Lead Innovation Manager - 12 month FTC

In this role, you will identify, oversee, and recommend changes to approaches, methods, products, and processes to enhance competitiveness and improve organisational efficiency. You will lead and develop a team of Innovation Managers, providing direction and oversight as they own, identify, and define the future state of automation solutions across online. Working closely with key stakeholders, you will ensure innovation initiatives are aligned to business priorities and deliver measurable value

You will be responsible for:

Developing, coaching, and leading a high‑performing team, identifying talent and creating opportunities for individuals to perform at their best
Optimising resource allocation to ensure effective use of people, budget, and technology in achieving business objectives
Championing the role of technology and automation within future strategies to maintain and enhance competitiveness
Ensuring ideas and concepts are clearly defined from the outset, remaining focused, on track, and within scope throughout delivery
Collaborating with subject matter experts, motivating them to apply their expertise effectively to deliver successful projects
Taking ownership of processes and systems, ensuring they are effective and efficient, proactively identifying issues and implementing the best solutions
Managing interdependencies and resolving potential conflicts, working collaboratively to deliver agreed objectives for the benefit of customers, colleagues, and the planet
Managing risks and issues through the establishment and operation of clear governance frameworks
Monitoring delivery progress and providing regular updates to stakeholders, including senior business leaders, on milestones and outcomes
Adopting a flexible approach, managing multiple projects and programmes across different channels and business areas
Building and maintaining long‑term capacity plans and scenario models covering volume growth, channel mix, service propositions, and cost
Developing robust end‑to‑end business cases to support online transformation and automation investment decisions
Ensuring processes are scalable, efficient, and fit for high‑volume operations

You will need:

A strong commitment to fostering a continuous improvement and innovation‑led culture
Proven capability in strategic planning and execution, translating vision into actionable outcomes
Well‑developed critical thinking skills with the ability to solve complex problems
High attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and quality across plans, processes, and delivery
Financial awareness, with the ability to assess cost, value, and return on investment
Strong prioritisation skills, balancing competing demands and focusing on what delivers the greatest impact
Line management experience, including performance management and team development
Experience developing long‑term transformation strategies, including scenario planning and future‑state design
A solid understanding of automation, mechanisation, or technology‑enabled fulfilment solutions
Experience managing a team of project managers across multiple geographies
A background in automation or fulfilment operations.

What's in it for you:

We’re all about the little helps. That’s why we make sure our Tesco colleague benefits package takes care of you – both in and out of work. Click Here to find out more!

Annual bonus scheme of up to 20% of base salary
Holiday starting at 25 days plus a personal day (plus Bank holidays)
Private medical insurance
26 weeks maternity and adoption leave (12 months service required at the qualifying date) at full pay, followed by 13 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay, we also offer 6 weeks fully paid paternity leave
Free 24/7 virtual GP service, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for you and your family, free access to a range of experts to support your mental wellbeing

The above information is a shortened summary, refer to our policies for full details

About us:

Our vision at Tesco is to become every customer's favourite way to shop, whether they are at home or out on the move. Our core purpose is 'Serving our customers, communities and planet a little better every day'. Serving means more than a transactional relationship with our customers. It means acting as a responsible and sustainable business for all stakeholders, for the communities we are part of and for the planet.

We are proud to have an inclusive culture at Tesco where everyone truly feels able to be themselves. At Tesco, we not only celebrate diversity, but recognise the value and opportunity it brings. We're committed to creating a workplace where differences are valued, and make sure that all colleagues are given the same opportunities. We're a big business with diverse working patterns and many business areas which means that we can find something that works for you. Everyone is welcome at Tesco.

We have recently announced that we will be moving towards a more blended working week – combining office and remote working. Our offices will continue to be where we connect, collaborate and innovate. Please talk to us to about how this can work for you.

NOTE: Should you be successful in your application, your offer will be subject to and conditional upon you providing your bank account details on your agreed start date.

We're proud to have been accredited Disability Confident Leader and we're committed to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process. For further information on the accessibility support we can offer, please visit https://www.tesco-careers.com/accessibility