Waitrose Retail Graduate Trainee - London and South Regions

Waitrose & Partners; Camden Town; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent retail company in the UK is offering a two-year Branch Manager training program that includes hands-on experience in both shops and the head office. The program is designed for graduates, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of the retail environment and opportunities for career growth. Candidates should have a genuine interest in grocery retail and demonstrate strong communication and leadership skills. Flexible working arrangements are encouraged.

Qualifications

• Working towards or achieved an honours degree within the last 12 months.
• Genuine passion for grocery retail and customer experience.
• Focus on continuous improvement and creativity.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Gain hands-on experience through structured rotational placements.
• Learn about retail operations in both shops and head office.
• Assist in becoming a Branch Manager.
• Adapt to flexible working hours and various locations.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Analytical Skills

Project Management

Education

Honours degree

Job description

Programme Overview

Over these two years, you'll gain hands‑on experience through structured rotational placements within our shops (Core and Convenience models) and our central head office. This intensive programme is crafted to provide you with a holistic understanding of our entire retail operation, equipping you with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in this exciting and rapidly evolving environment. By the end of the programme, you'll be on track to become a Branch Manager within either one of our core stores or one of our convenience stores. This is a hybrid working role, with your time split primarily between our shops and our Bracknell Head Office campus (which you will attend up to one day a week during certain placements). Your shop rotation locations will generally be within one hour of travel time or 30 miles of your home location. Significant travel and a flexible rota across the trading week are central to the role, as some rotations are field‑based and cover a shop region.

Qualifications

• Working towards, or achieved, the minimum of an honours degree within the last 12 months (Graduates from 2025/2026 only).
• A genuine passion and interest in grocery retail and the customer experience.
• A focus on continuous improvement, being curious, creative and analytical.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Demonstrated leadership experience (professionally, extra‑curricular, volunteer work, or prior employment).
• Project Management and strong networking skills.

About the Opportunity

A unique opportunity; this scheme equips you with more than just technical knowledge. It provides you with a fantastic perspective into how Waitrose operates and the distinctive nature of The John Lewis Partnership. The opportunities for development have allowed me to expand my horizons, finesse my skills and inspire my future career. 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.

Our Culture and Values

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.

Benefits

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.