Retail Trainee Manager - Abingdon

Fancy joining the UK’s number one Wine Specialist? Majestic Wine in Abingdon are looking for a dynamic, ambitious and driven individual who wants to grow and develop in a company that’s revolutionising retail!

Who are we? Majestic is the UK’s largest specialist wine retailer, operating a network of over 200 stores nationwide. Founded in 1980, the company recently passed back into private ownership following the acquisition of Fortress Investment Group and has undergone an ambitious transformation and turnaround programme. The results of which are now being seen, with record market share growth, a new and improved product range, a new website and six new stores – with a pipeline for future expansion over the next five years.

With no minimum purchase, the Majestic range includes over 1,100 different wines, spirits and beers both online and in‑store. Majestic’s key strength is over 1,000 WSET‑trained colleagues offering knowledgeable, friendly service across all channels.

The Role

As a Majestic Trainee Manager you will embark on a 12‑month development programme that will give you a detailed understanding and experience of all operational, service and leadership standards expected of a future Majestic Store Manager. You will work through the career pathway training programme with the support of your Store Manager, setting you up for future success.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive store performance by maximising sales opportunities.
• Optimise KPI performance in store by identifying focus KPIs and building plans to improve them and exceed targets.
• Deliver exceptional market‑leading customer service to drive business growth through customer loyalty and repeat purchases.
• Demonstrate that you make your own luck by offering your customers a VIP concierge service, actively contacting them with updates on products and tastings.
• Sell the story, not the discount. Demonstrate and share your passion for product with customers through an in‑depth knowledge of our range, manage a tasting events programme and execute an enticing, commercially savvy tasting counter.
• Take ownership of your wine knowledge, constantly learning about our products to support your WSET qualification and confidence in selling.
• Take accountability and pride for the physical appearance and maintenance of your store, both internally and externally.
• Involvement in all operational tasks to establish a thorough understanding of the day‑to‑day operations of running a Majestic Wine store – from delivering wine to our customers, merchandising stock deliveries and calling our valued customers to drive sales opportunities.
• Continuously identify opportunities to make improvements which will optimise the operational running of the store.
• Ensure you remain fully compliant, safe and legal by following internal policies, processes and completing mandatory training.
• Take ownership of your own development, utilising the support and resources available.
• Be an example of Majestic’s Ways of Working and provide support for more junior team members, feeding back to your Store Manager as appropriate.

Knowledge & Skills Required

• Experience of working as part of a team in a fast‑paced, target‑driven retail or hospitality environment.
• Be able to demonstrate your ability to deliver exceptional customer experience and service to every single customer.
• Prioritise and strategically problem‑solve in high‑pressure environments.
• Self‑motivated, able to thrive when working alone and as part of a team.
• A can‑do attitude with a passion for seeing problems through to solutions.
• Adaptable and resilient to meet the ever‑changing demands of our business.
• Excellent communication and time‑management skills.
• Wine knowledge is beneficial but passion to learn more is essential to pass level 2 & 3 WSET wine qualifications.
• Hold a full UK/EU/EEA driving licence for at least 12 months with no more than 6 penalty points.

What Is In It For You

• Competitive Salary & Performance Bonus
• Up to 20% staff discount
• Career development opportunities – we are passionate about nurturing our internal talent, offering career progression supported by our excellent in‑house training schemes!
• Fantastic incentives that take you around the world to explore our different vineyards.
• A contributory Company Pension Plan
• Life Assurance (worth 2 times your annual salary)
• Uniform provided
• 29 days holiday, including public and bank holidays. PLUS invites to wine tasting events
• Access to Retail Trust which includes: Retail Rewards, instant savings with discounted e‑vouchers, discounted reloadable shopping cards, gift vouchers and gift cards, discounts of up to 30%, and access to free counselling and support phone line.
• Company maternity, paternity and adoption leave after 26 weeks.
• Long‑service rewards
• Full training provided for your first 3 months with us, continued support throughout your career with Majestic Wine.
• Company sick pay scheme

Job Specifics

• Contract: Permanent
• Hours: 45 Hours Per Week
• Driving is a key part of this position: you must be comfortable driving one of our company vans. We will not accept candidates without a full UK manual driver’s licence (held for at least 12 months).
• Must be open to managerial opportunities in surrounding locations.

We look forward to receiving your application! Together we are Majestic!