Senior Buyer - Wine

Ocado Retail Ltd; Hatfield; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Join Ocado Retail as a Senior Buyer for White Wine, responsible for leading the category's strategy to maximize sales and profitability. In this role, you will strategically curate and manage a diverse wine range while collaborating closely with suppliers and internal teams to drive innovation and ensure top-quality offerings. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in retail buying and a passion for wine, coupled with strong negotiation and analytical skills.

Benefits

Private medical insurance

Annual bonus scheme

Matched pension contributions

Ocado and M&S discounts

Blended/Hybrid working

26 days holiday plus 8 flexible bank holidays

Qualifications

• Significant retail buying experience.
• Experience in Wines and knowledge of regulations.
• WSET Level required.

Responsibilities

• Manage category P&L and deliver against KPIs.
• Conduct category reviews and negotiations.
• Identify opportunities for market-leading product innovation.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Commercial acumen

Data analysis

Education

WSET Level

Tools

Google Suite

Job description

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Senior Buyer - White Wine

Contract type: Permanent

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

Working hours per week: 40 hours - Full Time

Application closing date: Thursday 26th June

About us

Our mission is to deliver joy in every shop, through unbeatable choice, unrivaled service, and reassuringly good value.

We’re Ocado Retail, a market-leading joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S, and the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket . 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 , our same-day grocery delivery service.

About the team and the role

As a Senior Buyer, you will have accountability for a specified category within the commercial buying team. You will be responsible for curating and buying your range of lines for our customers. Day to day, making sure it is optimised with your supply base, proactively using data and analysis to maximise performance to drive sales, profitability, and share growth to support the growth of the overall Ocado Retail strategy and goals.

Wine in total is one of our largest categories, and it is going well for us, and we’re looking for a senior buyer to raise the bar even further. The area specifically selects and sells our White Wine (still) assortment. With loads of room to innovate and be at the forefront of trends, major key brands, and work with the M&S team on their range on Ocado. This role sits in our wider Beers, Wines and Spirits Buying team – a fast paced & dynamic team where there is a fun and collaborative culture, and one that is gathering major industry recognition for ability to spot trends in range and champion online selling, recent awards include IWSC Online Retailer of the Year, Drinks business Awards, multiple wins, including Retail Buying Team of the Year and recently as a wider buying team Ocado has come out top ranked (or won) the annual Advantage Group Survey as the top ranked retailer to work with.

What you’ll do

• Manage the category P&L and deliver against KPIs
• Complete category reviews to refine range and align to the business and category strategy, and you work with our fellow Senior Buyer in Red Wine, Buyer in Sparkling, and manage Buyer for Rosé and Commercial associate in delivering their category reviews.
• Plan and deliver trade, promotions, and events
• Identify opportunities to drive customer penetration
• Identify opportunities to improve all-in margin, and negotiate with suppliers to deliver savings
• Negotiate with suppliers to agree and deliver market-leading plans aligned to the customer plan and category strategy.
• Analyse and assess performance issues and opportunities using data and reporting tools, devise and implement solutions
• Identify, analyse, and source first-to-market / Ocado exclusive product innovation using customer, market, and supplier insights to guide decision making
• Ensure range changes are aligned with the category and business strategy
• Work closely with merchandise planning and the supplier base to ensure best-in-class availability
• Identify and create plans to mitigate potential issues/events that may impact supply
• Work closely with suppliers and the quality team to ensure product quality meets Ocado's requirements
• Adhering to all Ocado policies, storage and handover protocols, and completing all of your training so that you have zero GSCOP breaches. Ensuring all agreements are recorded in writing, reporting GSCOP complaints to Legal within 48 hours of receipt
• Following our Business Code of Conduct and always acting with integrity and due diligence

Who you are

• Significant retail buying experience and existing Senior Buyer experience required for managing and developing people.
• Prior experience in Wines is key for this role for any external applicant is highly desirable, but it is a requirement for your candidacy to be considered for this role that you can demonstrate your knowledge and experience of the many differences that exist in a regulated, taxed and uniquely sourced area, whether it is EPR or Duty you know the challenges this brings, and know how to navigate this.
• It is alcohol and wine, so you know what WSET is and have at least Level WSET.
• Having a passion for product matters here; we want you to be the trend innovator for us and be seen as that. In the industry, you want to keep what is special about Ocado (Choice) at the heart of what you do.
• Strong Experience in managing a team, collaborating with Suppliers, and working with stakeholders is essential.
  Proficient in Google Suite, well, it is hard to manage the P&L without it, but do you use Gemini, and if you can show us how you are embracing AI in how you work, that’s even better, but not essential, as we are learning ourselves.
• Influencing and stakeholder management
• Very strong negotiation skills and commercial acumen
• Project management capability
• Able to analyse complex sets of data
At Ocado Retail we're passionate about building careers and skills by giving people access to new and diverse opportunities. If you don't tick all the boxes above but have a curious mindset, a passion for learning and adaptable skills to bring to the role, we still want to hear from you!

Vacancy NameSenior Buyer - WineVacancy NoVN968Job TypePermanentLocationHatfieldJob Details

Senior Buyer - White Wine

Contract type: Permanent

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

Working hours per week: 40 hours - Full Time

Level: Manager / Senior

Application closing date: Thursday 26th June

About us

Our mission is to deliver joy in every shop, through unbeatable choice, unrivaled service, and reassuringly good value.

We’re Ocado Retail, a market-leading joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S, and the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket . 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 , our same-day grocery delivery service.

About the team and the role

As a Senior Buyer, you will have accountability for a specified category within the commercial buying team. You will be responsible for curating and buying your range of lines for our customers. Day to day, making sure it is optimised with your supply base, proactively using data and analysis to maximise performance to drive sales, profitability, and share growth to support the growth of the overall Ocado Retail strategy and goals.

Wine in total is one of our largest categories, and it is going well for us, and we’re looking for a senior buyer to raise the bar even further. The area specifically selects and sells our White Wine (still) assortment. With loads of room to innovate and be at the forefront of trends, major key brands, and work with the M&S team on their range on Ocado. This role sits in our wider Beers, Wines and Spirits Buying team – a fast paced & dynamic team where there is a fun and collaborative culture, and one that is gathering major industry recognition for ability to spot trends in range and champion online selling, recent awards include IWSC Online Retailer of the Year, Drinks business Awards, multiple wins, including Retail Buying Team of the Year and recently as a wider buying team Ocado has come out top ranked (or won) the annual Advantage Group Survey as the top ranked retailer to work with.

What you’ll do

Manage the category P&L and deliver against KPIs

Complete category reviews to refine range and align to the business and category strategy, and you work with our fellow Senior Buyer in Red Wine, Buyer in Sparkling, and manage Buyer for Rosé and Commercial associate in delivering their category reviews.

Plan and deliver trade, promotions, and events

Identify opportunities to drive customer penetration

Identify opportunities to improve all-in margin, and negotiate with suppliers to deliver savings

Negotiate with suppliers to agree and deliver market-leading plans aligned to the customer plan and category strategy.

Analyse and assess performance issues and opportunities using data and reporting tools, devise and implement solutions

Identify, analyse, and source first-to-market / Ocado exclusive product innovation using customer, market, and supplier insights to guide decision making

Ensure range changes are aligned with the category and business strategy

Work closely with merchandise planning and the supplier base to ensure best-in-class availability

Identify and create plans to mitigate potential issues/events that may impact supply

Work closely with suppliers and the quality team to ensure product quality meets Ocado's requirements

Adhering to all Ocado policies, storage and handover protocols, and completing all of your training so that you have zero GSCOP breaches. Ensuring all agreements are recorded in writing, reporting GSCOP complaints to Legal within 48 hours of receipt

Following our Business Code of Conduct and always acting with integrity and due diligence

Who you are

Significant retail buying experience and existing Senior Buyer experience required for managing and developing people.

Prior experience in Wines is key for this role for any external applicant is highly desirable, but it is a requirement for your candidacy to be considered for this role that you can demonstrate your knowledge and experience of the many differences that exist in a regulated, taxed and uniquely sourced area, whether it is EPR or Duty you know the challenges this brings, and know how to navigate this.

It is alcohol and wine, so you know what WSET is and have at least Level WSET.

Having a passion for product matters here; we want you to be the trend innovator for us and be seen as that. In the industry, you want to keep what is special about Ocado (Choice) at the heart of what you do.

Strong Experience in managing a team, collaborating with Suppliers, and working with stakeholders is essential.
Proficient in Google Suite, well, it is hard to manage the P&L without it, but do you use Gemini, and if you can show us how you are embracing AI in how you work, that’s even better, but not essential, as we are learning ourselves.

Leadership capability/people management

Influencing and stakeholder management

Very strong negotiation skills and commercial acumen

Project management capability

Able to analyse complex sets of data

At Ocado Retail we're passionate about building careers and skills by giving people access to new and diverse opportunities. If you don't tick all the boxes above but have a curious mindset, a passion for learning and adaptable skills to bring to the role, we still want to hear from you!

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.

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 the 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: Blended/Hybrid working, 26 days holiday plus 8 flexible bank holidays, options to buy an extra holiday, 2 weeks work from anywhere, and lifestyle break opportunities.

Our Hiring Process

Lucky for us, we get loads of great applications and we really appreciate that so many people put the time and effort in to apply. To recognise that, we treat all applications respectfully and fairly. So, if yours stands out, you’ll follow our standard hiring process - one of our Talent Partners will talk you through this in an initial call.

Everyone’s welcome

We’re an equal opportunities employer. That means that we make sure all potential colleagues are treated fairly and equally. If you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know on the application form.