidays, options to buy extra holiday, 2 weeks work from anywhere, and lifestyle break opportunities.
Our Hiring Process
Lucky for us, we receive a high volume of applications and genuinely appreciate the time and effort invested by every candidate. To ensure a fair and thorough process, every application is reviewed by a member of our team. If your skills and experience are a strong match, a Talent Partner will contact you to discuss the role and guide you through the next steps of our hiring process.
Your Application and AI
In the spirit of innovation, we welcome you to use AI tools in your application, just as we use them in our own business at Ocado Retail. However, as you leverage this technology, please don't lose sight of the most important element: your unique self. Your experiences, passions, and personality are what truly set you apart. Ensure that your application still authentically conveys who you are and why you're a great fit for us.
Everyone's welcome
We're an equal opportunities employer, which means that we make sure all potential colleagues are treated fairly and equally. We want to ensure everyone has a fair chance to apply; if you need this job description in an alternative format (e.g., larger print, different document type, etc.), please reach out to us at and we'll be happy to assist you, and if you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know on the application form.