Senior Procurement Excellence Manager

About UsWe are Ocado Group, and we're bringing world-class automation to online grocery. Our Ocado Smart Platform (OSP) combines cutting-edge robotics, AI, and IoT within our advanced CFCs (Customer Fulfilment Centres). We've mastered the single pick, transforming online delivery for our global partners. Join us and be part of a team pushing the boundaries of retail technology.About the Role This role is a fantastic opportunity to elevate Procurement into a true strategic enabler. Operating on a global scale, you'll lead our procurement enablement strategy as we pursue world class procurement at Ocado.You'll manage a small, group-wide Procurement Excellence team and join the Procurement Leadership Team. You will be: Leading a small team across 5 foundational pillars of Procurement. This is a hands-on leadership role where you will directly own aspects of the below as well as organising and equipping your team to deliver. Procurement SystemsDevelop and lead the overarching systems strategy for procurement, leveraging our best of breed set upOversee the management and continuous development of our core procurement suite, including our market leading Omnea procurement platform, tail spend management partnership, virtual card solution, and Enterprise ERP (Oracle Fusion)Ensure our systems work well with our ERP and external data sources to enable end-to-end process deliveryData & AnalyticsDevelop data governance and analytics frameworks to increase transparency and actionable insightOwn our KPI and Reporting strategy, ensuring we have actionable data from individual category level to exec reportingTranslate system outputs into clear, actionable insights that improve outcomesEnsure our data works for our frontline Procurement ManagersSupplier Risk ManagementLead Ocado's Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) programme on behalf of all ProcurementLead a functional peer group of risk domain leaders to ensure an effective but proportional risk approachLeverage our tech stack to ensure supplier risk management is deeply embedded into procurement decisions Policy & GovernanceOwn the Global Procurement PolicyEmbed a governance framework for procurement systems, including the control and change management frameworkEnsure wider supplier governance procedures and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards are fully integrated into our procurement practices Process ExcellenceDrive continuous improvement across our sourcing, negotiation, contract management, supplier management, and supplier risk management processesIdentify opportunities to optimise procurement systems by automating workflows and improving user experienceLead Ocado Procurement in the rapid and wide ranging deployment of new AI tools ensuring a mix of personal productivity, function wide enablers and strategic evolution initiativesShape and deliver the Agentic Procurement agenda at OcadoAbout you Deep procurement excellence experience in several of the following areas: Procurement Systems, Data & Analytics, Supplier Risk/TPRM, Governance, and Process ExcellenceStrong hands on experience in any category, ensuring a personal understanding of procurement managementExperience working in a global, ideally matrix procurement organisationA sharp commercial mindset, enhanced with deep analytical skillsPrevious experience embedding transformational change within an organisation, far and above a new supplier and way of working, it's most likely experience of leading an innovation and change agenda for Procurement e.g. ESG or systems transformationGreat project management skills, able to form and own a portfolio of initiativesExperience of implementing or running modern ProcureTech (e.g. Omnea, Zip, Oro, Zycus) is a big advantage, as is a track record of leveraging AI/LLMs for personal productivity, vibe coding and other purposesExperience working with both Direct and Indirect procurement is an advantageWhat we offerWe believe in supporting our people with meaningful, flexible benefits that prioritise well-being and work-life balance. Here's a snapshot of what you can expect:Time to recharge:25 days annual leave (rising to 27 after 5 years), plus the option to buy more – and 30 days a year to work from anywhere in the world.Health & wellbeing:Private Medical Insurance from your first month, wellbeing support through specialist apps and EAP, plus Income Protection and Life Assurance.Family-first policies:22 weeks paid maternity/primary carer leave and 6 weeks paid paternity leaveFinancial support:Pension with employer matching up to 7%, share schemes (Sharesave & BAYE), and interest-free loans for train tickets.Commuter perks:Cycle to Work Scheme and free shuttle buses to/from Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City stations.Exclusive discounts:15% off at Ocado.com with free delivery (starting in your first month).#LI-JK3#LI-HYBRID

Back to blog

Other Jobs To Apply

No other job posts for this day.

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...