Customer Assistant

Sainsbury’s Group; North Tyneside; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discount card

Free food and hot drinks

Pension matching

Share schemes

Shopping discounts

Wellbeing support

Job summary

Sainsbury’s Group is hiring for an online fulfillment role in the North East region. You will pick and assemble online grocery orders at pace, maintaining high accuracy and quality standards under time pressure.

You may substitute items when unavailable and use handheld scanners to follow efficient routes to meet performance targets. You will also help prepare orders for dispatch, lift totes up to 20kg, and support van loading to ensure timely departures.

Qualifications

• Must hold a full UK driving licence for at least 12 months.
• Able to lift and move loads up to 20 kg repeatedly.
• Comfortable working at pace in a high-volume environment.

Responsibilities

• Picking and assembling online grocery orders quickly with accuracy.
• Selecting best products and making substitutions when needed.
• Using handheld tech to follow efficient pick routes and meet targets.
• Preparing orders for dispatch and handling totes up to 20 kg safely.
• Supporting loading of vans and maintaining flow in dispatch.
• Identifying and resolving stock or process issues to keep operations moving.
• Working across picking, marshalling, and dispatch support.
• Occasionally backing up delivery driving with safe customer service.
• Maintaining performance and quality across full shifts.

Skills

Driving licence

Fast-paced

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Physical stamina

Tools

Handheld scanner

Job description

• Picking and assembling online grocery orders at pace, maintaining high accuracy and quality standards under time pressure
• Selecting the best products for customers, including making quick, sensible substitution decisions when items are unavailable
• Using handheld technology to follow efficient pick routes and consistently meet performance targets (speed and accuracy)
• Preparing and organising orders for dispatch, including handling and moving totes up to 20kg safely and efficiently
• Supporting the loading of vans and maintaining flow in the dispatch area to ensure orders leave on time
• Proactively identifying and resolving issues (e.g. stock gaps, damaged items, bottlenecks) to keep the operation moving
• Working across different parts of the online operation as required, including picking, marshalling, and dispatch support
• Acting as a backup delivery driver when required, ensuring safe, professional, and efficient customer deliveries High-performance mindset
• Comfortable working at pace in a high-volume, target-driven environment
• Able to maintain performance consistently across a full shift, not just in short bursts

Physical capability

• Able to handle a physically demanding role, including lifting and moving loads up to 20kg repeatedly
• High levels of energy and stamina, with the ability to stay productive in a fast-moving environment

Proactive & self-sufficient

• Takes ownership of tasks and acts without waiting to be told
• Spots problems early and deals with them quickly to avoid impacting the wider operation

Strong decision-making

• Confident making quick, practical decisions (e.g. substitutions, problem-solving on the shop floor)
• Uses judgement to balance speed, accuracy, and customer outcomes

Team-focused

• Works collaboratively and understands how their performance impacts the wider operation and delivery timelines
• Willing to step in and support others to maintain flow during busy periods

Driving capability (essential)

• Holds a full UK driving licence for at least 12 months
• Confident driving regularly, with good awareness and ability to manage time pressures
• Comfortable supporting customer deliveries when needed

What makes a great colleague in this role

• Thrives in a fast-paced, physically demanding environment
• Stays calm and focused under pressure
• Balances speed with accuracy and attention to detail
• Reliable, consistent, and able to perform at peak times
• Takes pride in doing the job well and contributing to a high-performing team

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. Should you require any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview stages, please let us know, and we will endeavour to support you.

Wednesday: 04:00 - 08:00Thursday: 04:00 - 11:00Friday: 04:00 - 11:00Saturday: 04:00 - 08:00

Working in our stores Our stores are at their busiest during the festive season, when customers are counting on us to help make this magical time of year truly special. To get our store teams ready, we have both permanent and fixed-term vacancies available so please check the contract type above before applying to make sure it is the right role for you.

Important checks before you apply

• You must be above the school-leaver age in your country School leaving age - GOV.UK
• You must have Right to Work eligibility in the UK, Nightshift premium - in addition to the advertised hourly rate, a further £2.45 nightshift premium is paid for every hour worked between midnight - 5am (where applicable)
• Discount card - 10% off at Sainsbury's, Argos, Tu, and Habitat after four weeks, increasing to 15% discount at Sainsbury's every Friday and Saturday
• Free food and hot drinks - provided for colleagues in all our stores
• Generous holiday entitlement - based on the hours you work, plus maternity and paternity leave
• Pension - we'll match between 4-7.5% of your pension contributions
• Sainsbury's share schemes - buy Sainsbury's shares at discounted prices
• Shopping discounts - special offers on gym memberships, restaurants, holidays, retail vouchers and more
• Wellbeing support - including free access to our Employee Assistance Programme, a confidential service providing support and guidance on a wide range of issues