Senior Buyer Pizza

Contract type: Permanent

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

Working hours per week: 40 hours

Level: Senior Buyer

Reports to: Trading Manager

Final date to receive applications: Sunday 2nd November

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,  Not only is  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.

As a Senior Buyer, you will have accountability for Ready Meals and Pizza within the Chilled Prepared Foods commercial buying team. You will be responsible for ensuring your supply base and product range are optimised, proactively using data and analysis to maximise performance and also drive sales, profitability and growth to support the overall Ocado Retail strategy and goals.

The Chilled Prepared Foods category is one of the fastest-growing departments within Ocado, and we're looking for a Senior Buyer to raise the bar even further.

• Be fully accountable for the category P&L and deliver against all KPIs.

• Proactively identify opportunities to drive customer penetration and significantly improve the all-in margin by negotiating with suppliers to deliver savings.

• Plan and execute the comprehensive trade, promotions, and events plan.

• Ensure zero GSCOP breaches, record all agreements in writing, and report GSCOP complaints to Legal within 48 hours of receipt. Always follow the Business Code of Conduct and act with integrity and due diligence.

• Develop the category strategy with support from the Trading Manager/Buying Director.

• Expertly execute category reviews to refine the range, ensuring all changes align with the business and category strategy.

• Identify, analyse, and source first-to-market / Ocado exclusive product innovation using deep customer, market, and supplier insights.

• Support 2 Buyers in delivering their own range and strategy reviews.

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

• Manage and review the performance of a complex supplier base, communicating and developing strong relationships to drive high engagement.

• 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 the supply, and ensure product quality meets all Ocado requirements.

• Manage 1 Buyer who looks after the other categories within Chilled Prepared Foods, and provide day-to-day coaching and feedback to Category Assistants.

• Be an expert in data, analysing and assessing performance issues and opportunities using reporting tools, and quickly devising and implementing effective solutions.

• Significant retail buying experience with a demonstrated track record of delivering breakthrough commercial results.

• Exceptional negotiation expertise required for strategic, high-value, and business-critical supplier agreements.

• Proven leadership capability with experience in managing/mentoring

• Exceptional influencing…