Head of Fleet & Delivery Operations

We’re looking for an experienced, forward‑thinking fleet leader to shape the future of our national grocery home delivery operation. As Head of Fleet & Delivery Operations, you will drive the strategic and operational management of a 3,000‑strong light commercial vehicle (LCV) fleet that underpins the success of our digital grocery channels.

This role is pivotal in ensuring our fleet is safe, efficient, cost‑optimised, compliant, and capable of delivering an exceptional doorstep experience for customers across the UK. You will set the long‑term fleet strategy, mitigate operational risks, modernise our assets, and lead the transition towards zero‑emission vehicles — all while empowering high‑performing teams and delivering continuous improvement in fleet performance, safety, uptime, and whole‑life cost.

You must bring deep, proven experience leading large commercial fleets and significant strategic leadership capability, with a track record of shaping long‑term fleet direction, influencing complex operational environments, and delivering transformation at scale.

 

What You Are Accountable For

• Leading the full fleet strategy covering procurement, maintenance, availability, compliance, performance and lifecycle optimisation for a fleet of 3,000+ LCVs.
• Managing a substantial operational budget and driving sustained value for money across fleet operations.
• Ensuring the fleet is correctly sized and flexed for seasonal demand with appropriate levels of contingency.
• Ensuring full compliance with UK legislation including DVSA regulations, MOTs, vehicle inspections and health & safety standards.
• Defining and delivering the vehicle sourcing and replacement strategy, including leasing, repairs, insurance and end‑of‑life planning with a whole‑life‑cost mindset.
• Leading the development and implementation of our zero‑emission / EV fleet strategy and supporting infrastructure roadmap.
• Driving continuous improvement in key performance areas such as fleet uptime, vehicle availability, maintenance turnaround time and cost per delivery.
• Ensuring robust driver and fleet safety standards, leveraging telematics, in‑cab technology and data to reduce risk and improve behaviours.
• Leading, supporting and coaching regional Fleet Managers to ensure consistent operational standards across ~300 bases and strong alignment with Digital Operations, Logistics, HR and Customer Service teams.

 

What You Need to Know and Show (essential)

• Extensive knowledge of van fleet management within grocery delivery, last‑mile logistics, FMCG or similar high‑volume operational environments, with strong understanding of UK compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated success managing large‑scale, geographically dispersed fleets and using telematics, fleet systems and route optimisation tools to drive performance.
• A commercially driven mindset, experienced in managing significant budgets and delivering meaningful cost efficiencies.
• Ability to leverage data and insight to simplify processes, solve operational challenges and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Strong leadership that inspires performance, creates accountability and brings teams together across multiple functions and regions.
• Skilled at influencing and collaborating across complex stakeholder groups, driving delivery through others with credibility and confidence.
• Deep understanding of business performance metrics and the ability to communicate commercial impacts clearly to colleagues at all levels.
• A leadership style that combines customer obsession, performance focus, strategic thinking and a commitment to growing and developing teams around you.

We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. Our digital team is a big team that reaches millions of customers each week — with tangible results. It’s also a place where you could get to discover different parts of the business, as you’ll have every chance to experience more than one. The culture in Digital is one of failing fast and experimenting, so from trading through to merchandising and forecasting, you’ll be part of a truly agile environment.

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 recognise 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:

 

Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to save 10% on your shopping online and instore at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat, and we regularly increase the discount to 15% at points during the year. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 65% of salary, depending on how we perform (in cash and shares).

 

Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy up to an additional week's holiday, and we provide private healthcare. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, salary advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. You'll also receive a company car cash allowance unless you are going to travel 10,000 business miles in your role, then you'll be able to choose a car. And if you ever need it there is also an employee assistance programme.

 

Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave.

 

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