Assistant Buyer – Confectionery

Ocado Retail; Hatfield; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Digital GP appointments

Discounted gym memberships

Dental insurance

Ocado discount

M&S discount

Free breakfast in office

Electric vehicle leasing scheme

Shuttle bus from Hatfield

Job summary

Ocado Retail is seeking an L1 Buyer/Assistant Buyer for Confectionery in Hatfield. You’ll help manage the confectionery category, maximise seasonal trade, and support the Senior Buyer to drive sweets and chocolate ranges.

Expect complex supplier negotiations, data analysis, and collaboration with stakeholders in a fast-growing online grocery business. Based in our hybrid Hatfield office, you’ll join a three-person team focused on delivering value, quality and innovation for Ocado customers,

Qualifications

• A minimum of 1 year, or placement equivalent, buying experience.
• Confident to negotiate and communicate with a wide range of suppliers.
• Strong problem-solving, planning and organisational skills.
• Ability to analyse data and formulate tangible outputs.
• Proficient in using Excel and formulas.
• Good commercial acumen.
• Excited and passionate about working in retail and commercial functions.
• A passionate foodie.
• Comfortable engaging with senior leaders across the business.

Responsibilities

• Support the team to ensure hero seasons and mini seasons are planned and executed brilliantly.
• Use insight tools to analyse and understand performance issues and opportunities.
• Conduct regular competitor website visits and review customer insight and food trends to shape product ranges.
• Manage supplier performance and build long-term supplier relationships.
• Negotiate joint business plans and supplier-funded media aligned to customer plans.
• Source customer/market insight-led ranges and product innovation.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to execute best-in-class events.
• Present strategic plans on mini and hero seasons to senior stakeholders.

Skills

Buying experience

Negotiation

Data analysis

Excel

Communication

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

Job description

L1 Buyer / Assistant Buyer – Confectionery

Contract type: Permanent (length in months)

Location: Hatfield (Hybrid working – 3 days in the office)

Working hours per week: 40 hours

Level: Assistant Buyer / Level 1

Reports to: Senior Buyer

Application Closing Date: Wednesday 9th September

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.com 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 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

We’re looking for a Buyer to help manage our confectionery category. In this role, you will be responsible for maximising seasonal trade opportunities as well as supporting the Senior Buyer to drive the sweets and chocolate categories forward.

You will also be responsible for managing complex supplier negotiations, ensuring the product range is optimised, and using data and analysis, proactively maximising performance and driving sales, profitability, and share growth, supporting the overall Ocado Retail strategy and goals.

This is a newly created role, given our ambitions to match the market in confectionery market share. We will form a team of three buyers that will work closely together to optimise both all-year-round and seasonal ranges. You will also work closely with strategic suppliers as well as onboard new challenger brands, to make Ocado a destination for confectionery.

Based within the Impulse buying team, this role is at the forefront of delivering great value, quality & innovation for the Ocado customers. The role is an ideal opportunity for someone looking to gain seasonal trading experience, as well as join a key strategic growth area.

What You’ll Do

• Support the team to ensure hero seasons and mini seasons are planned and executed brilliantly.
• Use insight tools to analyse and understand performance issues and opportunities
• Conduct regular competitor website visits and review customer insight and food trends, helping shape our future product and range requirements for our customers
• Manage supplier performance, identifying potential new suppliers, and provide support to build long‑term supplier relationships.
• Negotiate with suppliers to agree and deliver market‑leading joint business plans for your areas aligned to the customer plan & category strategy, as well as negotiating on supplier‑funded media and delivering against the target
• Source customer/market insight‑led ranges and product innovation
• Work closely with stakeholders across the business to execute best‑in‑class events.
• Present strategic plans on mini and hero seasons to senior stakeholders across the business

Who You Are

• A minimum of 1 year, or placement equivalent, of buying experience
• Confident to negotiate and communicate with a wide range of suppliers
• Strong problem-solving, planning, and organisational skills
• Ability to analyse data and formulate tangible outputs
• Proficient in using Excel and formulas
• Good commercial acumen
• Excited and passionate about working in retail and commercial functions
• A passionate foodie
• Comfortable and confident engaging with senior leaders across the business

Training and Development

Joining our Buying team provides access to our Commercial Academy, a comprehensive development program structured around three pillars: Buyer Induction, Specific Skills (Buying & Selling), and General Skills. You’ll gain access to external, advanced training such as Negotiation, as well as courses on Understanding Suppliers and Optimising JBPs. This whole program is designed to deliver a foundational and advanced skillset across essential commercial competencies.

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 at [e-mail] 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.