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Ocado Careers

Head of Indirect Procurement

Hatfield, UK

Head of Indirect Procurement II Hatfield II 2 days in the office

Ocado Group is an equal opportunities employer and as such makes every effort to ensure that all potential employees are treated fairly and equally, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, age, or disability or union membership status.



About Us

 

Our teams are putting the world’s retailers online using the cloud, robotics, AI, and IoT. We provide services to partner clients globally via our innovative advanced robotics technology, known as the Ocado Smart Platform ("OSP"), this drives our highly automated, multi-million pound Customer Fulfilment Centres (CFCs). In our CFCs - together with the proprietary software applications - we operate a world-class online grocery business that automates the single pick of products, ready for your online delivery.

 

About the Role

Ocado currently spends >£150m per on Indirect suppliers, >20% of Group supplier spend.  This spend is largely unmanaged - not negotiated, without clear ownership and likely out of contract.  Spend spans a broad range of categories across all areas of the Group and includes suppliers with deep exec relationships - e.g. law firms and consultancies.

 

The Head of Indirects Procurement is responsible for bringing this spend under control - identifying suppliers, negotiating rates, putting contracts in place, ensuring that relationships are managed - and in the process delivering substantial cost savings to the business.  They will design and implement our operating model for long term Indirect supplier management.

 

The Head of Indirects will also support the Group Head of Procurement in transforming Ocado Group's procurement operating model.

 

What you will be do

  • Lead the Indirects Procurement and Supplier Management Team covering sourcing and purchasing, procurement and negotiation and supplier management
  • Create the procurement and supplier management operating model for Indirects, starting from a blank sheet of paper and developing a roadmap for the next three years.
  • Own the Indirects procurement strategy, policies and processes to standardise approaches and drive the best value for money for Ocado Group and work with key stakeholders across Ocado Group to drive adoption and adherence
  • Responsible for the regular review of vendors, setting their Tiering level, defining the review process, updating scorecards against expected services and highlighting risks or issues where required.
  • Work with Ocado Group Legal and Finance functions to ensure their policies and processes are being met. Seek to optimise these and influence for change where required.
  • Own the formal tender framework and activity for Indirect suppliers, ensuring that any process is carried out in an unbiased fashion to meet Ocado Groups requirements.
  • Responsible for the Indirects supply chain ensuring that required services are available when required to support both project and BAU activity.
  • Operate as a thought partner with key stakeholders to solve challenges and take advantage of opportunities
  • Lead a team of procurement and supplier analysts and managers. Carry out all required people management tasks including interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; identifying staffing needs, addressing complaints and resolving problems.
  • A member of the Group Procurement leadership team supporting the transformation of Group Procurement

 

You may be asked to perform tasks as required by management deemed as a reasonable request. This job description is a summary of the typical functions of the role, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of possible role responsibilities, tasks and duties and is subject to review. The responsibilities, tasks and duties of the job holder might differ from those outlined in the job description and other duties, as assigned, might form part of the job. 




About you 

Essential

 

  • Minimum 5+ years experience of Procurement and Vendor management
  • Proven record in working with strategic suppliers to ensure the services provided suit the needs of the business and achieving this at the best cost.
  • Proven record of cost management and cost reduction through supplier negotiation and rationalisation.
  • Consulting experience or a consultancy mindset - ability to analyse ambiguous situations and bring order to complexity, engaging effectively with stakeholders
  • Relevant cross category experience
  • Experience developing and managing supplier budgets.
  • Experience of leading teams, goal setting and ability to coach and mentor.
  • Ability to manage multiple requests and demands in a results oriented and changing organisation.
  • Effective verbal and written communication skills with all levels of the organisation.
  • Comfortable engaging with senior business leaders to Board level and developing a thorough understanding of business processes and compliance requirements.
  • Excellent critical reasoning, decision-making, and problem solving skills to analyse situations, determine risks, and find solutions to prevent future issues and resolve recurring defects.

 

Desirable

  • Formal qualification - CIPS Level 6 - or equivalent experience



What we offer you

 

Our employee benefits are designed for you, we care about people and we’ve ensured we have a wealth of benefits that focus on your well-being. We regularly review our benefits to ensure we are supporting our employees appropriately.

 

  • 30 days ‘working from anywhere in the world’ policy 
  • Wellbeing support through dedicated apps and an Employee Assistance Programme 
  • 25 days annual leave, rising to 27 days after 5 years service (plus optional holiday purchase)
  • Pension scheme (various options available including employer contribution matching up to 7%)
  • Generous Private Medical Insurance (within the first month of joining!)
  • Income Protection (can be up to 50% of salary for 3 years) and Life Assurance (3 x annual salary) 
  • 22 weeks paid maternity/primary parent leave and 6 weeks paid paternity leave (once relevant service requirements complete) 
  • Train Ticket loan (interest-free)
  • Cycle to Work Scheme
  • Free shuttle bus to and from Hatfield Train Station to the Hatfield offices 
  • Free shuttle bus to and from Welwyn Garden City Train Station to the Welwyn Garden City offices
  • Opportunity to participate in Sharesave and Buy as You Earn share schemes
  • 15% discount on Ocado.com and free delivery for all employees (within the first month of joining!

About Ocado Group

When our journey started, we were all about changing the way people shop for groceries. 20 years later, we’re developing our own ground breaking technology, opening multiple sites at an accelerating rate and engaging in exciting new business partnerships around the world!

Transforming an industry also means transforming the way we do business.   As we continually develop new technologies and customer propositions, we’re looking for the Everyday Pioneers to lead us into the next stage of our evolution: enhancing our capabilities, inspiring our teams and developing new ways of working.

Changing the way the world shops, for good.

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