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 pension contributions.
- 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: Opportunities for career growth and a supportive, inclusive workplace culture.
The predicted salary is between 31450 - 44030 ÂŁ per year.
Salary: From ÂŁ31,450
Location: Walton on Thames Store, Walton-On-Thames, 12 1AD
Contract type: Permanent
Business area: Retail
Closing date: 10 February 2026
Requisition ID: 400045204
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.
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 (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 KPI's or other performance indicators.
- Can manage disciplinaries, performance issues or other similar employee relations.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Walton-on-Thames 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 Walton-on-Thames
✨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, like how you handle difficult customers or manage a team. The more you practice, the more confident you'll feel when it counts.
✨Tip Number 3
Network, network, network! Connect with current employees on LinkedIn or attend industry events. You never know who might give you a heads-up about an opportunity or even put in a good word for you!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team and ready to make a difference in customer experience.
We think you need these skills to ace Customer Experience Manager in Walton-on-Thames
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Customer Service: When writing your application, let your love for customer service shine through! Share specific examples of how you've gone above and beyond to create exceptional experiences for customers. We want to see that you're not just a manager, but a true advocate for the customer.
Highlight Your Leadership Skills: Make sure to showcase your leadership experience in your application. Talk about how you've inspired teams, managed performance, and tackled challenges head-on. We’re looking for someone who can lead by example and motivate others to deliver their best.
Be Specific About Your Achievements: Quantify your successes wherever possible! Whether it’s improving KPIs or enhancing team performance, use numbers to back up your claims. This helps us see the impact you've made in previous roles and how you can bring that to our store.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. 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 for the company. Research their values and how they prioritise customer service. Be ready to share examples from your past roles where you’ve gone above and beyond to enhance customer satisfaction.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Customer Experience Manager, you'll need to demonstrate strong leadership. Prepare to discuss your previous line management experiences, focusing on how you've inspired teams and handled performance issues. Use specific examples to illustrate your ability to lead in a fast-paced environment.
✨Prepare for Operational Scenarios
Expect questions about managing daily operations and problem-solving in a retail setting. Think of scenarios where you had to make quick decisions or manage complex people matters. Practise articulating these experiences clearly, highlighting your thought process and outcomes.
✨Emphasise Your Coaching Ability
The role requires coaching others to deliver high performance. Be prepared to discuss how you've developed team members in the past. Share specific instances where your coaching led to improved results, and be ready to explain your approach to fostering a culture of continuous improvement.