Portfolio Manager​

About the Opportunity

We'd all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. As the link between sellers and buyers, retail and head office, our retail operations team is the cog that keeps things running. With teams focused on store facing, labour, transformation, online, delivery and contact centre work, we touch almost every part of the business. It’s an incredibly fast-paced environment where you need to pivot not just daily, but often hourly. So while we plan all we can, it’s vital that we all think outside our job descriptions and look to optimize and improve how we do everything. There’s also a real team ethos. After all, it’s people like you who are going to truly transform this part of the business.

About The Team

Join our dynamic Transformation & Operational Development team, where innovation meets impact in shaping the future of Sainsbury’s Retail and Digital Operating Models. We play a central role in translating the Next Level Sainsbury’s strategy into actionable programs, connecting teams and driving transformation across our business. As part of this collaborative division, you’ll be at the heart of change, partnering with colleagues across the organization to deliver sustainable improvements and business outcomes.

More About The Role

As Portfolio Manager, you will support the Director of Transformation & Operational Development, providing strategic oversight and value-added reporting across our transformation programs. Your day-to-day will involve managing a clear ‘single version of the truth’ for all change activity, mapping dependencies, and ensuring project milestones are met. You’ll connect individual workstreams, facilitate knowledge sharing, and help drive engagement with key leaders.

• Expect to lead the coordination of cross-functional initiatives, track delivery against strategic goals, and support quarterly planning cycles.
• You’ll be involved in shaping reporting, mapping resource requirements, and creating connectivity to align outcomes across programs.

This is an opportunity to influence the direction of high-profile projects and build relationships at every level of the business.

More About You

You thrive in complex environments and are adept at solving problems with a structured, strategic approach. Your ability to synthesize information and present recommendations demonstrates your clear and persuasive communication skills. You build strong networks, influence stakeholders, and foster collaboration across teams. With keen attention to detail, you produce accurate and timely program information and continuously seek ways to make improvements.

You are curious, open to change, and regularly seek feedback to support your development. You role-model positive, agile ways of working—building trust and delivering solutions that make a real difference to the customer experience.

Eligibility

Essential Criteria:

• Demonstratable experience in programme or project management methodology within a large organization.
• Proven ability to coordinate, develop, and report management information (MI) and dashboards for decision making.
• Capability to document and manage interdependencies, milestones, and key decisions across multiple workstreams.
• Evidence of successful stakeholder management and engagement at a senior level.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, pulling together information from multiple sources.

Benefits

We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new — whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognize and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them:

• Colleague discount of up to 15% on shopping online and in-store at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat.
• Pensions scheme and life cover.
• Performance-related bonus of up to 20% of salary.
• Annual holiday allowance and the option to buy an additional week's holiday.
• Private healthcare.
• Season ticket loans, interest-free car loan, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, salary advance, and discounts from other retailers.
• Up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave.

About Company

Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).