Contract type: Permanent
Location: Hatfield (Hybrid working – 3 days in the office)
Working hours per week: 40 hours
Level: Senior Associate
Application Closing Date: Friday 6th March 2026
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
The Operations Excellence team works closely with Ocado Logistics to deliver on operational elements key to our business strategy. We strive for continuous improvements and market-leading KPI delivery to drive customer experience and business profitability.
As an Operations Excellence Senior Associate you will play a pivotal role in delivering key operational projects and continuous improvement. You will be given direct ownership of an operational business area and will work closely with Ocado Logistics to manage day-to-day performance as well as driving forward strategic change projects. Example areas include warehouse fulfilment and processes, planning and last mile or even a key P&L line item that needs focus.
On a daily basis, you will work closely with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels of seniority across Ocado Retail, as well as Ocado Logistics and Group, influencing at all levels and taking people on the journey to land key objectives. You will work closely with data across a wide range of metrics, connecting the dots and communicating a clear and simple story or business case from at times complex and varied inputs. The ideal candidate is proactive and able to work semi-independently, constantly pushing for improvements.
Ocado Retail is at the forefront of online grocery operations and moves at pace. This is a great role for someone who is interested in online grocery, strategic operations and raising the bar on metrics that are already industry-leading.
What You'll Do
Lead operational improvements by serving as the go-to expert for a specific area, ensuring the successful delivery of tactical activities and larger strategic projects
Structure, own, and deliver priority operations excellence projects against agreed critical success factors and timelines. This often will consist of owning multiple projects running simultaneously and articulating complex problems in a simple, clear story
Build and maintain working relationships across teams within Ocado Retail and Ocado Group, effectively communicating project progress and presenting clear updates to stakeholders at all levels
Work closely with data to produce clear, actionable insights to enable decisions. Part of this includes supporting the development and roll out of analytics dashboards to track key operational KPIs. There is a requirement to leverage strong analytical skills to solve problems through data
Operate with a high degree of independence in a fast-paced environment, proactively anticipating opportunities to improve operational performance and profitability, whilst reacting effectively to unforeseen risks or issues
Who You Are
Experience in management consulting, operational, project or strategy-based roles
Experience working with and leading projects across multiple teams and stakeholders with a strong track record of successful delivery
Experience managing project comms, including producing regular project updates and presenting to senior stakeholders
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and make informed decisions
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels
Exceptional organisational skills for effective planning and prioritisation
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, with a degree of independence
Willingness to learn and drive continuous improvement
High level proficiency in MS Office and G-Suite
Experience using project management governance and tools
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.