Retail Area Manager

Deliveroo is on a mission to change the way that people shop and eat. We want to be the platform that people turn to whenever they think about food or groceries. We continue to operate in a competitive marketplace but have achieved so much over the past year, including significant growth in our HOP, Grocery, Editions, Signature & Plus businesses.

We continue to innovate and challenge ourselves on what we should deliver next to achieve our mission. We are investing and building out teams to help us launch new innovative products. It's an exciting time to join and while we have made great progress, we are just getting started!

Deliveroo ODG

Deliveroo ODG is a key part of Deliveroo’s speedy grocery delivery service. Our mission is to deliver groceries to customers around the world in as little as 15 minutes - from the weekly shop to a last-minute dinner party or a late-night snack. Working with trusted grocers, ODG promises to bring customers the very best products with speed and accuracy.

The team behind Deliveroo ODG are building partnerships with key grocery partners across the UAE to launch a combination of picker and non-picker sites. Picker sites are sites where all Deliveroo orders are fulfilled by experts who have been specially trained to manage the operations efficiently as well as pick and pack orders in record time.

We’re looking for people with exceptional drive and entrepreneurial spirit to join the team at Deliveroo ODG. Hungry to win? This is an exciting time to join the Deliveroo ODG team within the broader Deliveroo organisation - we’re only just getting started!

The Role

The Area Manager is a pivotal leader responsible for remote Live Operations (Live Ops) support for third-party ODC partners and overseeing the performance and growth of the Retail category (including non-food and pharmacy partners). This role focuses on optimizing operational execution, specifically by driving down Rejections and cancellations (CxL) for all retail partners. They are responsible for managing a dedicated team for Live Ops and Retail, fostering strong relationships with the Commercial Retail team, and leading strategic initiatives and projects, such as seasonal campaigns like Valentine's Day activations.

Key Responsibilities:

Create and implement systems to drive performance across ODC
Lead and manage the dedicated Live Operations and Retail team, providing remote operational support for third-party ODC/ODG partners and driving performance improvements across the retail vertical.
Take direct accountability for driving customer experience across retail partners by implementing, monitoring, and optimizing operational workflows, SOPs, and escalation processes.
Own the relationship and strategic alignment with the Commercial Retail Team, translating commercial goals into operational priorities and driving joint initiatives across third-party (3P) operations.
Lead and execute strategic projects and initiatives in the retail space, including seasonal activations like Valentine's Day, ensuring operational readiness, successful execution, and post-launch analysis.
Design and scale operational frameworks and SOPs for Live Ops and Retail, focusing on service quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction metrics.
Drive root cause analysis and incident management for SLA breaches, Rejections, and operational failures—ensuring timely corrective actions and robust long-term solutions.
Ensure third-party partners meet all service level agreements (SLAs), key performance indicators (KPIs), and contractual compliance standards.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Tech, Product, and Partner teams to optimize order flows, conversion, availability, and accuracy for retail categories.
Manage vendor onboarding and integration processes, including stock file syncing, tech integrations, and partner system alignment.
Implement dashboards and analytics tools to monitor key performance drivers: order accuracy, availability, Rejections (CxL), and overall team productivity.
Support regional knowledge sharing and the scaling of best practices across different markets.Design and scale operational workflows, SOPs, picker performance frameworks, escalation processes, and incentive/coaching models.

Core Competencies:

Live Operations & Remote Retail Operations Leadership
CxL & Rejection Management
Team Leadership & Development
Process Design & Scaling
Strategic Project Management (e.g., Seasonal Activations)
Commercial Relationship Management
KPI Analytics, Dashboarding & Root Cause Analysis
Third-Party (3P) Vendor Management & Compliance

Requirements

Strong leadership and team management skills
Strong analytical skills and a data driven approach
Experience in a management position in Grocery or Retail
Hands-on mentality
Experience in operations management within a fast-paced environment
Good communication skills and a good proficiency in both written and spoken English
Proven ability to manage multiple sites and large teams
Excellent organizational and problem-solving abilities
Data-driven decision-making capability
Ability to motivate and develop a high-performing team
Ability to work on 12 month plans to achieve strategic initiatives, delegating where necessary
Knowledge of grocery retail operations and inventory management
Strong understanding of health and safety regulations
Experience with performance management and setting KPIs

Workplace & Diversity

At Deliveroo, we know that people are the heart of the business and we prioritise their welfare. We offer a wide range of competitive benefits in areas including health, family, finance, community, convenience, growth and relocation.

We believe a great workplace represents the world we live in and how beautifully diverse it can be. That means we have no judgment when it comes to any one of the things that make you who you are - your gender, race, sexuality, religion or a secret aversion to coriander. All you need is a passion for (most) food and a desire to be part of one of the fastest growing startups in an incredibly exciting space.