Management at Waitrose & Partners is totally different to anything you might have experienced. The quality (and origin) of the products we sell and the exceptional service we deliver all add up to making this a really exciting place to work.
Top this off with the fact that you become a Partner – so you get a share in the profits for all your hard work – and the support you get from our tailored Management Development Programme to be the best you can be, and you’ll see you made the right choice from day one.
Team Managers lead by example. This means you motivate the team by setting the highest standards – whether you’re supporting a Partner with their development, managing the shopfloor operation, or setting a strategy to improve customer service, and you’ll encourage others to do the same.
To be successful, you’ll ideally have experience of working in a customer facing environment, but it’s the ability to inspire those around you that will set you apart as a Waitrose & Partners Team Manager. An approachable, supportive and collaborative leader, you’ll focus on the success of the entire branch. Customer service, strategic thinking skills and tenacity to achieve goals are all part of your nature. And once you join as a Waitrose & Partners Team Manager, the prospects are excellent if you prove yourself as we expect you to.
As much as there’s The Waitrose Way of doing things, as a senior manager, we expect you to make your mark too. An expert as to what your local customers need, the success of the branch will ultimately be up to you. And whilst we’ll give you the autonomy you need, we’ll also give you the kind of operational back-up you’d expect from a service-driven company such as ours. Whatever experience you bring, our tailored Management Development Programme will help build on your experience and skills so you have all the tools to succeed. After all, as Partners… we’re in this together.
Our Branch Managers have that ‘something’ that makes them trusted and inspirational leaders. Part of that’s down to their proven operational and commercial retail experience, but it’s also down to being a skilled manager who is able to lead cultural change. We need people who can communicate their branch vision in a way that motivates, whilst developing the Partners around them to ensure everyone’s working to greater success.
They instinctively understand what’s needed operationally and commercially and then take the steps needed to get there. They’re not fazed by effectively running a £multi-million business in an ever-changing environment, it’s something that puts a spring in their step and their enthusiasm, and passion, for our products and customers is infectious.
As the deputy leader of your branch you’re accountable for its long-term success, so you’ll be passionate about setting and delivering the long-term strategy to get there. Customer experience, training and development, profitability and manpower planning are all in your remit and you promote teamwork across the branch to deliver results. Of course, exceptional service remains a large part of what makes your branch successful, so you’ll make sure it’s nothing short of perfection.
Whether you have built a career in retail directly from education or moved from a different sector completely, you have a passion for what we do – ideally in the food arena – and an impressive track record of leading a large team within a store or a business.
