Overview
Commercial Manager (Projects)
Come and join our team!
We’re looking for a Commercial Manager (Projects) to join our Commercial team at Our Co-op. This role plays a key part in delivering commercial initiatives that drive sales, margin, operational efficiency, and customer experience across our stores and systems.
Working at the heart of our retail strategy, you’ll lead structured commercial projects from concept through to implementation, coordinating activity across teams and ensuring change lands smoothly and effectively. You’ll be joining a collaborative, values-led organisation where your work will have visible impact across the business.
Want to know more? Take a look at our job description attached to the bottom of this webpage.
Our working patterns are non-contractual. Any advertised working pattern represents the normal working pattern for the role at time of advertisement and may be subject to change.
What you’ll be doing
In this role, you’ll operate at the intersection of commercial strategy and delivery, owning and leading structured projects from start to finish. This will include:
- Leading end-to-end delivery of commercial and category projects, managing scope, timelines, milestones, risks, and dependencies
- Translating category strategies and trading priorities into clear, actionable project plans that land smoothly into stores and systems
- Acting as a central point of coordination across Commercial, Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, Technology, and suppliers
- Using data and insight to build business cases, track benefits, and deliver post-implementation reviews
- Supporting major trading moments such as seasonal launches, price changes, and promotional cycles
- Ensuring stores are fully prepared for change through clear communication, guidance, and practical planning
- Contributing to continuous improvement of commercial processes, governance, and ways of working
This is a varied and influential role where your work will have visible commercial impact across the organisation.
The person we are looking for
We’re looking for someone who combines strong commercial awareness with confident project delivery skills, and who enjoys working collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
You’ll ideally bring:
- Experience in a commercial, category management, merchandising, or FMCG retail environment
- A proven track record of leading and delivering projects or programmes with multiple stakeholders
- A strong understanding of category management principles, trading levers, and retail operations
- Confidence using data and insight to inform decisions and measure performance
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence across teams
- A proactive, organised, and resilient approach, with the confidence to challenge constructively
Experience with systems change, range resets, or large-scale commercial initiatives is an advantage, as is familiarity with retail systems and formal project management approaches.
Most importantly, you’ll be customer-focused, commercially curious, and motivated by delivering change that genuinely improves how the business operates.
Perks of the job
At the East of England Co-op, we strive to be the best place to work. We invest in our colleagues to help them to progress in their careers and achieve their full potential. How do we do this?
- Competitive rates of pay
- 20% discount in our food stores, along with other discounts across our family of businesses
- 25 days holiday (plus bank holiday entitlement) which increases with service
- 5% employer pension contribution
- Death in service benefit
- Enhanced family leave and pay arrangements*
- Opportunities to grow, with award-winning training and apprenticeship programmes
- Great discounts, deals, and cashback across over 900 high street and online retailers
- Financial wellbeing support, including Stream®
- Access to Cycle To Work, Rental Deposit Scheme, and SmartTech (after a qualifying period)
- Employee Recognition Scheme
- Long Service Awards
- Free remote GP service, available 24/7, including prescription, fitness, nutrition, and counselling services
- Employee Assistance Programme
We recognise the challenges people face trying to balance commitments both in and out of the workplace – perhaps studying, caring commitments, or other employment. We therefore aim to be as flexible as possible, to create shift patterns that work for both our co-op and our colleagues.
* Enhanced on statutory terms, subject to service criteria.
Salary: from £40,000 per annum – Total Vacancy Hours: 37.5
Location: Wherstead Park, The Street, Wherstead, Ipswich, IP9 2BJ IP9 2BJ
IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
