Head of Performance & Talent

Our people are at the heart of our business, and we are looking for those that are just as passionate about that as we are. Join our People team, and come with us on a journey as we transform the way we do HR. Our team is made up of business partners working with leaders to get the most out of their teams, specialist knowledge in our centres of expertise, and colleague-centric, efficient people services. Our work ranges from making sure that our 150,000+ colleagues are paid on time to attracting brilliant talent to drive our strategy, to unlocking the skills and capability of our colleagues. This is a fast-moving business, and we make sure our policies and rewards keep up with that too. We know flexibility is important and helps you be more productive so there's more choice than ever about where and when you work. When it comes to your development, we'll support your growth in your own unique way. When you join us, you’ll be joining a team that knows just what it means to be happy and engaged, and who makes a real impact across our business.

Head of Talent and Performance
(People Division – Talent Capability and Development)

About the team

Join our vibrant People Division, the driving force behind Sainsbury’s commitment to nurturing talent and performance across the organisation. As part of the Talent Capability and Development team, you will collaborate with passionate professionals dedicated to unlocking potential and embedding a culture of growth, innovation, and high performance. Our team operates at the heart of the business, influencing strategies that shape the future of Sainsbury’s by fostering an inclusive and dynamic workplace where everyone is empowered to thrive.

More about the role

As the Head of Talent & Performance, you will lead transformative initiatives that redefine how we attract, develop, and retain talent. You’ll own the design and delivery of our talent and performance management portfolio, ensuring every product and programme provides a best-in-class colleague experience. In this role, you will consult with senior leaders, shape the talent strategy, and embed frameworks that drive continuous improvement and measurable impact across the organisation.
Your day-to-day will involve partnering with stakeholders at executive and divisional levels, leading a talented team, and spearheading projects that enhance our performance culture. From implementing succession planning strategies to shaping assessment methodologies, you’ll play a pivotal role in building effective leadership pipelines and supporting organisational growth. You’ll also be at the forefront of driving change, ensuring our approaches reflect market needs and future-proof our business.

More about you

To excel in this role, you will bring a proven skillset in talent management, performance strategy, and employee development. You have demonstrable experience in consulting with and influencing senior stakeholders, as well as driving data-informed decisions that deliver strategic outcomes. Your approach is collaborative and agile, always seeking innovative ways to improve processes, products, and experiences.
Success in this environment requires you to be a compelling storyteller who can leverage data and insight, a problem solver who thrives on finding solutions, and a leader who inspires and develops teams. You value inclusion, embrace continuous learning, and are committed to building environments where diverse perspectives are encouraged and high performance is the norm.

• Demonstrable experience of designing and leading talent management and performance initiatives in a complex, matrixed organisation, that deliver a brilliant experience for colleagues and leaders.
• Proven ability to consult with and influence senior stakeholders to deliver strategic talent or performance outcomes.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing succession planning frameworks and talent pipelines.
• Track record of designing and delivering change management strategies to embed new talent or performance products.
• Experience managing and developing teams to achieve measurable goals and foster a high-performance culture.

We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer, so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new – whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business – and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them:

Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to get 10% off at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat after 4 weeks. This increases to 15% off at Sainsbury’s every Friday and Saturday and 15% off at Argos every pay day. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 65% of salary, depending on how we perform (in cash and shares).

Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy additional holiday. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, pay advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. You'll also receive a company car cash allowance unless you are going to travel 10,000 business miles in your role, then you'll be able to choose a car. And if you ever need it there is also an employee assistance programme, you will also be eligible for private healthcare too.

Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave.

Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).

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