Mentoring at Delivery Hero: Tech & Product

In this third article of our mentoring series, we deep dive into how our Tech and Product teams have consistently led the way when it comes to adoption and engagement of the monitoring program. 

Numbers that speak for themselves

The mentoring program kicked off at Delivery Hero in October 2022, with Tech and Product teams showing strong participation from the outset. Over the first four rounds of mentoring, the participation grew from 55% to 68% within these teams, and their share of mentoring hours increased from 53% to an impressive 76% compared to the rest of departments at Delivery Hero.

Encouraged by positive feedback from senior sponsors and participants, we expanded the program globally in May 2023 to include all of our Pandora teams - Pandora is a global platform that serves multiple brands around the world. By March 2024, 27% of Tech & Product Heroes from both Delivery Hero Central and Pandora teams, had enrolled in the program. 

To meet growing demand, we enhanced the matching process, adding department-specific criteria such as tech and product related skills, ensuring more relevant and impactful mentoring experiences were being provided. 

Why does mentoring matter in Tech & Product teams?

Mentoring has proven to be particularly valuable in Tech & Product for several key reasons:

• Sharing Unique Expertise: In the fast-paced world of tech, practical experience is critical, especially in solving industry-specific challenges. Mentoring allows senior professionals to pass on this valuable knowledge to junior colleagues, ensuring continuity and innovation within both the company and the industry.
• Career Guidance: Charting a career path in tech can be daunting, but having a mentor who has walked that journey can make all the difference. A mentor’s advice on career trajectories, skill development, and overcoming obstacles empowers mentees to advance confidently, helping the company retain top talent.
• Networking & Connection: In today’s post-pandemic world, human connections have become more precious than ever. Mentoring fosters these connections across verticals, tribes, and geographies, promoting not only knowledge sharing but also a sense of belonging and improved mental well-being.
• Personal Growth: Mentoring offers both mentors and mentees a safe, supportive environment for personal development. It fosters growth in communication, feedback, coaching, leadership skills, and much more.

Our recipe for mentoring success

• Engagement & Advocacy: The success of the program is a direct result of the commitment of our Heroes— from our executive sponsors Benjamin Mann, Chief Technology Officer and James Carter, Senior Vice President of Engineering at Delivery Hero, to every member of our mentoring community. Special thanks go to our long-time mentors, who continually share their expertise at promotional events and best practice sessions. The program’s success is also supported by assistants across verticals who help promote and communicate internally within the tribes. 
• Flexibility & Ownership: Unlike traditional corporate mentoring programs, Mentoring at DH gives participants the freedom to choose their own matches based on profiles, areas of expertise, and development needs. By putting mentees in control of their mentoring journey, we empower them to take ownership of their growth. Mentors also enjoy the flexibility to decide whether to accept a match request and manage their capacity and workload accordingly.
• Resources & Support: Our mentoring platform, Mentorcliq, houses a resource library with Delivery Hero specific materials—like our Code of Ethics and mentoring agreements—along with a wealth of constantly updated content from our partners. This includes articles, videos, and business cases covering everything from agenda templates to advanced coaching skills. The platform also offers MentorLab, providing on-demand training for mentors.

More than a program

Feedback has always been a cornerstone of our program, guiding our continuous improvement efforts. One area of focus for growth, especially in Tech and Product, is attracting more senior mentors to meet the needs of both experienced mentees and junior new hires.

Mentoring at Delivery Hero is more than a program- it’s a crucial part of fostering a thriving tech and product culture. By investing in these relationships, we empower our Heroes to continuously grow, learn, and contribute to the company’s innovation.

Whether you are sharing your expertise as a mentor or advancing your career as a mentee, you contribute to building a stronger, more connected community that drives the future of tech at Delivery Hero.

For the new round of mentoring, which opened on September the 2nd, we are working closely to recruit additional mentors. So, if you are at a IC3 level or above, you should consider joining the program as a mentor, and have the opportunity to learn from your senior peers whilst helping to ensure that knowledge exchange and networking remain core to Delivery Hero’s tech culture. 

Whether you are looking to be a mentor or participate as a mentee, you can find all the information you need to know in the latest mentoring slack and workplace announcement, or email the team directly at [email protected]