Lead Analyst - Retail

Lead Analyst - Retail

About the team

We are a multi-channel, multi-brand business serving millions of customers every day, supported by the UK's largest loyalty scheme and an evolving range of digital platforms. With more than 1.2 billion transactions each year, our data offers a scale, depth and complexity that creates exciting opportunities to solve real customer and operational challenges.

This role sits within Retail Transformation Analytics, part of the Chief Product and Analytics Office. Working across Sainsbury's and Argos, the team partners with colleagues across the business to identify opportunities, test ideas and develop analytical solutions that improve store processes, colleague experiences and the way we serve customers.

More about the role

As a Lead Analyst, you will lead complex analytics projects from problem definition through to recommendation and implementation. You will partner with stakeholders across Retail Transformation and the wider business, bringing structure to ambiguous challenges, defining the right analytical approach and ensuring the work supports clear decisions and measurable outcomes.

Day to day, you will combine data, commercial understanding and operational context to turn analysis into practical action. You will communicate complex findings through clear data storytelling, work at pace without compromising analytical rigour and stay focused on the value each project is intended to create. You will also manage and develop an Analyst, coach colleagues across the wider team and help improve the team's analytical approaches, tools and ways of working.

More about you

You can take an unclear business problem, structure it and determine an appropriate analytical approach. You have demonstrable SQL capability with large and complex datasets, alongside a track record of delivering analysis that leads to practical recommendations and measurable business impact. Experience using Python or R for statistical analysis, modelling or automation would be beneficial but is not essential.

You use commercial and operational judgement to understand what analytical findings mean in practice. You can explain complex concepts to technical and non-technical audiences, influence decisions and constructively challenge stakeholders. You are collaborative, curious and evidence-led, and you support the development of others through line management, coaching, mentoring or technical leadership.

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable strong experience using SQL to query, combine and analyse large or complex datasets.
• Evidence of structuring ambiguous business problems and selecting an appropriate analytical methodology, data and level of complexity.
• A track record of delivering analytics that produces actionable recommendations and measurable business or operational impact.
• Demonstrable experience communicating complex analysis to technical and non-technical stakeholders and using evidence to influence decisions.
• Experience developing others through line management, coaching, mentoring or technical leadership.
• Experience using Python or R is beneficial, particularly for statistical analysis, modelling or automation, but is not essential.

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At Sainsbury’s, data sits at the heart of how we operate, innovate and serve our customers. Our Data & Analytics team is building a technically advanced, commercially focused and impactful capability, powering our Next Level Strategy and helping to create a Sainsbury’s powered by industry leading AI algorithms. We use data, technology and advanced analytics to drive better decisions across the business, from forecasting and optimisation to experimentation, personalisation and machine learning. With one of the richest retail datasets I n the UK and a portfolio spanning Sainsbury’s, Argos, Habitat and Nectar, the opportunity to innovate is huge. Here, you’ll tackle complex challenges at scale, create measurable impact and grow quickly alongside brilliant colleagues. People who thrive with us combine business understanding, technical expertise and curiosity, with a natural instinct for problem-solving. Join us and help shape the future of retail through data and AI. 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 10% of salary, depending on how we perform. 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. 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. 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).