Head of Partnership Management

Head Of Partnership Management (C6)

 

Division/Department

Group Procurement & Supplier Management

 

Location

Any SSC and Home

 

Reporting to

Director Of Procurement & Supplier Management

 

Directly or indirectly manages

Phased team build likely to include C5 partnership management roles and C4 analytical/reporting capability, subject to final requirements and approvals.

 

Budget

Shared accountability for total partnership value & benefits realisation, performance governance and insight across a major strategic contract; direct budget accountability to be confirmed

 

In a nutshell

The Head Of Partnership Management will establish and lead an enterprise-wide partnership management capability for one of Sainsbury’s most strategically important supplier relationships, joining up performance, governance and operational management across technology, AI and outsourcing services. The role exists to help Sainsbury’s become a more effective outsourcer, ensuring that the partnership delivers against its business case, benefits, governance and risk expectations whilst enabling pace, innovation and sustainable value in support of the Next Level Sainsbury’s strategy.

 

What I am accountable for

·        Act as the senior relationship lead into the strategic supplier on overall operational performance, governance and improvement, building a balanced partnership that combines trust, challenge, pace and commercial discipline.

·        Design, implement and continuously improve the partnership management framework, creating a consistent enterprise view of supplier performance, benefits, risks and opportunities across all relevant towers and geographies.

·        Lead the strategic governance rhythm for the partnership, ensuring senior stakeholders and steering groups receive clear, evidence-based insight on performance, value, service quality, risk and improvement priorities.

·        Join up internal teams across matrix structures, creating shared ownership of partnership outcomes whilst avoiding duplication with existing local day-to-day supplier management activity.

·        Work in close partnership with Procurement, Technology, Business “Tower” owners (e.g. HR/Finance/Commercial/Data) and service recipients to ensure contracted mechanisms, principles and performance obligations are understood and actively used to drive value. Report escalations/trends to the Procurement team to assist with leveraging performance

·        Identify systemic performance themes, service risks and improvement opportunities, then prioritise and mobilise actions that improve outcomes for Sainsbury’s customers, colleagues and the business. Support Procurement in delivering appropriate commercial outcomes

·        Shape and lead reporting and analytical capability so multiple sources of operational, financial and performance data are translated into a coherent relationship-level view and actionable recommendations.

·        Support phased recruitment and development of the partnership management team, building capability across governance, reporting, supplier performance, stakeholder engagement and continuous improvement.

·        Represent Sainsbury’s with senior internal and external stakeholders, including executive-level forums, ensuring the role has the credibility, judgement and influence needed to operate beyond formal authority.

·        Establish clear assessment criteria, feedback loops and success measures for the team and the partnership, ensuring decisions are transparent, evidence-based and aligned to strategic outcomes.

 

What I need to know

Essential

·        Extensive experience leading a complex strategic supplier partnership, outsourcing, transformation or enterprise service relationships in a matrix organisation.

·        Strong commercial acumen, including the ability to understand contract intent, performance obligations, value levers, cost drivers, risk exposure and the commercial implications of change.

·        Proven ability to build governance frameworks, performance management approaches, service metrics, executive reporting and continuous improvement mechanisms for complex supplier environments.

·        Experience translating large volumes of operational, financial and performance data into insight, decisions and action at senior stakeholder level.

·        Credibility and confidence to influence senior leaders and external partner stakeholders where there is no direct line management authority.

·        Strong understanding of technology-enabled change, AI-enabled efficiency opportunities and the balance between innovation, commercial value, risk and operational performance.

·        Ability to operate effectively with incomplete information, ambiguity and evolving requirements, using judgement to move work forward at pace.

·        Experience leading, coaching or coordinating multi-disciplinary teams across organisational boundaries.

 

Desirable

·        Experience in technology, digital, outsourcing, business process outsourcing, managed services, transformation or enterprise supplier governance environments.

·        Experience working with offshore or global delivery models, including performance and governance across multiple locations.

·        Knowledge of procurement, contract lifecycle management, service management, financial control or supplier risk management disciplines.

·        Experience contributing to job design, capability build or mobilisation of a new team or operating model.

·        Relevant professional qualification or continuous learning in procurement, commercial management, technology, service management, transformation or leadership.

 

What I need to show

·        Own it: Set the direction, create clear ownership across the matrix and follow through on outcomes, even when accountability is shared across multiple teams and partners.

·        Make it better: Challenge existing ways of working, simplify supplier governance and use data, insight and curiosity to create better value, stronger controls and improved business outcomes.

·        Be human: Build trusted relationships internally and externally, balancing constructive challenge with respect, empathy and a clear understanding of colleague, customer and partner perspectives.

·        Obsessed with the customer: Use customer, colleague and business impact to shape decisions, so the supplier relationship enables tangible improvements rather than governance for its own sake.

·        Obsessed with performance: Define what great looks like, align goals and measures, hold teams and partners to account and act on both strong and poor performance with pace and fairness.

·        Lead beyond boundaries: Connect teams across Technology, Procurement, business service towers, offshore delivery and senior governance forums to create one joined-up view of partnership performance.

·        Lead fearless teams: Create an environment where challenge, different perspectives, feedback and coaching improve decision-making and raise the bar for everyone involved in the partnership.

·        Strategic influence: Operate comfortably with senior leaders and partner executives, shaping decisions through evidence, judgement, storytelling and partnership credibility rather than hierarchy.

·        Resilience and judgement: Stay calm and decisive in high-pressure, ambiguous or politically sensitive situations, course-correcting quickly as new information emerges.

 

 Support we will provide

·        Access to relevant internal development, leadership and performance management resources, including Sainsbury’s personal development tools and mentoring where appropriate.

·        Close working relationship with Procurement, Technology, business service owners and steering group stakeholders to support mobilisation and decision-making.

·        Access to existing supplier, contract, service, performance, financial and operating model information needed to build the enterprise view.

·        External subject matter expertise or specialist support where agreed and required for contract, service management, AI, governance or transformation topics.

·        Clear sponsorship from senior stakeholders as the partnership management capability is established.

 

Date of last job evaluation

23/07/26

 

Please note: This role profile is aimed at describing the core output that should be achieved in this role. It is not intended to include specific tasks, temporary activities or projects to recognise flexibility in a changing context.