Value Optimisation Manager

We're reshaping our Food business to broaden its appeal, protecting the magic our customers love while modernising everything else. That means outstanding quality, high sourcing standards, and market-leading innovation remain at our core, while we transform our supply chains, improve our stores, and deliver better value. We're looking for motivated people ready to bring their whole self to work and thrive in a fast-paced, ambitious team. After all, this isn't just food this is M&S Food.

You will drive the end to end delivery of cost saving initiatives that help the Food Group meet its Lowering Costs Programme target. Working at the centre of our cost transformation agenda, you will bring together value optimisation, packaging sourcing and cost modelling to unlock efficiencies across the full value chain. You will build a strong pipeline of opportunities, shape ideas quickly and turn them into clear action plans, partnering closely with Trading, Product Development, Technical, Logistics and Supply Chain teams. You will keep delivery moving with pace, track progress, raise risks early and ensure every initiative lands on time with full benefit realisation. You will share insight, surface opportunities and champion continuous improvement to strengthen low cost, efficient ways of working across M&S Food.

Due to high interest, this role may close earlier than advertised. We recommend applying as soon as possible.

• Own the end to end delivery of cost saving initiatives, from shaping ideas and modelling options through to implementation and benefit tracking, to deliver the Lowering Costs Programme target.
• Build and maintain a dynamic pipeline of value optimisation opportunities across packaged goods, fresh and ambient portfolios, working closely with Trading, Product Development and Technical teams.
• Lead cross functional teams to turn opportunities into action, setting clear plans, agreeing timelines and driving pace so milestones are met.
• Facilitate focused workshops with internal and external partners to generate ideas, solve problems quickly and strengthen low cost ways of working across the value chain.
• Provide clear, consistent weekly reporting that gives senior leaders visibility of progress, risks and new opportunities across the Food Group cost agenda.

• A commercially strong problem solver, confident using cost models and data to spot value opportunities and support robust decisions.
• Skilled at working with cross functional teams, you build trusted relationships with colleagues in Trading, Product Development, Technical, Supply Chain, Logistics and suppliers.
• Calm and organised under pressure, you juggle competing priorities, keep work moving and follow through to delivery.
• A clear, adaptable communicator who can bring people with you, influence outcomes and keep stakeholders aligned on plans and progress.
• Curious and improvement focused, you challenge the way things are done today and look for practical ways to embed low cost, efficient ways of working.

Working at M&S means being part of something bigger - helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We're inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing.

Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:

• 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you've completed your probation
• Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more
• Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours
• Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future
• Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one
• Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal
• Market leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave
• 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services
• One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We're disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We're transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.

If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.