Junior Project Manager

Co-op Group; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A well-known retail cooperative is looking for a Junior Project Manager in Manchester to join their Transformation team. In this role, you will lead various projects, manage workstreams, and engage with internal partners to ensure successful delivery. Ideal candidates will have project management experience, excellent communication skills, and be familiar with methodologies such as Agile and Waterfall. This position offers a hybrid work environment, competitive salary, and a range of inclusive benefits.

Benefits

Annual bonus

28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service)

Pension with up to 10% employer contributions

Access to subsidised onsite gym

30% discount on Co‑op products

Virtual healthcare support

Training and development opportunities

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in project management or a similar role.
• Familiarity with project management methodologies like Waterfall and Agile.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects and manage workstreams, including scope and budget.
• Engage partners to define requirements and shape project outcomes.
• Prepare documentation and reports for governance forums.

Skills

Project management

Communication skills

Agile methodologies

Relationship building

Organizational skills

Commercial awareness

MS Office proficiency

Tools

Project management tools

Job description

Junior Project Manager

£42,000 to £47,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 6A)
Manchester city centre - in this role you'll work in a hybrid way splitting your time between home and the office (find out more about our hybrid working policy at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/hybrid-working-policy).

We're looking for a Junior Project Manager to join our Transformation team and help deliver some of Co-op's most complex and exciting projects. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with project management experience who's keen to grow their career. In this role, you'll lead projects or manage workstreams within larger programmes, working alongside project managers and senior project managers and getting plenty of support to learn and develop.

Why this role matters

You'll work on a wide variety of projects across different areas of our business—from tech implementations to major change initiatives. You'll engage internal partners, manage timelines, identify risks, and make sure projects deliver real business benefits. It's a role that offers exposure to senior leaders, hands‑on experience across our different business areas, and the chance to build strong foundations for a future in project management.

What you'll do

• Lead projects or workstreams within larger programmes, managing scope, budget, timelines, and risks
• Work with partners across the business to define requirements and shape outcomes
• Prepare project documentation and reports for governance forums and senior leaders
• Monitor budgets (up to £0.5m) and ensure projects deliver agreed benefits
• Use project management tools to track progress and maintain accuracy
• Apply different methodologies where appropriate (Waterfall, Agile, etc)
• Support change management activities and help embed new ways of working
• Learn from senior project managers and continuously develop your skills

What you'll bring

• Experience in project management or a similar role, with a good understanding of the project lifecycle and project management principles
• Familiarity with different project management methodologies (Waterfall, Agile)
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex information to non-technical audiences in an engaging and compelling way
• Ability to build positive relationships and work collaboratively with a wide variety of internal partners across the business
• Ability to organise, prioritise, and manage competing priorities
• Commercial awareness and understanding of budgets and business benefits
• Confidence using project management and reporting tools, as well as MS Office
• A proactive approach and willingness to learn and grow

Why Co‑op?

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
• 30% discount on Co‑op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme

A place you'll belong

We're building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We're proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we'll support you.

Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion.

Please note that we may close applications for this role early.

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co‑op colleague, this does not need to be completed.