At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the customer experience and manage store operations for a top retail brand.
- Company: Join Sainsbury’s, a leading retailer committed to inclusivity and customer satisfaction.
- Benefits: Enjoy discounts, bonuses, free food, generous holidays, and career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on customer experiences while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in fast-paced environments and a passion for exceptional customer service.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team with great growth potential and support.
The predicted salary is between 27000 - 38000 £ per year.
Overview
Salary: 32700
Location: Fairfield Park Store, Bedford, MK41 7PJ
Contract type: Permanent
Business area: Retail
Closing date: 21 February 2026
Requisition ID: 400048596
Shift hours
- Early shift: 06:30 - 14:30
- Late shift: 14:00 - 22:00
Leading in our stores
Our management teams don’t just run stores - they’re the driving force behind our business. With bold leadership, a passion for service and an eye for opportunity, they empower teams to raise the bar every single day for our customers. Whether it’s product availability, safety standards, or delivering seamless daily operations, they’re hands-on, sleeves-rolled-up changemakers. And the impact? Work becomes more rewarding for our colleagues, and shopping becomes a next-level experience for every customer who walks through our doors. This is how we bring our purpose to life, one powerful action at a time.
What you’ll be doing
- Taking responsibility for the overall customer experience across the store from the checkout to back of house ensuring we deliver on our customer commitments.
- Managing the front-end checkout operation, ensuring all our customers are served in line with our expectations.
- Managing operations in our petrol station (if your shop has one).
- People management is a big part of the role, managing performance and capability, conducting disciplinaries and ensuring scheduling and pay are accurate.
- At times you may assume overall responsibility for running the store, making sure that all colleagues are given direction and support to deliver for the customer.
What makes a great customer experience manager
- Previous line management responsibilities in a fast-paced, operational environment.
- Someone who is truly obsessed with customers and service, and coaches a team to do the same.
- Delivers KPIs or other performance indicators.
- Can manage disciplinaries, performance issues or other similar employee relations issues.
- Leads operations and is comfortable doing this alone in the absence of more senior management.
- A track record of delivering exceptional customer experiences, with evidence of coaching others to consistently raise the bar.
- Experience leading teams in a dynamic, customer-facing environment — you’ve inspired others, driven high performance, and created a culture where colleagues thrive.
- Leadership experience in a high-volume, fast-paced operational setting — whether in retail, food service, or hospitality — where you’ve overseen daily operations, solved business problems, and kept teams focused on what matters most: delivering for customers.
- Proven success in delivering against a wide range of KPIs — from sales and stock availability to customer satisfaction and colleague engagement, you’ve made a measurable difference.
- Experience managing complex people matters, including performance, absence, and formal employee relations cases, with confidence and fairness.
Working for us has great rewards
Salary will be dependent upon your experience as well as the store size, complexity and location. Alongside this, we also offer a great range of benefits for our managers, including:
- Discount card – 10% discount off on your shopping at Sainsbury’s, Argos, Tu and Habitat after four weeks. This increases to 15% discount off at Sainsbury’s every Friday and Saturday and 15% off at Argos every pay day.
- An annual bonus scheme based on our, and your, performance.
- Free food and hot drinks provided for colleagues in all our stores.
- Generous holiday entitlement, maternity and paternity leave.
- Pension – we’ll match 4-7.5% of your pension contributions.
- Sainsbury’s share scheme – build up an investment at discounted rates.
- Wellbeing support – access to emotional support, counselling, legal and financial advice.
- Colleague networks – link with like-minded people to help fulfil your potential.
- Our Cycle to Work scheme gives you the opportunity to hire a new bike and cycling equipment, whilst saving on tax and NI.
- Special offers on gym memberships, restaurants, holidays, retail vouchers and more.
An inclusive place to work and shop
We are dedicated to being a truly inclusive retailer, where every colleague can achieve their full potential and every customer feels welcome when they shop with us. To support this commitment, our colleagues may be entitled to a range of enhanced discretionary leave for families, as well as support for carers. We provide our colleagues resources to help them understand and support their role and their team effectively. Our internal colleague networks seek to ensure true representation for everyone, helping us identify and remove barriers that our colleagues may face. We are proud to offer a range of development opportunities, including mentorship, training, and career progression pathways, to help our colleagues grow and succeed. We also celebrate diversity through various initiatives and events, fostering a culture of inclusion and respect. If you would like to learn more about our commitment to inclusivity, please take a look here.
Should you require any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview stages, please let us know, and we will endeavour to support you.
Customer Experience Manager in Bedford employer: Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd
Contact Detail:
Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Customer Experience Manager in Bedford
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company inside out! Research their values, mission, and recent news. This way, when you walk into that interview, you can show them you're not just another candidate but someone who genuinely cares about what they do.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice makes perfect! Grab a mate and do some mock interviews. Focus on common questions for Customer Experience Managers and nail down your answers. The more comfortable you are, the better you'll come across in the real deal.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your people skills! Be ready to share examples of how you've managed teams and improved customer experiences. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses and make them impactful.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can go a long way. It shows your enthusiasm for the role and keeps you fresh in their minds. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate why you’re the perfect fit!
We think you need these skills to ace Customer Experience Manager in Bedford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Customer Experience: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for customer service shine through. Share specific examples of how you've gone above and beyond to create exceptional experiences for customers in your previous roles.
Highlight Your Leadership Skills: As a Customer Experience Manager, you'll be leading a team. Make sure to showcase your leadership experience in your application. Talk about how you've inspired others, managed performance, and created a positive work environment.
Be Specific About Your Achievements: Use numbers and metrics to back up your claims. Whether it's improving customer satisfaction scores or hitting sales targets, quantifying your achievements will make your application stand out.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our company culture there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd
✨Know Your Customer Experience
Make sure you understand what exceptional customer experience means in a retail environment. Be ready to share examples of how you've improved customer satisfaction in previous roles, and think about how you can apply that knowledge to the store you're interviewing for.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Customer Experience Manager, you'll be leading a team. Prepare to discuss your leadership style and provide specific examples of how you've motivated and developed your team in the past. Highlight any experience you have with managing performance issues or conducting disciplinaries.
✨Familiarise Yourself with KPIs
Understand the key performance indicators relevant to the role. Be prepared to discuss how you've successfully met or exceeded KPIs in your previous positions. This shows that you’re results-driven and know how to keep a team focused on achieving goals.
✨Emphasise Inclusivity and Team Culture
This company values inclusivity and a positive team culture. Think about how you can contribute to this environment and be ready to discuss your approach to fostering a supportive workplace. Share any initiatives you've led or participated in that promote diversity and inclusion.