Head of Insight - Capability and Performance

Job Description

Booker Group is recruiting for a a Head of Insight Capability & Performance to lead the organisation’s commercial insight engine — ensuring the business has the forecasting accuracy, market intelligence, internal insight, and strategic planning capability needed to drive profitable growth. This role strengthens how the organisation understands performance, anticipates market shifts, and embeds insight into Trading, Brand, and Catering decision‑making. They ensure insight is consistent, credible, and actionable across all levels of the business.

This role will be based out of either our Wellingborough or Eccles office and will have the opportunity for hybrid working.

Market Insight & Forecasting (including Trading)

• Lead the end‑to‑end forecasting process, ensuring robust, data‑driven projections for sales, volume, customer demand, and category performance.
• Partner with Trading, Finance, and Supply Chain to align forecasts with commercial plans and operational requirements.
• Monitor market dynamics, economic indicators, and sector‑specific trends to identify risks and opportunities.
• Build forecasting models and capability that improve accuracy, agility, and scenario planning.
• Provide Trading teams with timely insight to support pricing, promotions, and category strategy.

Internal Insight (including Online)

• Own the internal performance insight agenda across Retail, Catering, and Online channels.
• Analyse customer behaviour, sales patterns, operational performance, and digital journeys to identify drivers of growth and underperformance.
• Develop dashboards, KPIs, and reporting frameworks that give leaders a clear view of performance.
• Ensure insight is consistent, comparable, and aligned across channels and functions.
• Partner with Digital and Online teams to understand conversion, customer journeys, and channel‑specific behaviours.

PGR & Brand Plans

• Lead the insight contribution to the Product Group Review (PGR) process, ensuring decisions are grounded in customer, market, and performance evidence.
• Provide strategic insight to shape annual and long‑term Brand Plans, including brand positioning, audience targeting, and proposition development.
• Ensure brand and product strategies are supported by robust data, clear narratives, and measurable outcomes.
• Work closely with Marketing, Product, and Commercial teams to embed insight into brand storytelling and proposition design.

Competitor Insight

• Build a comprehensive competitor intelligence programme covering pricing, product, proposition, digital experience, and market positioning.
• Monitor competitor activity and emerging disruptors, translating findings into clear strategic implications. Imp
• Produce regular competitor reviews for senior leadership, Trading, and Catering teams.

️ Project Support & Strategic Initiatives

• Provide analytical and insight support for major business projects, including proposition changes, operational improvements, and strategic investments.
• Lead insight workstreams within cross‑functional project teams, ensuring decisions are evidence‑based.
• Develop frameworks for evaluating project outcomes and measuring impact.
• Support Catering‑specific initiatives with tailored insight, modelling, and performance analysis.

️ Insight Sharing – Catering

• Create and deliver compelling insight tailored for Catering leadership, operational teams, and partners.
• Produce regular Catering insight packs covering customer behaviour, market trends, competitor activity, and performance drivers.
• Act as the insight ambassador for Catering, ensuring the function is customer‑led and commercially informed.

• Unlocking high performance and capability, coaching managers on how to effectively manage performance, creating environments where our teams are able to deliver our core purpose and delight our customers.
• Proactively managing succession planning and early career development, delivering a strong talent pipeline to meet current and future needs ensuring Booker is a place to get on.
• Using technology to collaborate on shared accountabilities, leading the way into a digital workplace to improve ways of working.
• Taking care for the health and safety of yourself and others who may be affected by your actions and being responsible for ensuring all our operations are free from hazards and reported when identified
• Following our Business Code of Conduct and always acting with integrity and due diligence
• Champion inclusion and diversity ensuring everyone is welcome at Booker

• Strong background in forecasting, commercial insight, or performance analytics.
• Ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insight.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Experience leading teams and managing cross‑functional projects.
• Knowledge of Catering, food‑to‑go, or hospitality sectors.
• Experience in brand planning or proposition development.
• Understanding of digital analytics and online customer behaviour

Booker is the UK's leading food & drink wholesaler. We are privileged to serve independent retailers, caterers and small businesses, from locations across the country. We operate over 190 cash and carry branches, eight distribution centres, five Best Food Logistics sites, as well as six support centre locations across the UK.

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) at Booker means that whoever you are and whatever your background, we always want you to feel represented and that you can be yourself at work. In short, we’re a place where Everyone’s Welcome.

We know life looks a little different for each of us. That’s why at Booker and Best, we always welcome conversations about flexible working. Some people are at the start of their careers, some want the freedom to do the things they love. Others are going through life-changing moments like becoming a carer, nearing retirement, adapting to parenthood, or something else. So, talk to us throughout your application about how we may be able to support you.

We’re proud that Booker is a Disability Confident Committed employer and we’re committed to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process. For further information on the accessibility support you can expect, please contact recruitment@bookergroup.com

Please note

We can only accept candidates over the age of 18 if the role requires working before 6:15 am or after 9:45 pm or involves working in areas such as the warehouse, beers, wines & spirits, and driving roles.

On the occasions where we have high volumes of applicants, some roles may close earlier than the advertised end date in order for us to manage all of the applicants appropriately. We will only be able to offer individual feedback to those candidates who attend an interview.

*Booker Group is part of Tesco plc, however, is operated separately from the core Tesco business and as such the benefits offered will be different from those offered at Tesco*

For more information about us please visit www.bookergroupjobs.co.uk