Demand Planner
Contract type: Permanent
Location: Hatfield (Hybrid working - 3 days in the office)
Working hours per week: 40 hours
Level: Associate
Application Closing Date: Friday 4th September
About us
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, ocado.com. Not only is Ocado the only place to shop a full range of M&S food online, 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 Zoom by Ocado, our same-day grocery delivery service.
About the team and the role
As a Demand Planner, you will step into a fast-paced environment where you will ensure the success of your product range. You’ll manage forecasts, supplier performance, and drive key commercial KPIs across availability, waste, and fulfilment. This role offers the opportunity to collaborate across trading, operations, and project teams, supporting massive initiatives like promotions, seasonal planning, and new Customer Fulfilment Centre (CFC) openings.
What you’ll do
Manage demand and forecast planning across products to consistently achieve key performance targets.
Build strong supplier relationships and proactively manage end-to-end supplier performance.
Optimise delivery schedules, buying processes, and inbound logistics efficiency.
Analyse supply chain trends, support promotional activity, and recommend continuous process improvements.
Collaborate cross-functionally across the Supply Chain, trading, operations, and wider project teams.
Who you are
Essential:
Analytical Mindset, with a natural curiosity to dive into complex data, identify underlying patterns, and solve supply chain challenges effectively.
Strong Excel and IT skills, with high confidence in interpreting and manipulating numerical data.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to manage external stakeholders.
Proactive and adaptable, with the confidence to make independent decisions in a fast-paced environment.
Organisational agility, with the flexibility to work occasional weekends on a rota.
Desirable:
Skilled in demand forecasting, data analysis, and end-to-end supply chain planning.
Commercial acumen and direct supplier management experience.
E-commerce or large-scale retail supply chain exposure.
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. You'll also be part of our AI Academy, a dedicated learning journey designed to empower every colleague with the smart technology skills of the future.
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 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: Hybrid working, 26 days holiday plus 8 flexible bank holidays, options to buy extra holiday, 2 weeks work from anywhere, and lifestyle break opportunities.
Our Hiring Process
Lucky for us, we receive a high volume of applications and genuinely appreciate the time and effort invested by every candidate. To ensure a fair and thorough process, every application is reviewed by a member of our team. If your skills and experience are a strong match, a Talent Partner will contact you to discuss the role and guide you through the next steps of our hiring process.
Your Application and AI
In the spirit of innovation, we welcome you to use AI tools in your application, just as we use them in our own business at Ocado Retail. However, as you leverage this technology, please don't lose sight of the most important element: your unique self. Your experiences, passions, and personality are what truly set you apart. Ensure that your application still authentically conveys who you are and why you're a great fit for us.
Everyone’s welcome
We’re an equal opportunities employer, which means that we make sure all potential colleagues are treated fairly and equally. We want to ensure everyone has a fair chance to apply; if you need this job description in an alternative format (e.g., larger print, different document type, etc.), please reach out to us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to assist you, and if you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know on the application form.
