Lead BI Developer

Marks and Spencer; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK retailer is seeking a BI Lead to enhance their data-driven business transformation. This role requires strong leadership, expertise in SQL and Power BI, and the ability to mentor a technical team. You will develop scalable BI solutions and ensure that your team's work drives meaningful insights. The position is hybrid, requiring on-site presence in Paddington, London for three days a week, promoting collaboration and innovation.

Benefits

20% colleague discount on all products

Competitive holiday allowance

Discretionary bonus schemes

Strong pension and life assurance

Tailored induction and training

Exclusive perks and savings

Market-leading family policies

24/7 wellbeing support

One paid volunteer day a year

Qualifications

• Experience leading BI project delivery from scoping to continuous improvement.
• Strong hands-on technical skills with platforms like SQL and Power BI.
• Ability to engage and mentor technical teams effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead a squad of BI developers and grow their capabilities.
• Shape future BI solutions with smart, scalable architecture.
• Own the entire BI project journey from needs assessment to delivery.

Skills

Leadership

SQL

Power BI

Stakeholder engagement

Tools

Power Platform

Azure

Databricks

Python

R

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

You'll love this role if you want to be part of a team at the heart of M&S's transformation, where data drives purpose. Our Food Data & Analytics function is growing fast, already making a big commercial impact, and scaling up to go further. You'll help automate processes, embed insight, and shape how we work.

With a modern Microsoft stack; Power BI, Power Automate, Power Apps and SQL, you'll build solutions that are both hands-on and strategic. As a Microsoft Match Partner, we offer access to the latest tech, training and certifications to support your growth. But it's not just about the tools, our people-first culture means your development and wellbeing are a priority. You'll join a collaborative space where stakeholders are engaged and your work is genuinely valued. We welcome different perspectives, and what really counts is your curiosity, drive, and ability to make data work for people.

This role requires you to be on-site in our Support Office in Paddington, London for three days a week. We know that won't suit everyone, and that's okay. If you're looking for a fully remote role, this won't be for you. But if you believe in the power of working together, in person, to solve problems, share ideas, and build something brilliant, we'd love to hear from you.

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

What you'll do

• Lead a focussed squad of BI developers, helping them grow and thrive while delivering reporting solutions that make a real difference across our Food business
• Shape the future of BI at M&S by designing smart, scalable architecture that turns data into meaningful insights and drives better decisions
• Own the full journey of BI projects, from listening to what the business needs, to building, testing, launching, and continuously improving our tools
• Champion best practice and high standards, making sure our work is robust, reliable, and always evolving
• Support your team's growth by offering hands‑on coaching, thoughtful mentoring, and real opportunities to build their technical skills and shape their career journey.

Who you are

• You've lead the scoping, design and delivery of BI solutions that help teams make smarter decisions, bringing clarity to complexity is second nature to you.
• Hands‑on, technically strong, and confident when engaging with stakeholders. You know how to lead, how to coach, and how to turn business questions into data‑driven answers.
• Experienced in managing and mentoring technical teams, creating space for others to grow while keeping delivery on track.
• Confident with SQL and Power BI, and you know how to test what you build and measure its impact, because results matter.
• Curious, collaborative, and ready to make a difference. If you've worked with tools like Power Platform, Azure, Databricks, Python or R, or have a background in food retail or FMCG, that's a real bonus, but not a must.

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.

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