Customer Assistant – Christmas

John Lewis Partnership; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading UK department store is seeking temporary partners for the Christmas season as Customer Assistants. Responsibilities include delivering exceptional customer service, driving sales, and supporting shop operations. Basic IT and communication skills are essential. Various part-time positions are available, offering competitive hourly pay. The role includes comprehensive training and opportunities for permanent positions.

Qualifications

• Basic IT literacy.
• Good communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Deliver engaging customer service at every stage of the customer journey.
• Use product knowledge to drive sales and increase profits.
• Acknowledge customers proactively and resolve queries.
• Support the wider team with till, stock, and general shopkeeping tasks.

Job description

About the roleChristmas is an exciting time at John Lewis & Partners, and a magical atmosphere builds in our shops throughout the festive season. It’s our Partners' dedication and commitment to helping customers find the perfect gift for their loved ones that makes it a memorable experience for all.

We are looking for temporary partners to help us deliver the service we are famous for. As a seasonal Customer Assistant, you’ll be part of something really special, working as part of a diverse team where you are free to be yourself.

At a glance:

• Temporary contracts across the Christmas period
• Pay - £12.40 hourly
• Various Part Time positions available, ranging from 12 hours to 36.5 hours per week, to include early starts, late evenings and weekend working between the hours 06:00 - 21:10
• Interviews will be w/c 24th Novemberand will be Group Assessments
• Full training will be provided, which includes digital learning and on-the-job training to ensure you feel confident and supported in your new role

Key responsibilities:

Working in our shops can be fast-paced and varied. On a day‑to‑day basis, you'll be responsible for:

• Delivering engaging and inspirational customer service at every stage of the customer journey
• Using your product knowledge and sales training to drive sales and increase profits for the Partnership
• Putting the customer at the heart of everything you do, proactively acknowledging and taking the time to understand what they are looking for / resolving any queries they may have
• Working flexibly across the shop to support the wider team as required, including till support, stock replenishment, price ticketing and general shop‑keeping tasks

Essential skills and/or experience you'll need:

• Basic IT literacy
• Communication skills

Desirable skills and/or experience you may have:

• Experience of working in a customer‑facing role is welcomed but not essential. We'll train you in all you need to know so that you can perform at your best, every day
• Merchandising and product displays experience

Additional Information

• There may be some permanent roles available, but most roles are temporary until early January 2026
• Please advise us at the application stage if you require a reasonable adjustment as part of the assessment process
• We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early

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 (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third‑party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

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.