Software Project Manager

About Us

We are Ocado Technology and we empower global grocery retailers with cutting-edge cloud, robotics, AI, and IoT. Our Ocado Smart Platform (OSP) powers highly automated Customer Fulfilment Centres (CFCs), enabling efficient, single-pick online grocery delivery

About the Role

Working alongside our Engineering & Product teams, this role will play a pivotal role in guiding and supporting the Technology mission in successfully delivering critical software projects. You’ll be working with others around the Ocado Group business to find great solutions which support the continued growth of our International clients. In this role, you will be a go-to person for the projects you lead, with great expertise, problem solving and knowledge sharing. 

Leading and Influencing

• Create a strong sense of purpose and mission for the project team
• Champion business requirements and communicate these in a compelling way to the project team
• Make effective, strategic decisions, with a clear rationale and using appropriate tools for the scenario
• Be a role model and apply Ocado Technology principles in day to day work
• Lead stakeholders at all levels across the business
• Promote the craft of Project Management throughout Ocado Technology, and share best practice with colleagues

Planning, Tracking & Delivery

• Define requirements and scope of project by collaborating with our Solutions, Engineering and Product teams
• Develop, communicate and maintain a clear approach to managing any project, including highlighting critical path, key dependencies and milestone dates
• Responsible for forecasting, monitoring and tracking budget and resource usage
• Provide governance to all assigned projects to ensure timely and quality delivery
• Drive project teams to achieve milestones and project goals
• Organise and execute orderly project closures and handovers
• Apply domain knowledge and technical concepts/ methodologies to project delivery

Stakeholder Management

• Bring together relevant stakeholders for collaboration and decision making by critically assessing stakeholder influence over the project and business (using appropriate tools to support this)
• Provide regular, concise and relevant reporting for stakeholders to build a common understanding of project requirements and progress
• Influence negative stakeholders and take them to a positive position
• Lead negotiations with internal and third party stakeholders in order to reach commercially viable solutions per the project and business requirement

Facilitation

• Engage teams and individuals to collaborate in a productive and supportive environment to produce  idea formation and innovation
• Lead and facilitate inclusive meetings to drive consensus and decision
• Form and share ideas on how to improve project and process efficiency
• Distribute project information and outcomes, and follow up on actions

Risk and Issue Management

• Use appropriate methods to seek, identify, log and track project risks and issues throughout the project lifecycle
• Quantify and qualify project risk against business impact and take appropriate decisions
• Lead mitigation planning and implement strategies in line with project tolerances
• React to risk and issues as they arise and lead appropriate, timely, project response

About you

• Experience of managing high risk, high complexity software product development projects and life cycles in a fast paced environment - bringing new software products to market - from Problem Definition through to Benefits Realisation
• Strong problem solving skills, able to demonstrate the ability to “ think out of the box” and apply creativity in solving project related problems to mutually agreeable solutions
• Experience managing project budgets as well as an appreciation of other related metrics such as cost of ownership of products
• Experience in giving effective presentations to senior stakeholders with different agendas and providing compelling evidence to guide stakeholders to the correct decision or consensus
• Strong understanding and experience of leading projects, using various project management  methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, etc) within a structured stage-gated development process.

What we offer

We believe in supporting our people with meaningful, flexible benefits that prioritise well-being and work-life balance. Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect:

• Time to recharge:
  25 days annual leave (rising to 27 after 5 years), plus the option to buy more – and 30 days a year to work from anywhere in the world.
  
• Health & wellbeing:
  Private Medical Insurance from your first month, wellbeing support through specialist apps and EAP, plus Income Protection and Life Assurance.
  
• Family-first policies:
  22 weeks paid maternity/primary carer leave and 6 weeks paid paternity leave (after qualifying period).
  
• Financial support:
  Pension with employer matching up to 7%, share schemes (Sharesave & BAYE), and interest-free loans for train tickets.
  
• Commuter perks:
  Cycle to Work Scheme and free shuttle buses to/from Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City stations.
  
• Exclusive discounts:
  15% off at Ocado.com with free delivery (starting in your first month).

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.

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