At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead exciting projects that enhance partnerships and deliver unbeatable choice to customers.
- Company: Join Ocado Retail, the world's largest online supermarket with a mission to innovate.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, private medical insurance, discounts, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Be part of our AI Academy and enjoy excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic team while developing your skills in a tech-driven industry.
- Qualifications: Experience in project management and strong analytical skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 49500 - 60500 £ per year.
Contract type: Permanent
Location: Hatfield (Hybrid working - 3 days in the office)
Working hours per week: 40 hours
Level: Senior Associate
Reports to: Partnerships Lead
Application Closing Date: Sunday 22nd November
About us
Our mission is to deliver joy in every shop, through unbeatable choice, unrivalled service, and reassuringly good value. We’re also on a mission to empower our business with smart technology; we've recently launched our AI Academy, providing a tailored AI learning journey for every colleague. We’re Ocado Retail, a market-leading joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S, and the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket, ocado.com. Not only is Ocado the only place to shop a full range of M&S food online, but it’s also the home to the widest online supermarket range in the UK and a 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
Strategic Partnerships sits in the broader Partnerships & Commercial Strategy team, within the Commercial Development function. The purpose of Strategic Partnerships is to govern high-value commercial alliances with third parties that bring something new and different to Ocado Retail’s offering, helping us deliver unbeatable choice to customers. The partnerships we support range from M&S to our small challenger brands community (Roots), Buy Women Built, Future of Food and many others. The team's mandate spans onboarding and hyper-caring new partnerships, embedding more established strategic partnerships into the broader buying function, and running our unique communities on an ongoing basis. We are the central point of contact for M&S where we act as the bridge between teams, helping set joint objectives and surfacing opportunities for growth/cost savings. We also govern certain processes (e.g. M&S range maintenance on Ocado) and report against progress and performance.
The role of the Commercial Partnerships Project Manager is to own the end-to-end delivery of distinct projects within Strategic Partnerships, across the full suite of partnerships. Examples include leading the joint sourcing programme within M&S to unlock COGS efficiencies, running commercial reviews of existing partnerships to identify improvements, and establishing new strategic partnerships that further reinforce our choice proposition.
What you’ll do
- Project delivery: scoping the opportunity, defining joint objectives, delivering tasks, and reviewing success
- Governance and facilitation: assembling cross-functional project teams across Ocado and the partner, leading regular meetings with project teams, running steercos with senior leadership, creating standardised documentation and tracking against progress
- Commercial analysis: using various data sources to provide recommendations, support negotiations and identify opportunities within partnerships
- Customer activation: working with our marketing and e-commerce functions to create strong channel execution plans for our partners
- Communication and training: creating and evolving playbooks and toolkits to coordinate, support and educate other teams and ensure consistency of approach
Who you are
What you bring (essential):
- Experience running multi-stakeholder projects end to end, from scoping and planning through to delivery and review
- A background in retail, FMCG, food supply chain, or a buying, sourcing or commercial function
- Strong Excel/Google Sheets skills and experience turning large or messy data sets into clear recommendations
- A working knowledge of AI tools (e.g., Gemini, Claude, Copilot) and experience in using them to speed up analysis, documentation, and repeatable processes
- Clear written and verbal communication, including presenting to executives
Nice to have (desirable)
- Experience in commercial negotiations or tendering
- Familiarity with retail data tools
- Experience building playbooks, toolkits or repeatable processes
- Experience in partnerships, joint ventures or alliance management
How you work:
- Collaborative: comfortable building relationships across a broad range of stakeholders and levels of seniority, including senior contacts at M&S and other partners, and internal buying, customer, finance and legal teams, so that joint projects get delivered.
- Structured: takes a structured approach to new projects and prioritises across a breadth of tasks, so that several projects of different sizes can run in parallel across different partnerships.
- Analytical: naturally data-led and curious, comfortable pulling disparate data into a clear conclusion, so that recommendations are evidence-based and can support negotiations and show where a partnership is under- or over-delivering.
- Commercial: has working knowledge of commercial negotiations and what drives commercial performance, so that projects deliver tangible outcomes such as COGS savings.
- Driven: results-oriented, with a track record of planning, scoping and executing complex, time-critical projects, so that projects are delivered on time and to the agreed outcome.
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. You'll also be part of our AI Academy, a dedicated learning journey designed to empower every colleague with the smart technology skills of the future. 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 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.
Commercial Partnerships Project Manager in Welwyn Garden City employer: Ocado Retail
At Ocado Retail, we pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking employer that champions innovation and employee development. Located in Hatfield, our hybrid working model allows for a balanced work-life experience while you collaborate with a dynamic team dedicated to delivering exceptional service and value. With access to our AI Academy and a comprehensive benefits package, including private medical insurance and generous holiday allowances, we empower our colleagues to thrive both personally and professionally.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Partnerships Project Manager in Welwyn Garden City
✨Tip Number 1: Get Involved in Consulting Case Competitions
Look for case competitions hosted by universities and consulting firms. They’re a fab way to showcase your problem-solving skills and meet industry players. Plus, winning one can seriously boost your CV, which we know is key when applying for roles like Commercial Partnerships Project Manager at Ocado Retail!
✨Tip Number 2: Leverage Alumni Networks
Tap into your university’s alumni network; many consultants love to help out new talent. Reach out to alumni who are working in management consulting, they might have insider knowledge about openings at firms like Ocado Retail or be willing to refer you for that Commercial Partnerships Project Manager position!
✨Tip Number 3: Attend Industry Events and Conferences
Keep an eye on management consulting events, workshops, or panels. These are prime opportunities to network with top professionals and get your name out there. You might even bump into someone from Ocado Retail who’s on the lookout for their next Commercial Partnerships Project Manager star!
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Engage with online platforms that offer consulting simulations or courses. Prove your chops by completing relevant projects — this not only beefs up your experience but also gives you concrete examples to chat about during interviews for that full-time Commercial Partnerships Project Manager role at Ocado Retail!
We think you need these skills to ace Commercial Partnerships Project Manager in Welwyn Garden City
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Problem-Solving Skills:In management consulting, it's all about problem-solving—so make sure your CV highlights your analytical and critical thinking skills. Include examples from your studies or previous roles where you tackled complex issues or came up with innovative solutions. Quantify your achievements whenever possible to demonstrate your impact!
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to explain why you're a perfect fit for the consulting world. Focus on your motivation for joining the industry and how your skills align with the requirements of the role at Ocado Retail. Remember to mention any relevant coursework or projects that showcase your understanding of strategic frameworks or business models!
Highlight Team Experience:Consultants often work in teams, so it's vital to showcase your collaborative skills. Include experiences where you've worked effectively with others, whether in academic group projects or internships. Discuss your role in the team and how you helped achieve common goals, demonstrating you can thrive in a consultancy environment.
Professionalise Your Online Presence:Make sure your LinkedIn and any other professional profiles are up to date, reflecting your career aspirations in management consulting. Connect with industry professionals and follow relevant groups—show you’re serious about entering this field. Applying through our website is a great way to get noticed, so showcase your personality and enthusiasm there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ocado Retail
✨Master the Case Study Game
In management consulting, case study interviews are all the rage. Make sure to practice structuring your thoughts and analysing data on the fly. Use resources like example case studies to get comfortable with frameworks and solutions. Remember, it’s not just about getting the right answer but showcasing your thought process, so talk us through your reasoning!
✨Know Your Numbers
Be prepared for some numerical and analytical questions. Brush up on your mental math and be ready to interpret data from charts or graphs. We might throw some business scenarios at you that require a quick turnaround on numerical analysis, so practice these skills to feel confident and swift!
✨Show Your Leadership Flair
As this is a full-time role, we want to see your potential as a seasoned consultant. Be ready to discuss experiences where you've led a project or a team. Think about times you've influenced decisions or navigated challenges—this is your chance to show how you can thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
✨Be a Cultural Fit
We’re not just looking for brains; we want to see if you vibe with our company culture at Ocado Retail. Prepare to share how your values align with ours. Have a think about what makes a great team environment for you and how you can contribute to that. A good cultural fit goes a long way in management consulting!
