Vacancy NameTrading Manager - Meals & Deli Vacancy NoVN1119 Job TypePermanent LocationHatfield Job Details
Trading Manager - Meals and Deli
Contract type:Permanent
Location:Hatfield (Hybrid working - 3 days in the office)
Working hours per week:40 hours - Full Time
Level:Lead
Application Closing Date: Friday 31st October
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 Ocado.com 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, our same-day grocery delivery service.
About the team and the role
This role will lead the Buying team for our meals and deli ranges. These categories are M&S heartland areas and big overtrade areas for Ocado. You will be managing the foodie centre and innovation hub within the Ocado chilled business.
We are looking for a leader with a passion for food and an eye for the next big trends. The Meals & Deli portfolio is dynamic, encompassing the quality and innovation of M&S, the value of Ocado Brand, the strength of national brands, and the excitement of challenger brands. A key aspect of this role is nurturing these diverse supplier relationships to ensure a continuous stream of new, exciting, and market-leading products. It is also important to balance not just innovation, but profitability, making sure the huge growth in meals, including Meal Deals, and deli, is sustainable and delivers for our P&L, as well as our customers.
You will lead a team of five (two direct reports, three indirect reports) who are focused on achieving profitable growth and fostering strong supplier partnerships. As Trading Manager, you will be responsible for developing and executing the category strategy and unlocking significant commercial benefits from our continued growth.
You will report directly to the Head of Category for Chilled & Frozen & be an integral part of the Fresh, Chilled & Frozen Leadership team.
What you’ll do
1. Lead the Strategy & P&L: Develop a strong category strategy and take full responsibility for the department's P&L - driving sales, profitability, and market share. Own meal deals and drive strategic growth in this space.
2. Innovate: Stay ahead of the market on innovation, launching on trend & successful products first to market in Ocado.
3. Coach and Lead Your Team: Act as a great people leader, setting the pace and direction for your team of five. 2 direct reports, 3 indirect reports.
4. Be Commercially Savvy: Leverage the rich data available at Ocado to identify untapped growth and profit opportunities. Think wider than just your categories, operating as part of the fresh leadership team.
5. Stakeholder Management: Work as a brilliant internal and external ambassador. You will build high-impact relationships with key suppliers and collaborate closely with internal teams and our two shareholders (M&S and Ocado Group) to mobilise and deliver your strategic plans.
Who you are
6. Retail buying & leadership experience: Required retail buying experience with proven capability in people leadership
7. A true passion for food: You must have a genuine passion for food and care deeply about keeping up-to-date with the latest culinary and consumer trends
8. Proven people leader: A track record of success through others, demonstrating how you lead with high levels of emotional and strategic intelligence.
9. Exceptional Influencer: A strong negotiator with excellent supplier management skills who can quickly build a robust network and strong relationships.
10. Proactive: You must be a self-starter, able to deal with ambiguity, and show positive resilience to changing priorities to achieve a long-term goal.
11. Strategic: We are looking for someone who has proven experience in building and landing a category strategy, leading to profitable market share growth
12. Data-Driven: Proficient in data analysis and excited by the potential of AI, while knowing how to balance data insights with judgment to make decisions.
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 opportunity employer. That means that we make sure all potential colleagues are treated fairly and equally. If you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know on the application form.