Principal Partner

This posting is for hourly paid logistics employees to apply through.

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

The Principal Partner role operates as a strategic partner to business leaders within our Technology organisation globally, helping to drive organisational performance and people strategy across the Technology Development and Technology Services business units. 

In this role you will be responsible for aligning our People products with the business unit strategy to support the evolving needs of those teams. The role will champion company culture, lead global people initiatives, and act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on all aspects of employee performance, engagement, talent management, Reward, DEI, and beyond.

For this role to be successful, you will need a strong understanding of technology-driven organisations and the ability to collaborate closely with the Ocado Technology Senior Leadership Team. The core focus of this role is designing and executing on both People and Business Goals, while shaping and delivering a comprehensive People Plan for global business units that supports medium and long-term strategies.

Key aspects of the role include influencing and engaging senior stakeholders, challenging the status quo, and driving impactful decisions that align with the organisation's objectives. If you are comfortable influencing at the highest levels and partnering with tech leadership, we encourage you to read on and apply.

What you will be doing 

• Strategic Partnership: Work closely with senior leadership (e.g. Technology Chiefs and Directors) to identify people-related needs and develop People Plans that align with business objectives. Creating and executing measurable plans that are aligned to the overarching people strategy for the Technology Solutions business.
• Change Management: Lead and support large-scale organisational changes, providing guidance on restructuring, talent mobility, and building mechanics to monitor organisational health and effectiveness following change.
• Leadership & Talent Development: Collaborate on the design and implementation of talent strategies that focus on career growth, learning and development, and succession planning. Ensure a continuous pipeline of talent for critical and senior roles across the business.
• Performance Management: Champion processes that support individual and team performance. Collaborate with leaders to ensure departments and individuals are set up to be high performing organisations through clear objectives, regular feedback, and effective development plans.
• Employee Experience & Engagement: Advocate and lead initiatives to foster a positive employee experience and high levels of engagement, ensuring the company remains a great place to work. Drive improvements in employee satisfaction, retention, and career development
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Champion DEI initiatives, ensuring inclusivity is embedded in the culture and People Plans. Work with leaders to create actionable plans that drive a diverse and equitable work environment.
• Data & Analytics: Utilise People analytics to provide insights and track the impact of people initiatives. Create data-driven reports and dashboards to inform decision-making and track progress against key metrics

About you 

• Proven experience as a senior-level People Partner, HRBP, or similar role within a technology organisation.
• Skilled in navigating complex, cross functional environments within global organisations.
• Strong business and commercial acumen, with a keen ability to align people strategies with business objectives.
• Expertise in talent management, organisational design, and fostering employee engagement.
• Demonstrated success in leading and executing complex change management initiatives.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships at all levels.
• Proficient in leveraging HR systems and data analytics to drive strategic, data-informed decisions.
• Strong leadership and project management skills, with a track record of delivering impactful results.
• Adept in coaching and leadership development, with a focus on empowering teams and individuals.

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!