Graduate Trainee Waitrose Retail

About the roleAbout the role

Our 24-month Waitrose Retail Graduate Development programme offers a unique and comprehensive experience designed to develop the next generation of shop leaders in Waitrose retail. Over 2 years, graduates will gain hands-on experience through rotational placements in our shops and Retail Support Centre. This programme has been crafted to provide applicants who have recently or will imminently graduate with a holistic understanding of our retail operation, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to have a successful career in Waitrose Branch Management and to excel in this exciting and rapidly evolving retail environment. You will spend time as a Team Manager in Waitrose Shops (Core and Convenience model) as well as time within our Retail Support Centre.

• Working pattern/flexible working - This is a hybrid working role, therefore your time will primarily be split between working in our stores (location dependent based on applicants location) And up to one day a week in our Bracknell Head Office. 

• Salary range - The salary range for this role is set at £31,000 - £41,000

• Contract type - This is a 2 year fixed term contract

• Hours of work - 37.5 hours per week, working hours can be discussed at interview stage however weekend working on a rotation basis should be expected.

• For your Waitrose shop rotations the home location of the successful candidates will be taken into consideration for their placements.  We would aim for your rotation shops to be within an hour of travel time or 30 miles. For your Head Office rotation your role will be based at our Bracknell Head Office campus. Please note, any cost incurred as a result of travel to the office is the responsibility of the successful candidate. If you are required to travel to additional locations, our Travel Time and Expenses policies will apply.

Essential skills/experience you'll need

• You will need to be working towards, or achieved, the minimum of an honours degree within the last 12 months inclusive, to be eligible to apply. We will be unable to accept applications from Graduates before 2024. 

• Demonstrate a genuine passion and interest in grocery retail

• Demonstrate the ability to be able to solve complex problems and take a new perspective on existing solutions

• Have a focus on continuous improvement

• Be curious, creative and analytical

• Keep the customer in mind in identifying and developing solutions

• Be a team player

• Be flexible and adaptable

• Strong written and verbal communication skills 

• Mobility - Some rotations will be field-based covering a shop region, significant travel and expectations of a flexible rota across the trading week will be central to the role.

• Digital literacy 

• Strong organisation and time management skills 

• Experience working in customer focussed retail role

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Demonstrated leadership experience either professionally or through extra-curricular activities, volunteer work or prior employment 

• Project Management skills 

• Networking skills

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. If required, you’ll find out more about vetting throughout the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays.

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.