Why choose a career with us?

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Image 2023 09 25 T04 23 27

At the Heart of England Co-operative Society, we believe in building a thriving community, and our dedicated team is at the core of making this vision a reality. If you're passionate about making a positive impact, contributing to a community-focused organisation, and embracing a culture of teamwork, integrity, and innovation, then we want you to consider a career with us.

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    Commitment to growing talent from within
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    Diverse opportunities from Food to Funeral
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    Dedication to developing our colleagues
  • Green
    Defined career pathways to Store Manager

More About Us

Explore our current vacancies

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Area Manager
Coventry
£52,000

Join us and help shape the future of our Food stores At Heart of England Co-operative Society, we’re proud to serve our communities through our network of convenience food stores. We’re now looking for an experienced Area Manager to work alongside our Head of Store Operations to deliver our Food strategy, drive performance, and inspire our store teams to deliver exceptional service every day. This is a key leadership role with responsibility for developing Store Managers, improving commercial performance, and ensuring our stores remain safe, efficient and at the heart of the communities we serve. About the role As Area Manager, you will lead and support a portfolio of food stores, ensuring strong operational standards, commercial success and a culture where colleagues thrive. You’ll act as a visible role model, coach and mentor to Store Managers, helping them achieve outstanding results while living our values and behaviours. Key responsibilities Leadership & People Implement and embed the Society’s Food Strategy across your area Coach, mentor and support Store Managers to drive performance and develop their teams Create and deliver structured people development and succession plans with HR Support recruitment, training and performance management across your stores Promote a positive culture that celebrates success and strengthens collaboration Lead by example through regular store visits, coaching and hands-on support Deputise for other Area Managers when required Operational Excellence Ensure stores operate safely, efficiently and in full compliance with legislation and Society policies Drive continuous improvement and successfully implement new initiatives Oversee new store openings and refits with the Senior Management team Encourage strong community engagement across all stores Financial & Commercial Performance Support the Head of Store Operations in monitoring divisional financial performance Help Store Managers manage costs including stock loss, wastage and payroll Analyse turnover and promotional activity to identify growth opportunities Contribute to business planning, budgeting and delivery of targets Ensure compliance with all policies and processes across the area Customer Experience Inspire store teams to deliver exceptional customer service and store standards Keep up to date with convenience retail trends and share insights across the division Drive effective merchandising, point of sale and store layout improvements About you We’re looking for a commercially minded, people-focused retail leader who can motivate large teams and deliver results. Essential: Experience in a multi-site retail management role, preferably within food convenience. Proven experience in a senior retail management role Strong leadership and coaching skills Experience developing high-performing teams and succession planning Excellent communication and influencing skills Commercial and analytical mindset with sound financial awareness Experience managing employee relations issues such as disciplinaries and grievances Strong organisational and time-management skills Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) You’ll also be: Passionate about convenience retail A confident decision maker who can win hearts and minds Calm under pressure and highly driven A natural leader who motivates and engages others Qualifications: A-level (or equivalent) plus higher education qualification (HND/Diploma) or equivalent experience. Why join us? £52,000 salary Company car Be part of a values-driven, community-focused co-operative Colleague Discount 10% plus double discount on 4-weekly pay weekend Pension scheme 3.3% employer contribution 30 days holiday (incl bank holidays) rising with length of service FAB furniture discount of 15% Enhanced maternity pay Enhanced redundancy pay Discounts and savings platform – My Staff Shop Wagestream EAP with GP Access – referrals, prescription service, GP consultations, phone and in-person counselling Refer A Friend Scheme Long Service Award Support for eye care Financial and Wellbeing support from: Co-op Credit Union, Grocery Aid Life Insurance 2 x salary Health Assured Bereavement Support Health Assured Wellbeing Services, including My Healthy Advantage mobile app ZGP24 Service providing video and phone consultations, open referrals and prescription service Crisis 24 – Worldwide security and health information service Terminal illness support If you would like the opportunity to shape the future of our Food division, and to be part of a values-driven, community-focused co-operative, then apply today!   The closing date for this role is Sunday 8th March.

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Barista
Balsall Common

Join the fantastic team at Bewiched Coffee in Balsall Common   Are you a coffee enthusiast with a passion for creating the perfect cup? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment? Bewiched Coffee, Balsall Common's premier coffee destination, is on the lookout for energetic and talented Baristas to join our vibrant team on a permanent, part-time contract for 16 or 20 hours per week.   What You'll Do: Craft Exceptional Coffee: Master the art of espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, and more, ensuring every cup meets our high standards. Deliver Outstanding Service: Create a welcoming atmosphere for all customers, providing friendly and efficient service with a smile. Maintain Cleanliness: Ensure the shop is spotless, organised, and fully stocked to provide a seamless customer experience. Be a Team Player: Work collaboratively with a fun, supportive team dedicated to delivering the best coffee experience in town.   What We're Looking For: Passion for Coffee: A genuine love for coffee and a desire to share that passion with others. Customer Focused: Strong communication skills and a positive, can-do attitude. Experience: Previous barista experience is a plus, but we’re willing to train the right person. Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and handle the pressure with grace. Availability: Flexibility to work various shifts, including weekends and holidays.   Why Us?   Pay: We offer pay in line with National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates. The exact hourly rate will depend on your age in accordance with current UK legislation. Awesome Perks: Competitive pay and colleague discounts Career Growth: Opportunities for development Fun Environment: Join a team that’s more like a family, where work feels like home. Community Focus: Be part of a business that values and supports the local community.  

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Customer Service Assistant
Hinckley
£12.31

We are looking for Customer Service Assistants   Heart of England Cooperative Society are looking for Customer Service Assistants to join our growing team in our Hinckley convenience store on a permanent, part-time contract for 12 hours per week.    About You As a Customer Service Assistant with the Society, you will be positive and flexible, with a ‘can do’ attitude. A good communicator who is eager to deliver excellent customer service, you will work alongside your team to create a great atmosphere for our customers, making us the ‘go to’ store within our local communities. Your passion for convenience retail and our products will be contagious, as will your ability to always go the extra mile.   Life at The Society   Great Place to Work At Heart of England Cooperative Society, we are a family, who want the best for each and every one of our colleagues. We achieve this through promoting wellbeing throughout the Society and encouraging the development of our colleagues through structured Training & Development.   First for Customers We are recognised as the ‘go to’ convenience store within the communities we serve, and we honour this through the delivery of outstanding customer service and the consistent delivery of exceptional store standards.   At the Heart of the Community Our stores are the beating heart of the communities in which we serve. We support local groups, clubs and good causes within our local communities, with the help of our dedicated colleagues and our Community & Membership Team.   Rewards & Benefits At the Society, we offer a competitive salary of £12.31 per hour and generous staff discount across our Food Stores, Funeral Branches, Fabb Furniture stores & Coop travel. Our holiday entitlement increases with service and we offer a generous pension contribution. We provide you with a structured training plan, which will give you the tools you need to nurture your career and realise your full potential, whether you are looking to be the best Customer Service Assistant you can be, or Store Manager. The opportunities are endless!

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Personal Funeral Advisor
Coventry
£12.21

  About us Heart of England Co-operative Society is an independent, regional co-operative operating 16 funeral homes across Coventry, Warwickshire, South Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. Our Funeral Division is built on compassion, professionalism and community connection, supporting families with care and dignity at the most difficult times of their lives.   We are now looking for a Personal Funeral Advisor to join our team at our Foleshill Road funeral home, with flexibility to support other Coventry branches when required. The hours of the role will be between 20-39 hours (hours and days are negotiable). The role As a Personal Funeral Advisor, you will guide families through every stage of the funeral arranging process, delivering exceptional service with empathy, professionalism and cultural sensitivity. You will play a key role in ensuring every funeral reflects the wishes and traditions of the families we serve while meeting all company and regulatory standards. Key responsibilities Act as a professional ambassador for the Society at all times Arrange and conduct funeral appointments in a sensitive and compliant manner Guide families through all available options, products and services Complete documentation and administrative processes accurately Provide dignified and respectful care of the deceased in line with company procedures Support Chapel of Rest visitations Liaise with clergy, celebrants, officiants and third parties Maintain strict confidentiality and comply with GDPR and data protection requirements Follow all Health & Safety policies and procedures Participate in the Saturday rota and provide cover for holidays and sickness when required About you Essential A demonstrable commitment to delivering high standards of client care Excellent communication skills (written and verbal English) A professional, empathetic and compassionate approach Strong organisational skills and attention to detail Ability to work independently and as part of a team Physically capable of undertaking manual handling duties when required Good numeracy and IT skills Flexible and reliable approach to working hours Desirable Experience or knowledge of arranging and delivering multi-faith funerals, including Hindu, Sikh, Jewish and a wide range of cultural and faith traditions Strong community engagement skills with the ability to build relationships and raise awareness of our services within diverse local communities Hours of work 20–39 hours per week, worked flexibly to meet business needs. Participation in a Saturday morning rota is required. Salary & benefits Starting salary from £12,698 pro rata (based on 20 hours), increasing after successful completion of a 12-week probationary period OTE circa £16,000 per annum (based on 20 hours) plus additional payments for extra hours and Saturday rota Staff discount across 38 Food Stores and 16 Funeral branches Employee Assistance Programme Discounts with Co-operative Travel and Fabb Furniture Enhanced annual leave (increasing with service) Eye care contributions and free eye tests Pension scheme with 3.3% employer contributions Salary adjusted proportionally based on contracted hours Equality, diversity and inclusion We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Selection will be based on merit and suitability for the role. Pre-employment screening Any offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including references and a Basic DBS check.

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Join our team and be part of our journey!

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    Society

    ​Our Support Centre located in Coventry has a variety of roles in IT, People and Culture and Finance to name a few!

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    Funeral

    A unique and rewarding career, where you can find a sense of purpose helping families during a difficult time.​

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    Food

    ​Working in convenience retail provides opportunities to help people in the local community, it's fast paced and dynamic, with opportunuties to progress within the Society.

Hear what people say about us

  • ​I started my journey with Heart of England Co-Operative Society in April 2021 as a Business Analyst to work on a number of key projects as the society undertook it's own Retail Business Transformation. I worked closely and collaboratively with various departments at varying levels to support and help deliver the transformation. After being with the society for a year the Head of IT role was vacant and I was only trusted and supported to step into the role. This promotion has not only provided me with the opportunity to lead technological advancements crucial to the society's success but has also highlighted the organization's commitment to nurturing its talent. I am grateful for the support, opportunities, and trust placed in me, and I eagerly anticipate continuing to contribute to the society's success and growth.

    Manjinder Dhaliwal
    Manjinder Dhaliwal Head of IT
  • ​I joined the Society in May of 2022, having spent three years in the industry prior to arriving at Heart of England Co-operative Society. I started working in our Lower Holyhead Road funeral home, before moving to look after our Ansty Road funeral home in April 2023. It’s a fast-paced, challenging environment but I really enjoy the satisfaction you receive at the end of every day, knowing that you’ve managed to make a family’s journey through one of the most difficult times in their life a little easier. The team that I work with daily at Ansty Road all share the same goals and are committed to providing the very best care for the families that we serve in our local community.

    Jack Pestell
    Jack Pestell Community Funeral Director
  • I started at the Co-op in 2021 as an HR Officer and in 2022 I was promoted to HR Business Partner. My role is to support the Food Division by partnering with the Area Managers to ensure delivery of the People Plans and to provide coaching and support to the Store Managers on all areas of HR.​I’m partnered with two of the Area Managers and really enjoy my role as I get to work closely with the operational team and make a difference to the daily operations and support both colleagues and managers. The Society is always striving to do better and improve ways of working so I find it exciting to work for a forward thinking, innovative society and proud to be part of the team.

    Sarah Stallard
    Sarah Stallard HR Business Partner