At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire your team to deliver exceptional customer service at Waitrose.
- Company: Join the UK's largest employee-owned business, where you're more than just an employee.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, night premium pay, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of care, belonging, and growth while enjoying excellent career opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a supportive environment that values your contributions.
- Qualifications: Experience in leading teams in fast-paced retail settings is essential.
The predicted salary is between 32000 - 45600 £ per year.
As a Team Manager in one of our Waitrose shops, you'll influence and motivate your team and be a positive role model for delivering outstanding Partner-led, customer service that is distinctively Waitrose, passionate Partners serving food lovers. Your strong leadership and team working skills will make all the difference to your team and, ultimately, the impression our customers have about the Waitrose brand. Keeping them returning again and again by earning their trust and loyalty for a lifetime, whilst helping to maximise sales and profit.
In addition to your contractual pay, any time worked between 22:00 - 06:00 will attract Night Premium at a rate of £4.75 per hour. This will also apply to existing Partners who have enrolled onto Enhanced Hours Premium arrangements.
Due to the nature of this role, applicants must be 18 years or over to apply.
Key Responsibilities
- Using your commercial skills to maximise sales and profit while minimising wastage.
- Ensuring consistently high levels of availability and merchandising as well as delivering an efficient, legal, and secure store operation.
- Improving and maintaining customer satisfaction.
- Using your people skills to manage your team, from leading and inspiring to people related tasks like organising holidays and managing absences.
- Create a supportive culture of care, belonging, pace and productivity.
- Engage and lead partners in delivering and embedding change consistently and effectively within your shop.
Essential skills/experience you'll need
- Experience of leading a team with a proven track record in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment.
- Ability to build high-performing teams, recognise talent, and hold regular, honest performance conversations.
- A passion for retail, understanding competitors and the economic factors impacting the Partnership.
- Ability to assess workload realistically and adapt plans to ensure deadlines are hit and stakeholder relationships are maintained.
- Ability to communicate with clarity and influence stakeholders at all levels.
Desirable skills/experience you may have
- Experience with Disciplinary & Grievance processes.
- Hiring Manager/ Recruitment experience.
- Food Hygiene Level 3.
- Personal licence holder.
- Experience in regulatory compliance management.
Closing Date: September 17, 2026
Pay: £32,000.00 - £45,600.00
Annual Contract Type: Permanent
Hours of Work: Varied hours of full time work (37.5 hours per week) across seven days to include early starts, late finishes, evenings and weekends.
Job Level: Partnership Level 8
Where You'll Be Working: Reading (Waitrose & Partners), 980 Oxford Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 6WR
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 also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants. 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.
Team Manager in Reading employer: John Lewis plc
John Lewis Waitrose & Partners is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that values teamwork and customer service. With flexible part-time hours and a night premium for late shifts, employees enjoy a balanced work-life experience while contributing to a community-focused environment in Locks Heath. Opportunities for personal growth and development are encouraged, making it a rewarding place to build a career in retail and delivery.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Team Manager in Reading
✨Get Your Retail Game On
Start by getting to know the local retail scene. Make a list of stores that align with your vibe and visit them. You'll be surprised at how many job openings come from chatting with staff or managers in-store. Plus, showing that you have a genuine interest in their brand can make you stand out when applying for that full-time role!
✨Join Retail Networks and Forums
Tap into retail-specific communities and forums, whether online or in-person. Platforms like Retail Week or local retail meetups can provide invaluable insights and connections. You never know who might drop a tip about an upcoming job at companies like John Lewis plc, so don’t miss out on building those relationships!
✨Be Ready for Busy Season Opportunities
Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal hiring windows, especially in the run-up to major shopping periods. Retailers often look for full-time staff to carry through busy times and may even keep you on after the season. Stay proactive by regularly checking in with your favourite retailers about their hiring plans.
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail’s all about customer interactions, so make sure you showcase any relevant experience in your conversations and interviews. Share specific examples of your customer service skills and how they’ve led to positive outcomes. This is your moment to shine when applying to roles at places like John Lewis plc!
We think you need these skills to ace Team Manager in Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any experience where you've dealt with customers, whether it’s resolving issues or enhancing the shopping experience. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations with ease.
Tailor Your CV for Retail:When applying for a full-time role like this one at John Lewis plc, customise your CV to reflect retail-specific buzzwords. Include any relevant skills such as inventory management or visual merchandising, and if you have experience with POS systems, shout about it! This will show you’re serious about joining the retail team.
Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Don’t just repeat your CV in your cover letter! Use it as a chance to explain why you're excited about the opportunity at John Lewis plc and how your values align with their brand. Mention specific aspects of the company that resonate with you and let your enthusiasm shine through!
Highlight Your Adaptability:In retail, things can get busy and unpredictable, so demonstrate how adaptable and flexible you are. Share examples of times you've had to adjust your approach on the fly or take on new responsibilities. This will show John Lewis plc that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at John Lewis plc
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail is all about providing an exceptional customer experience, so be ready to discuss your past customer service stories. We should have examples on hand of how we've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond to meet a customer's needs. These anecdotes will bring your application to life!
✨Familiarity with Point of Sale Systems
Many retail roles require us to work with Point of Sale (POS) systems, so it's a good idea to brush up on any relevant software you’ve used before. If you’re familiar with systems like Shopify or Square, don’t forget to mention this during the interview. Highlighting technical proficiency can set us apart from other candidates!
✨Understand Product Knowledge
Be prepared to discuss the products that the store sells and how we can contribute to their sales. Showing enthusiasm for the products and a willingness to learn can impress interviewers. We should research popular items or trends in the industry before the interview, so we can speak confidently about them.
✨Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios
Many retail interviews include role-playing scenarios where we might have to deal with a difficult customer or upsell a product. Practising these scenarios with a friend or family member can help us feel more comfortable. The key here is to showcase our problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure!
