Customer and Trading Manager

Sainsbury’s Group; Portishead; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discount card

Annual bonus

Free food & hot drinks

Holiday entitlement

Pension - employer contributions match

Share scheme

Wellbeing support

Colleague networks

Cycle to Work

Special offers

Job summary

Sainsbury’s Group is seeking a confident Customer & Trading Manager in Portishead to lead daily store operations and coach a team to deliver excellent customer service.

You will participate in the Manager New to Role learning programme, developing management skills through workshops, on‑the‑job development and mentoring, with the aim of running a store or shift independently.

Qualifications

• Consistently delivers great customer service and takes pride in helping customers and colleagues.
• Experience in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment.
• Shows initiative and willingness to take on greater responsibility with support.
• Open to feedback and committed to completing the 12‑week programme.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with a small team of managers to ensure the store runs smoothly.
• Take responsibility for day-to-day store operations and accountability for the full shop.
• Work with a team to serve customers efficiently and safely.
• Manage performance and scheduling; handle disciplinary matters as needed.
• Support other stores if required.

Skills

Customer service

People management

Team leadership

KPI delivery

Job description

Leading in our stores:

Our management teams don't just run stores - they're the driving force behind our business. With bold leadership, a passion for service and an eye for opportunity, they empower teams to raise the bar every single day for our customers. Whether it's product availability, safety standards, or delivering seamless daily operations, they're hands‑on, sleeves‑rolled‑up changemakers. And the impact? Work becomes more rewarding for our colleagues, and shopping becomes a next‑level experience for every customer who walks through our doors. This is how we bring our purpose to life, one powerful action at a time.

MNTR Description

Band 2 colleagues applying for this role will be supported through the Manager New to Role learning programme. This flexible 12‑week programme is designed to help colleagues moving into a Customer & Trading Manager role for the first time build the skills and confidence needed to succeed. The programme combines workshops, practical learning, on‑the‑job development and regular support from Learning Partners and Line Managers, helping colleagues build the confidence to run a store or shift independently. It also provides a valuable peer network, enabling new managers to learn and grow together.

Before applying for this role, please speak with your line manager to better understand the Customer & Trading Manager role and gain their support.

What you’ll be doing:

• Working closely with a small team of managers to make sure the store runs like clockwork every day.
• Taking responsibility for the day‑to‑day running of the store, often being the only manager in with accountability for the full shop.
• Work alongside a team to complete all tasks, ensuring our customers are served efficiently and safely.
• People management is also a big part of the role, managing performance and capability, conducting disciplinaries and ensuring scheduling and pay are accurate.
• Where we have close‑knit networks of convenience stores it may mean that you need to help another store now and then.

What makes a great customer & trading manager:

• You do not need previous line management experience. We're looking for someone who is ready to take their first step into management and develop through the Manager New to Role programme.
• Provides brilliant customer service, and coaches a team to do the same.
• Delivers KPI's or other performance indicators.
• Can manage disciplinaries, performance issues or other similar employee relations issues.
• Leads operations and comfortable doing this alone in the absence of more senior management.

Essential Criteria:

• Consistently delivers great customer service and takes pride in helping customers and colleagues.
• Experience of working as part of a team in a fast‑paced, customer‑facing environment.
• Shows initiative, uses good judgement and is ready to take on greater responsibility with support.
• Is open to feedback, keen to learn and committed to completing the 12‑week programme and applying the learning on the job.
• Has discussed the opportunity with their line manager and has their support to take the next step into management.

Working for us has great rewards

Salary will be dependent upon your experience as well as the store size, complexity and location.

Alongside this, we also offer a great range of benefits for our managers, including:

• Discount card - 10% discount off on your shopping at Sainsbury's, Argos, Tu and Habitat after four weeks. This increases to 15% discount off at Sainsbury's every Friday and Saturday.
• An annual bonus scheme based on our, and your, performance.
• Free food and hot drinks provided for Colleagues in all our stores.
• Generous holiday entitlement, maternity and paternity leave.
• Pension - we'll match 4-7.5% of your pension contributions.
• Sainsbury's share scheme - build up an investment at discounted rates.
• Wellbeing support - access to emotional support, counselling, legal and financial advice.
• Colleague networks - link with like‑minded people to help fulfil your potential.
• Our Cycle to Work scheme gives you the opportunity to hire a new bike and cycling equipment, whilst saving on tax and NI.
• Special offers on gym memberships, restaurants, holidays, retail vouchers and more.

An inclusive place to work and shop

We are dedicated to being a truly inclusive retailer, where every colleague can achieve their full potential and every customer feels welcome when they shop with us.

To support this commitment, our colleagues may be entitled to a range of enhanced discretionary leave for families, as well as support for carers. We provide our colleagues resources to help them understand and support their role and their team effectively. Our internal colleague networks seek to ensure true representation for everyone, helping us identify and remove barriers that our colleagues may face. We are proud to offer a range of development opportunities, including mentorship, training, and career progression pathways, to help our colleagues grow and succeed. We also celebrate diversity through various initiatives and events, fostering a culture of inclusion and respect.

If you would like to learn more about our commitment to inclusivity, please take a look here.