John Lewis Partnership
Head of Agriculture, Aquaculture & Fisheries
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ABOUT THE ROLE
Critical purpose of the role:
To set the strategy and lead the Partnership's Agriculture, Fisheries & Aquaculture Agenda. With accountability for creating the strategy and direction in line with the wider Partnership Ethics & Sustainability Framework and the strategic plans in each Line of Business. Set the Partnership's ethics & sustainability standards in supply chains, specifically for livestock, fresh produce, fisheries and aquaculture. Lead other SMEs with deep expertise, utilise their knowledge and ensure they understand how their contributions support this. Prioritise and drive activities which will protect, enhance and differentiate the Partnership’s position as a market leader in this area, and play a critical role in the overall leadership of the Ethics & Sustainability function.
Be the figure head of the strategic relationship between Waitrose and their Farmers, Growers and Fishers. Ensuring Waitrose builds and maintains a resilient supply chain.
Job Description
Primary Outcomes & Accountabilities
- Clearly defined strategic objectives, activities and metrics for agriculture, fisheries & aquaculture and contribute towards a cohesive overall Ethics & Sustainability strategy and the Partnership Plan.
- Relevant policies in place with clear ownership and review process.
- Relevant internal or supplier-based governance groups effectively managed to ensure implementation of relevant policies, standards and protocols.
- Performance in area recognised by key NGOs; relevant customer perception metric(s) improves.
- Financial and risk management for responsible sourcing.
- Lead relevant internal or supplier-based governance groups effectively to ensure the implementation of the strategy, policies, standards and protocols.
Stakeholder Leadership & Governance:
- Act as the principal relationship holder and "figure head" for the Waitrose brand with farmers, growers, and the entire supply chain. Lead governance groups to ensure delivery against sustainability objectives (e.g., net zero, Farming for Nature) and manage the reporting and progress against agricultural, aquaculture, and fisheries targets.
- Represent the partnership's engagement for the Duchy Organics Board, and on all matters relating to farming, as the royal warrant, the Duchy board require.
- Be accountable for the progress against agricultural, aquaculture and fisheries targets, including how they are managed and reported, building the Partnership’s reputation in this space.
Measures of success:
- Progress against defined targets (including existing public commitments and the Waitrose Agriculture Plan) and defined additional targets as required.
- Performance in agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries metrics recognised by key NGOs; and relevant customer perception metric(s) are market leading.
- That Partnership teams such as Farming for Nature have the access required and routes to delivering their plans within the farming and fisheries supply base.
- Ensure JLP meets legal obligations and stakeholder expectations relating to external disclosure for areas of responsibility, including reportable and assurable compliance against policies & relevant legislative/regulatory requirements.
- Budget, risk register and associated actions robustly managed.
- High team satisfaction with development and succession planning in place
- Positive internal stakeholder relationships up to and including Board level. This includes within the supply base and across the farming and fishing industry.
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Skills
Key Leadership Competencies: Agriculture, Aquaculture & Fisheries
Strategic Leadership & Responsible Sourcing
- Define and lead the visionary strategic direction for Responsible Sourcing, translating it into a commercial agenda that delivers superior business results and positive environmental and social impact.
- Proactively identify and monitor emerging trends and opportunities, keeping the business current on external developments.
- Advise on and implement solutions to mitigate risks and capitalise on opportunities presented by the external landscape.
Stakeholder Management & Influence
- Build and maintain robust internal and external relationships to maximise the delivery of the agriculture, aquaculture, and fisheries strategy.
- Confidently navigate and influence complex, multi-layered stakeholder relationships through negotiation, challenge, and persuasion to drive commercial benefit.
- Establish and leverage a comprehensive external network to advance and influence the Partnership's E&S agenda.
Commercial Acumen & Ethics
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of, and passion for, Ethics & Sustainability, particularly Responsible Sourcing, within the retail sector and wider industry.
- Apply strong business acumen to unlock competitive advantage and identify commercial opportunities across the business.
- Understand the operational and financial impact of the E&S Strategy, specifically Responsible Sourcing, and assist the business in identifying new commercial opportunities.
Resilience & Personal Growth
- Navigate overtly challenging situations with a positive and proactive approach, underpinned by strong self-awareness.
- Actively seek and accept developmental and reinforcing feedback to ensure continuous personal and leadership progression.
External Representation
- Serve as the lead representative for the Partnership in all external events and media engagements pertaining to agriculture, aquaculture, and fisheries.
Qualifications & Experience
Essential
- Deep Sectoral Expertise: Demonstrable, in-depth knowledge of agriculture (both livestock and fresh produce) and fisheries/aquaculture, including external market trends and best practices.
- Operational and Supply Chain Knowledge: Detailed understanding of the production, manufacturing, and supply chain processes within the relevant sectors.
- Policy and Governance: Working knowledge of applicable law, governance structures, and policy frameworks.
- Regulatory Compliance: Extensive experience in understanding, interpreting, and applying relevant legislation, certification standards, and assurance schemes within a commercial context.
- Strategic Leadership: Proven, extensive experience in leading successful strategic projects, programmes, and complex multi-stakeholder groups.
- Impact Measurement and Communication: Broad experience in defining, measuring, reporting, and effectively communicating impact within the subject area.
- Networking: A wide, established network within the relevant fields.
- Team Management: Experience in leading and managing teams.
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Desirable
- Degree level qualification or relevant experience in relevant subject area
Closing Date:
September 27, 2026
Pay:
£127,000.00 - £190,000.00 Annual
Contract Type:
Permanent
Hours of Work:
Head Office Working, Monday to Friday
Job Level:
Partnership Level 4
Where You'll Be Working:
Bracknell Campus, Doncastle Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8YA
ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP
We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.
We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.
As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.
We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.
As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.
Important points to note:
It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.
We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.
We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.
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