Hospitality, Supermarket Assistant - Christmas reference: R-187453

Join Our Culinary Team as a Service Counter Partner!

Are you passionate about food and eager to share your knowledge with others? Do you thrive in a customer-centric environment and take pride in delivering exceptional service? If so, this Service Counter Partner role at Waitrose & Partners presents a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of high-quality food and contribute to a beloved brand.

This position goes beyond a traditional retail job. You'll be at the forefront of bringing the Waitrose ethos – "passionate Partners serving food lovers" – to life. Imagine yourself engaging with customers, offering insightful recommendations, and sharing your enthusiasm for ethically sourced products. It's a chance to build genuine connections and foster loyalty, directly impacting the customer's perception of the Waitrose brand.

Key Advantages for Your Career Path:

• Culinary Expertise & Development: This role is a perfect platform to showcase and deepen your understanding of food. You'll be encouraged to stay current with food and drink trends, learn about Waitrose's commitment to values like animal welfare, and recommend products with confidence.
• Customer Relationship Building: Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills as you build lasting relationships with customers. Earning their trust and loyalty is a core aspect of this role, which can be incredibly rewarding and transferable to future customer-facing opportunities.
• Ownership & Impact: As a Partner, you're more than just an employee – you're a co-owner of the John Lewis Partnership. This unique ownership model means you share in the rewards and successes of the business, fostering a sense of responsibility and pride in your work.
• Ethical Sourcing & Sustainability: Be part of an organization that prioritizes ethical sourcing. This aligns with a growing consumer demand for responsible businesses and can be a significant point of pride and a valuable learning experience for your career.
• Financial Incentives: In addition to your base pay of £12.40 per hour, there's a Night Premium of £3.50 per hour for time worked between 22:00 and 06:00, offering an attractive earning potential for those who work these hours.
• Flexibility & Work-Life Balance: The role offers varied part-time hours across seven days, which can accommodate different lifestyles. The Partnership is committed to supporting flexible working arrangements, including flexible or compressed hours, job sharing, and shorter contract options, which you can discuss further during your interview.

Key Considerations for Aspiring Candidates:

• Passion for Food: A genuine interest and knowledge of food and drink is essential. This role thrives on enthusiasm and the ability to convey that passion to customers.
• Customer Focus: You'll be expected to provide a high level of customer service, making a significant impression on every shopper.
• Responsibility & Attention to Detail: Taking responsibility for your own food counter means maintaining impeccable presentation and hygiene standards. You'll also need to be diligent with stock management and health & safety protocols, particularly when working with open food.
• Teamwork: While you'll have individual responsibilities, supporting the wider shop team is also a key part of the role. Strong communication and a collaborative spirit are vital.
• Flexibility: The nature of retail requires a flexible approach to working hours, including early starts, late finishes, evenings, and weekends.
• Vetting Requirements: Be aware that some roles may be subject to pre-employment vetting, which could include DBS checks. Prompt completion of any required documentation is encouraged.

This role is ideal for individuals who are looking to build a career rooted in excellent customer service, a passion for food, and a genuine sense of ownership. If you're ready to contribute to a thriving, employee-owned business and make a real difference to customers' shopping experiences, we encourage you to apply.