Foodhall Assistant

As a Foodhall Assistant, you will be the face of two of the UK’s most-loved brands: John Lewis
and Waitrose. You’ll join a team dedicated to making every customer’s visit special.

Working in our Waitrose Food Halls located within our John Lewis stores, you’ll provide the
famous 'Partner-led' service that sets us apart. We bring our two best-loved brands together to
share a passion for quality, sustainable food that our competitors just can't match.

In addition to your contractual pay, any time worked between 22:00 - 06:00 will attract Night Premium at a rate of £3.75 per hour. This will also apply to existing Partners who have enrolled onto Enhanced Hours Premium arrangements.

Key Responsibilities
Alongside providing exceptional service to our customers, your role will involve a variety of tasks across our open food counters and shop floor. You’ll take pride in how our products look ensuring they are showcased perfectly and our customers receive guidance on their selections.

Responsibilities include:
- Providing warm, engaging interactions at our food counters, acting as an ambassador for our food. You will welcome customers with a friendly attitude, ready to share your passion for our products and offer recommendations.
- Ensure full compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act and Food Safety Act by following precise instructions and safety procedures across all food tasks.
- Keeping shelves full and organised so customers can always find what they need.
- Picking and packing orders for our online and on-demand customers.
- Managing stock dates and markdowns carefully to minimise food waste.
- Helping out across the shop, including checkouts, Click & Collect, and supporting colleagues.
- Taking pride in keeping the Foodhall clean, tidy, and safe for everyone.
- Following guidance from the floor manager to keep the branch running smoothly and efficiently.

Essential skills/experience you'll need
- A genuine desire to help customers and give them a great experience
- Experience contributing to a successful team environment.
- Excellent verbal skills for interacting with a diverse range of people.

Desirable skills/experience you may have
- Previous experience in a catering or customer-facing role is a plus, but don't worry if you don't have it, we’ll provide all the training you need to succeed!

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.  

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.   

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. 

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. 

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.  

Important points to note:  

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.  

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.