Buyer – Food Cupboard

Ocado Retail; Hatfield; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Ocado discount

Pension scheme

Hybrid working

Annual bonus

Job summary

Ocado Retail is seeking an exceptional Buyer to manage our Food Cupboard category from its ambient range. You will drive commercial growth, optimise supplier base and product range, and deliver value-added innovation while negotiating complex JBPs and supplier-funded media.

You will use data and consumer insights to maximise sales, margin, and share. Based in Hatfield with hybrid working, you’ll join the Ambient Food & Drinks team and collaborate with internal stakeholders and suppliers.

Qualifications

• Experience in a buying role.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Excellent commercial acumen.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Proven ability to communicate and influence a wide range of audiences (internal stakeholders and external suppliers).
• A passionate foodie.
• Ambient category experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build long-term, strategic supplier relationships, managing supplier performance and identifying potential new partners.
• Lead complex negotiations to agree upon and deliver market-leading Joint Business Plans (JBPs) that align with our customer plan and category strategy.
• Maximise commercial returns by leading negotiations on supplier-funded media and ensuring targets are consistently delivered.
• Be a data-driven decision-maker, using advanced insight tools to analyse and understand category performance issues and opportunities.
• Proactively drive data-led category growth and maximise overall commercial performance.
• Shape our future product and range requirements by conducting regular competitor website visits, reviewing customer insight, and tracking food trends.
• Source and launch customer/market insight-led ranges and product innovation, ensuring we deliver great value, quality, and a best-in-class proposition for our customers.

Skills

Buying experience

Negotiation skills

Commercial acumen

Analytical skills

Planning & organisation

Communication & influence

Foodie

Ambient category experience

Job description

Contract type: Permanent

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

Working hours per week: 40 hours

Level: Buyer

Reports to: Senior Buyer

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.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 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

We’re looking for an exceptional Buyer to manage our Food Cupboard category.

In this role, you will be a core driver of commercial growth, responsible for ensuring that your supply base and product range are optimised. You will also be responsible for identifying and delivering value-added innovation, strategic range decisions, and proactively responding to key consumer trends like health and sustainability. A critical part of the job involves managing complex supplier negotiations and playing an important role in delivering great value and quality for the customer.

You will proactively use data and insights to maximise performance, driving sales, profitability, and share growth, directly supporting the overall Ocado Retail strategy and goals.

Based within the Ambient Food & Drinks buying team, this role is at the forefront of delivering great value, quality, and innovation for the Ocado customers. The role is an ideal opportunity for a great buyer to expand the category through a mix of new challenger brands and big market-leading brands.

What You’ll Do

Supplier Management & Strategy

• Build long-term, strategic supplier relationships, managing supplier performance and identifying potential new partners.


• Lead complex negotiations to agree upon and deliver market-leading Joint Business Plans (JBPs) that align with our customer plan and category strategy.


• Maximise commercial returns by leading negotiations on supplier-funded media and ensuring targets are consistently delivered.

Performance & Insight

• Be a data-driven decision-maker, using advanced insight tools to analyse and understand category performance issues and opportunities.


• Proactively drive data-led category growth and maximise overall commercial performance.

Range & Innovation

• Shape our future product and range requirements by conducting regular competitor website visits, reviewing customer insight, and tracking food trends.


• Source and launch customer/market insight-led ranges and product innovation, ensuring we deliver great value, quality, and a best-in-class proposition for our customers.

Who You Are

• Experience in a buying role


• Strong negotiation skills


• Excellent commercial acumen


• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills


• Strong planning and organisational skills


• Proven ability to communicate and influence a wide range of audiences (internal stakeholders and external suppliers)


• A passionate foodie


• Experience in ambient category is preferred

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 skill set 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.

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.