Head of Data & Analytics Strategy & Operations
Salary: Competitive Plus Benefits
Location: London Store Support Centre and Home, London, EC1M 6HA
Contract type: Permanent
Business area: Marketing
Closing date: 08 December 2025
Requisition ID: 400041259
We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. We’re one of the biggest supermarkets in the UK with one of the largest websites. So marketing here really happens at scale. We move a lot faster than you’d think too, across Brand Planning, Brand Comms and Creative, Digital Marketing, CRM and Loyalty, Nectar 360, Insights, and Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability. More people shopping with us each week means more interactions. And thanks to data insight, we understand customers in a way that almost nobody else does. We work alongside incredible brand partners and the best agencies around. So if you have a passion to learn, grow and experience new teams, come and explore it all with us.
About the Team
You will join the Data & Analytics (D&A) function, a critical enabler of Sainsbury’s Next Level strategy. This team is responsible for unlocking £1bn in value and driving the organisation towards an AI-powered future. The D&A function partners with every area of the business, from retail operations to digital transformation, ensuring data-driven decisions at scale. As part of the leadership team, you will work closely with the Chief Data Officer and senior stakeholders to embed operational excellence, strategic clarity, and measurable impact across all initiatives. The team operates in a dynamic environment, balancing innovation with governance to deliver sustainable growth and efficiency.
More About the Role
This is a senior leadership role with accountability for shaping and executing the D&A strategy, managing operational performance, and overseeing portfolio governance. You will lead quarterly OKRs, performance reviews, and KPI reporting, ensuring transparency and alignment across the organisation. Success in this role means embedding governance processes that drive accountability, prioritising initiatives that deliver maximum commercial impact, and optimising delivery for pace and cost efficiency. You will champion new ways of working with Tech partners, foster collaboration through Product Transformation Councils, and manage third-party relationships to ensure value and compliance. This role requires balancing strategic vision with hands-on delivery, ensuring that fewer, high-impact initiatives are prioritised to accelerate outcomes and deliver transformation at scale.
More About You
You are a strategic thinker and proven leader with experience in large-scale transformation programmes. You combine commercial acumen with strong analytical and interpersonal skills, enabling you to influence at senior levels and gain buy-in for complex initiatives. You thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments, using structured decision-making to deliver clarity and results. Your leadership style is collaborative and empowering, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. You understand the importance of governance and performance metrics, and you are confident in managing portfolios, optimising resources, and embedding best practices across diverse teams.
Essential Criteria
Proven experience leading large-scale transformation programmes with measurable commercial outcomes and operational improvements.
Familiarity with data and analytics best practices, technology trends, and risk management frameworks.
Demonstrable expertise in portfolio and project management, including use of value scoring frameworks (e.g., RICE) and tools such as JIRA.
Strong strategic and commercial acumen, with ability to prioritise initiatives for maximum impact and efficiency.
Ability to influence and engage senior stakeholders, driving cross-functional collaboration and alignment on strategic priorities.
Experience establishing performance metrics and governance processes, including KPI reporting and quarterly OKR reviews.
Desirable Criteria
Experience managing third-party partnerships and contracts within a data or analytics context.
Knowledge of retail operations and transformation programmes.
Exposure to agile delivery and modern engineering practices.
Track record of embedding new ways of working across large, complex organisations.
We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new — whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them: Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to save 10% on your shopping online and instore at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat, and we regularly increase the discount to 15% at points during the year. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 65% of salary, depending on how we perform (in cash and shares). Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy up to an additional week's holiday, and we provide private healthcare. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, salary advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. You'll also receive a company car cash allowance unless you are going to travel 10,000 business miles in your role, then you'll be able to choose a car. And if you ever need it there is also an employee assistance programme. Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave. Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).
