Operations Graduate at Coles
I applied for the supermarket stream as I love working within a team and, as I have have both retail and managerial experience, I found that this role would best suit me. I have a passion for delivering outstanding customer service and coaching my team, which are both major components of store management at Coles.
As part of the Graduate program, not only do we have the opportunity to visit a number of diverse Coles stores, we are also given the chance to tour our Distribution Centres, attend corporate events in Melbourne and meet with major Coles suppliers. Touring Maleny Dairies was one of the best experiences so far in the program.
As we all progress through the stages of our two year Graduate program, our daily tasks look quite different. Currently, my day consists of completing detailed shop tours with the team, supporting the team to achieve their moment of certainty, encouraging a safe environment and promoting continual learning for both myself and the team.
I love that my job enables me to coach and develop people by supporting career development, providing feedback and being a part of their learning journey. We also have a lot of flexibility within the role and have the ability to tailor the program to suit our progression, which adds real value to our store management pathway.
As Coles is a very busy and fast paced environment, you can quite easily tie yourself down in departments and it can be hard to pull yourself out to see the bigger picture. The challenge as a Grad is to maintain a good balance and see this bigger picture, as well as keep on track with your own program.
Coles is an amazing organisation to work for and I am proud to be a part of the team. Coles has strong values on safety, diversity and trust. Coles care passionately about their team and encourage training and development through their endless career path opportunities.
I believe to be a successful Ops Graduate you need the initiative to drive your own learning and have the confidence to ask for support. Furthermore, a Graduate should be able to adapt to the changes and challenges that may arise, effectively manage both small and large teams and prioritise.
Driven, Efficient, Humble.
The program has outstanding support, from your fellow Graduates to your Regional HR, Regional Manager and Store Manager. Each Graduate is also appointed a huddle group, an accelerator coach and a huddle buddy to support you through your two year program. Before commencing the program I was contacted by both my Regional Manager and Store Manager which made the transition into stores much easier, setting me up for success