Vacancy NameNetwork Strategy & Delivery Associate Vacancy NoVN1190 Job TypePermanent LocationHatfield Job Details
Network Strategy & Delivery Associate
Contract type:Permanent
Location:Hatfield (Hybrid working - 3 days in the office)
Working hours per week:40 hours
Level:Associate
Application Closing Date:Monday 12th January 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 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
The Network Development team is responsible for defining the long-term physical network strategy and ensuring we have the right capacity to meet the business’ aggressive growth plans. This is a high-impact, fast-paced position focused on turning strategic objectives into tangible, cross-functional projects.
We are looking for a highly capable project lead and analytical doer to take ownership of key capacity and infrastructure initiatives. You will lead investigative work, synthesise complex information from across the business (Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, Technology), and drive the necessary decisions and execution. If you have a strong background in supply chain, logistics, or operational development and thrive on solving large, unstructured problems, this is the role for you.
What you’ll do
1. Project Ownership & Delivery
1. Lead Investigative Work: Act as the primary owner for strategic initiatives, conducting analysis, interviewing key stakeholders across Supply Chain, Operations, and Tech, and synthesising information to formulate clear, evidence-based recommendations.
2. End-to-End Project Management: Take full ownership of key projects from initial scope definition and stakeholder alignment through to final sign-off and mobilisation. This includes setting timelines, managing risks, and ensuring project momentum.
3. Solution Design & Implementation: Bring structure to ambiguous problems. Translate high-level strategic goals into actionable steps and functional requirements, providing the necessary detail for operational teams to implement.
4. Idea Generation: Proactively identify opportunities for network optimisation and efficiency, bringing forward and championing new ideas or process improvements to the team.
2. Strategy, Analysis & Process Formalisation
A. Network Planning Process & Ways of Working
5. Process Formalisation & Ownership: Work closely with the Network Planning team to formalise and implement a reliable, repeatable cycle for refreshing the 10-year network strategy. This includes defining the roles, setting clear deliverables, and establishing the annual planning calendar.
6. Workflow Shift: Help shift the team's capacity work from reactive requests to a predictable, scheduled workflow, ensuring all stakeholders understand their responsibilities within the capacity planning cycle.
7. Stakeholder Coordination: Optimise cross-functional engagement by creating clear meeting cadences and defining joint Operational KPIs to ensure strategic alignment and data visibility, particularly between Network Development and Logistics teams.
B. Analytical Support & Strategic Packaging
8. Strategic Analysis Support: Provide direct analytical support to the team by investigating strategic options, analysing data gaps, and developing supporting models that inform the core assumptions of the 10-year plan.
9. Proposal & Presentation Development: Take the lead on compiling, structuring, and packaging the network plan and key capacity proposals into clear, compelling presentations. This includes translating complex analysis into high-level proposals suitable for senior management review and sign-off.
10. Sign-Off Management: Coordinate the internal review process to secure formal approval for the network plan and other major capital investments, managing feedback and iteration cycles.
Who you are
11. Investigative & Analytical Mindset: Exceptional ability to quickly digest complex data, understand technical constraints, and extract necessary information from diverse stakeholders.
12. Supply Chain / Logistics Experience: Proven background in Supply Chain, Operational Development, Programme Management, or Consultancy, with exposure to complex networks, warehousing, or fulfilment.
13. Project Leadership: Demonstrable ability to take full ownership of projects, driving them from an ambiguous concept to a defined, executable solution, often without direct line management authority.
14. Bias for Action: A self-starter who excels at doing the work—from building financial models and drafting proposals to chasing key stakeholders and escalating blockers.
15. (Desirable) Familiarity with network modelling, long-range capacity planning, and/or capital expenditure (CAPEX) approval processes.
16. (Desirable) Experience working with or influencing internal Technology/Engineering teams.
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