At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive growth by managing supplier relationships and ensuring operational capacity.
- Company: Join Ocado Retail, the world's largest online supermarket with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy private medical insurance, annual bonuses, discounts, and hybrid working options.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a high-stakes role with significant responsibility.
- Qualifications: Experience in procurement, vendor management, and strong analytical skills required.
- Other info: Be part of an innovative team that values your unique self and ideas.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
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: 1st Feb 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.
About the team and the role
We’re looking for a highly organised and results-driven Commercial Infrastructure Manager to play a vital role in driving the next stage of growth for our business. In this critical role, your primary responsibility will be to ensure we have the operational capacity needed to meet our business goals. You'll work closely with key suppliers and internal stakeholders to manage capacity forecasts, secure necessary resources, and monitor performance against our contractual agreements. This is a high-impact, high-stakes role with direct accountability for a significant portion of our operational expenditure. You will be directly responsible for managing relationships and performance tied to an annual spend of over £200 million.
What you’ll do
- Capacity Definitions
- Capacity Forecasting: Take ownership of both short-term (3-month) and long-term capacity forecasts. You will be responsible for translating business needs into clear capacity requests for our vendors.
- Supplier Capacity Management: Act as the primary point of contact for key suppliers to secure and confirm the capacity we need. Your top priority is to ensure we achieve our capacity targets.
- Performance Monitoring: Continuously monitor and report on capacity achievement against contractual agreements. You'll be responsible for identifying and addressing issues.
- Relationship Management: Manage relationships with a diverse range of third-party vendors, including key partners like Ocado Group.
- Performance and Productivity: Monitor the performance, productivity, and efficiency of vendor-provided equipment (MHE) and technologies. This includes evaluating the achievement of business case goals for new technology deployed in our warehouses.
- Contract Management: Ensure agreements are in place to secure the capacity guarantees we need. You will also be responsible for monitoring the performance of other critical contracts, including build contracts, infrastructure providers, landlords, billing authorities, and van finance contracts.
- Issue Resolution: Proactively identify and resolve performance issues with vendors to ensure they consistently meet and exceed their contractual obligations.
Who you are
- Proven experience in procurement and performance of vendors
- Strong understanding of capacity planning and forecasting principles
- Ability to analyse performance data and identify trends
- Ability to take that data and embed a commercial strategy
- Experience in contract negotiations, SLA setting and tracking
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and strong relationship management skills
- Highly organised with strong attention to detail
- MCIPS or CIPS qualification
- Experience in the logistics, e-commerce, or technology sector is a plus.
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.
- 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
Commercial Manager - Infrastructure in Hatfield employer: Ocado Retail Ltd
Contact Detail:
Ocado Retail Ltd Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Manager - Infrastructure in Hatfield
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and role thoroughly. Know their mission, values, and recent news. This shows you’re genuinely interested and ready to contribute.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your skills align with the job. Keep it concise but impactful – you want to leave a lasting impression.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can set you apart from other candidates and keep you fresh in their minds.
We think you need these skills to ace Commercial Manager - Infrastructure in Hatfield
Some tips for your application 🫡
Be Yourself: When you're writing your application, let your personality shine through! We want to see the real you, so don’t be afraid to share your experiences and passions that make you a great fit for the role.
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your skills align with the Commercial Manager role. Use keywords from the job description to show us you understand what we’re looking for!
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; tell us about your successes! Use specific examples to demonstrate how you've made an impact in previous roles, especially in procurement and vendor management.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands and helps us keep track of all the amazing candidates like you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ocado Retail Ltd
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Commercial Manager, you'll be dealing with significant figures, so brush up on your financial acumen. Be prepared to discuss how you've managed budgets or forecasts in the past, and have specific examples ready that showcase your ability to handle large operational expenditures.
✨Master Vendor Relationships
Since this role involves managing relationships with key suppliers, think about your past experiences in vendor management. Prepare to share how you've successfully navigated challenges with suppliers and what strategies you used to maintain strong partnerships.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
You'll need to analyse performance data and identify trends, so be ready to demonstrate your analytical prowess. Bring examples of how you've used data to inform decisions or improve processes in previous roles, especially in capacity planning or procurement.
✨Communicate Clearly
Strong communication is crucial for this position. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. During the interview, focus on how you can convey complex information simply, as this will be key when liaising with both internal stakeholders and external vendors.