Tesco.com IT Graduate Programme

At Tesco.com, we're striving to become every customer's favourite way to shop online, whether they're at home or on-the-go. To make sure we realise that goal, we never stop pushing the possibilities of technology.

That pioneering spirit has been at the heart of our success since we launched in 1996, and has seen us grow to achieve a turnover of over £2 billion. And we're still growing. Every day we look for better, smarter ways of working, and find innovative solutions to bring those plans to life – from implementing secure software to move Clubcard registrations online to creating the Tesco Food App, complete with inspirational recipes and food plans. Often our work means doing things that haven't been done before, such as introducing our ground-breaking system for suppliers to enter new product information online – improving efficiency and helping us to launch an even wider range of products.

It's a fast-paced, creative environment where we constantly embrace change. For you, that means the chance to put your technical expertise to use in a way that will shape our business for years to come. We want you to challenge things. We want you to innovate. In doing so, you'll help us transform IT and achieve our ambition to become the world's leading e-commerce business.

What will I be doing?

The rotational programme will last between 18 and 24 months, and is designed to develop both your project management and technical IT skills with a view to moving into a senior role within our IT team. IT is central to Tesco.com's success, so we take your development seriously and will invest heavily in your future.

You'll join us in September 2012, and will begin with a general induction (including time in our stores and distribution centres to give you a fully-rounded view of the business). Then, you'll move on to a series of six-month placements, based at head office. There may even be the opportunity to gain international experience by visiting our Bangalore office during your induction, or by working on an overseas placement. You might also spend time within our Innovation Team where some forward-thinking ideas – like our augmented reality online shopping experience – first got dreamt up. Throughout the programme, we'll make sure you get the right mix of formal training and hands-on experience, as well as the chance to develop general business skills such as management and leadership that will help you launch your career from the very beginning.

Wherever your training leads you, the projects that you take on won't just shape our business: they'll set the trends for the entire industry. You could be working on our Android app, which now has over 30,000 active users and has been featured on the homepage of Android Market. You could be changing the way people shop by rolling out 'Click and collect', our new online shopping service that allows customers to pick up their orders in store. Or you could be finding ways for technology to fuel even more efficient operations across different business areas, such as making deliveries more agile through our new real-time van scheduling system. Or you could be developing something that nobody has even thought of yet. Whatever you do, you'll have the support of a buddy and a mentor who can offer advice and inspiration along the way.

A typical programme might look like this:

Where could it take me?

Successfully complete the programme and you'll have the skills and experience you need to move into a permanent role managing projects or processes at Tesco.com as you progress towards a senior role within the IT team. Of course, thanks to Tesco's scale and scope, opportunities are also available across the wider business.

What skills do I need?

To make the most of the opportunity, you'll need:

• Strong commercial awareness – as our ecommerce business grows, so does its impact on the rest of our business. With plenty of commercial acumen you'll be able to see beyond the technology to spot opportunities that benefit our whole business.
• Analytical thinking and excellent technical skills – the technology that we work with is cutting-edge. As well as the ingenuity to find solutions, it's important you have the skills and knowledge to implement plans and make things happen.
• The ability to organise, plan and prioritise – it goes without saying that to perform as a project manager you'll need first-class organisational skills to keep all our deliverables on-track.
• Strong numerical, analytical and conceptual thinking – creativity is crucial, but it's just as important that you can logically and calmly think things through to help turn great ideas into success stories.
• Excellent communication skills – you'll need to be able to influence others, and at times that could mean explaining complex information to non-technical audiences.
• A can-do attitude – Tesco.com is all about making things happen – sometimes things that seem near impossible. It takes drive and tenacity to make sure we achieve our goals, and sometimes you'll need to use your enthusiasm to convince sceptical colleagues that change really is a good idea.
• Adaptability – this is a fast-paced, dynamic environment, so you'll need to be able to react and adapt to changes as and when they happen.
• Creativity – the world of online retail is always changing, and we're always on the lookout for new ways to expand the online shopping experience, improve our results and outperform our competitors. That will depend on your ability to turn technical expertise into brilliant ideas.
• Problem solving – this will be part of your daily workload, especially in areas such as our international division, where you'll not only need the flexibility to work abroad, but also the ability to grapple with complex problems in the context of different cultures.
• Team working - we only have one team – the Tesco Team. Whatever your role, the ability to play your part and create a network of contacts is essential.
• Commitment to the Customer – our vision is to provide the best possible service to our customers. That's why we're here, and it will be central to your job in Tesco.com IT as it forms the backbone of our customers' online shopping experiences.