Store Programme

Applications for the Store programme are now closed.

Some of our main board directors started in stores. Which probably says all you need to know about the scope for career potential at Tesco.

We never forget that stores are at the heart of our business. Working with all the other business areas, we make sure that our stores always come up to scratch for our customers. Whether it’s making sure their favourite ketchup is always available, giving them the best deals on the latest gadgets, or shortening the queues at the tills.

Join our Store Management programme and, after a year you’ll be ready to run a key area in one of our stores, such as non-food, or perhaps you will be a store manager of an Express site. Within three to five years, we want you to manage a large store, with a multi-million pound business with hundreds of staff working for you.

Store Management

The store programme will equip you with all the skills you need to become a senior manager. And we’ve got plenty to choose from – our Extra, Express, Metro and Superstore formats each offer their own unique challenges. The programme in Metro is two years long and at the end of it you will manage a store of your own. Together, the different formats offer customers every kind of shopping experience. And for you, they offer pretty much the same – a variety of opportunities and a breadth of experience.

Throughout the programme you’ll get a real insight into different aspects of the business. As a manager, you’ll be responsible for delivering for our customers through leading teams, launching new products, keeping an eye on the balance sheet and keeping the shelves stocked. So you’ll have training in specialist areas of the store and translate that into hands-on experience in store.

You’ll also get to grips with the different specialist areas of our stores, such as non-food and Personnel. This won’t just give you valuable skills. You’ll also get a strong idea of how all the different parts of Tesco work together to deliver the best possible products and services for our customers.

As part of your programme, you will work on a project to solve a real business issue, which is set by an Operations Director. This will give you great exposure and the opportunity to work with people at all levels.

You will also receive on-going support through a structured plan of mentoring sessions, sponsored by Store Directors, and centrally-run review meetings as well as graduate development days.

What you’ll need

Naturally, you’ll need to be a good communicator, with leadership potential and the character to listen to the people around you. You’ll realise that you don’t know it all, and you’ll be prepared to keep on learning throughout your career. Most of all, you’ll have a real desire to work in retail and with customers.

Any experience you’ve got of dealing with customers would be a definite advantage. If you’ve already got some retail experience and you’re not fazed by working shifts, all the better. Many of our stores are open 24 hours a day, so you’ll need to be prepared to work nights every so often, to get a vital understanding of this side of our business.

If you really want to understand what it’s like to be part of our business, why not come and work for us part-time in your local store before you apply.

To sum up, what we’re looking for is:

• At least a 2:1 degree in any discipline (or expect to receive)
• Energy, enthusiasm, determination with a can-do attitude
• Personal skills to be an inspiring people leader
• Plenty of confidence
• People who thrive in a challenging environment
• People who enjoy working in customer services
• Good planning and organisational skills
• A natural flair for teamwork
• Aspiration to be one of our senior managers of the future
• Nationwide mobility

Find out more from our graduates:

• Jane
• Jay
• Claire