Warehouse Operative (Acting Team Leader), West Thurrock
When I heard that a new and state-of–the art Distribution Centre was to be built in West Thurrock I approached The Co-operative immediately. I had experience of the Manhattan system to be used there and The Co-operative recognised the value I could add. I was offered a role as a Skills Mentor, initially in the Gillingham depot and later in Thurrock when that site opened.
There is a whole range of skills needed in my role. I’m an acting Team Leader at the moment and it’s really important to gain trust and to delegate effectively. Openness and honesty are absolutely vital. Because of my Manhattan experience I get involved in training, both in a classroom format as well as on the job. I’ve found adaptability and flexibility help me to perform well in this aspect of my role. And of course I need to be focused on the job in hand at any given time. This means that I have to prioritise and manage expectations in order to deliver the best possible performance – so that ultimately, our stores have the products our customers want, when they want them.
Progressing to an acting Team Leader role has been a great achievement and the team helped me get there. I know there’s always support if I need it. There is so much opportunity for development with lots of training and personal development courses too.
I’ve worked with some other large retailers in the same industry, and The Co-operative manages to maintain a friendly and approachable, close-knit working community.