Head of Food Activity

Marks and Spencer; City Of London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company in London is seeking a dynamic leader to oversee its Food Group activities. This pivotal role involves managing product development, cross-functional teams, and ensuring high performance in a fast-paced environment. Ideal candidates should possess strong leadership skills, problem-solving abilities, and experience managing timelines effectively. Competitive benefits include a colleague discount, performance-linked bonuses, and tailored training.

Benefits

20% colleague discount

Competitive holiday allowance

Discretionary bonus schemes

Strong pension and life assurance

Tailored induction and training

Exclusive perks through M&S Choices

Market-leading family policies

24/7 wellbeing support

One paid volunteer day annually

Qualifications

• Experience leading complex programmes in fast-paced environments.
• Ability to influence and challenge constructively.
• Experience managing teams and project timelines.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of all Food Group activity.
• Manage product and packaging timelines.
• Oversee the artwork process and coordinate with teams.

Skills

Leadership in complex environments

Effective communication

Relationship building

Problem-solving with data

Job description

Summary

We're reshaping our Food business to broaden its appeal, protecting the magic our customers love while modernising everything else. That means outstanding quality, high sourcing standards, and market-leading innovation remain at our core, while we transform our supply chains, improve our stores, and deliver better value. We're looking for motivated people ready to bring their whole self to work and thrive in a fast-paced, ambitious team. After all, this isn't just food this is M&S Food.

All the details

This is a pivotal role at the heart of M&S Food. You'll be accountable for delivering our full Food Group activity plan-from new product launches to packaging and artwork. You'll lead cross-functional teams, manage complex timelines, and drive high performance across every stage of the product development pipeline. If you're ready to take ownership, shape outcomes, and deliver excellence from concept to shop floor, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.

Due to high interest, this role may close earlier than advertised. We recommend applying as soon as possible.

What you\'ll do

• Lead the delivery of all Food Group activity, making sure products and projects move smoothly through development.
• Manage product and packaging timelines, spotting and solving issues early.
• Oversee the artwork process, working closely with legal and graphic partners.
• Improve systems, data and reporting to support technical delivery.
• Drive consistency and collaboration across teams to meet shared goals.

Who you are

• You\'ve led complex programmes in fast-paced environments and delivered results.
• You\'re confident working with people at all levels and building strong relationships.
• You\'re a clear communicator who can influence and challenge constructively.
• You\'re a skilled leader with experience managing teams and critical paths.
• You\'re organised, resilient and comfortable solving problems with data and creativity.

What\'s in it for you?

Working at M&S means being part of something bigger - helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We\'re inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing.

Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:

• 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you\'ve completed your probation
• Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more
• Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours
• Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future
• Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one
• Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal
• Market-leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave
• 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services
• One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you

Everyone\'s welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We\'re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We\'re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.

If you feel you\'d benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don\'t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.