FAQs

This will be dependent on which programme you join - the general or the finance programme or the one-year business placement.

Graduate programme: You will have challenging and real project objectives to deliver against, which may be part of a wider change project or stand-alone. Your project could be based in any part of our business, and the kinds of projects you could work on are as broad ranging as our businesses, so there is no typical example. However, whatever projects you are assigned they will provide you with an opportunity to influence and contribute to transforming and modernising the business.

Examples of the types of projects you may work on include:

• The trial and development of new retail brands and formats
• The procurement, development and launch of a new product
• Establishing new systems, processes and platforms for our business
• Driving greater diversity in our membership profile
• Development and modernisation of the supply chain

Finance programme: Like the general programme you'll be given a real project with clearly defined responsibilities, allowing you to develop an in-depth understanding of the key aspects of the role finance plays within business. You'll have four nine-month projects spanning the length and breadth of the Group, giving you exposure to a variety of Co-operative businesses. At the same time it allows you to experience a range of departments within the finance function, from internal audit and financial accounts to business planning and business support - not to mention a variety of specialist areas such as tax and treasury.

One-year business placement: The type of work you will be doing will depend on the area of the organisation or business you join. Whatever you work on, though, you will be given objectives to meet that form part of your regular performance reviews with your manager.

Graduate programme: It involves a series of projects, designed to grow in complexity and profile across our business. The key elements are an induction project, a consumer project (where you will spend time in one of our customer facing outlets, developing your understanding of our customers and investigating a customer facing issue for the business), two business projects, a corporate project and finally a functional project in your specialist area.

Following each project you will have an individual learning and development review, designed for you to reflect on what you have learnt, gain feedback from your manager and build your personal development plan and a formal management development programme which will stretch, challenge and fully prepare you for your next project.

Finance programme: Consisting of four nine-month placements spanning the length and breadth of the Group, the finance programme gives you exposure to a variety of Co-operative businesses. And at the same time it allows you to experience a range of departments within the finance function, from internal audit and financial accounts to business planning and business support - not to mention a variety of specialist areas such as tax and treasury.

After a comprehensive induction along with the rest of the new joiners on the Group-wide Graduate Development Programme, you'll undertake a two-week customer-facing placement, giving you direct contact with the consumer, and first-hand experience of our trading environment. In each of your subsequent business placements, you'll be given a real job with clearly defined responsibilities, allowing you to develop an in-depth understanding of the key operational aspects of the business.

Graduate and finance programme: You will be involved in the process of matching the business needs and opportunities with your ambitions, preferences and development needs, however this will be clearly guided by the business priorities (in the case of the finance programme this will also reflect the experience you require for the CIMA exams).

One-year business placement: If you're on a one-year placement you will be based in one area of the business rather than assigned to different projects. That said, you might be part of a wider change project that gives you the chance to work with other businesses and departments.

Graduate and finance programme: The general programme is 18-months long, and the finance programme is 3 years.

One-year business placement: The one-year business placement is a minimum of 48 weeks and can sometimes be extended for longer at the discretion of the manager and placement student.

Graduate and finance programme: The programme is Group-wide and you will need to complete projects in different businesses rather than being restricted to just one. However, if you have a real passion and flair for a particular business we will consider opportunities for you to utilise this within the core programme.

One-year business placement: The one-year placement can be used to target an area of our business that you are particulary passionate about. Depending on the vacancies available, you can choose to apply for a placement in a specific area or you can make multiple applications and apply for vacancies in different areas of our business.

Graduate and finance programme: As well as study-time and sponsorship towards a relevant post-graduate or professional qualification you will receive intensive, individual development. During and after each project you will undertake a personal and in-depth learning and development review, which will be followed by a management development programme. These programmes will focus on building core management skills, working strategically, leadership and introducing & driving change.

One-year business placement: An individual learning and development review is all part of the one-year placement. This is designed to help you reflect on what you have learnt, gain feedback from your manager and build your personal development plan. You will also have an experienced member of the team assigned to you who will be there to give you advice whenever you need it.

Graduate and finance programme: Yes you will be given the opportunity to have a senior manager as a mentor.

One-year business placement: Yes, you will have a peer mentor assigned to you.

Graduate and finance programme: The Graduate Development Programme is designed to give you excellent development, support, and high profile project opportunities in the business enabling advanced development into future management roles. We do not map your long-term career development or fit you into predetermined career paths. This allows for excellent flexibility, breadth, scope and advancement if you have the tenacity and ability to drive your own career development within the Group.

One-year business placement: The one-year business placement gives you an excellent opportunity to show us your skills and talent and we hope it's the start of a long and successful career with us. If you are a successful business placement student you will be put forward to the assessment centre for the graduate programme.

Graduate and finance programme:

• Starting salary of £23,000
• 27 days annual holiday
• Salary increase for meeting objectives
• An award-winning pension
• Free life assurance
• A BUPA reduction of 35%
• Opportunity to become a member of The Co-operative Group
• Discounted membership at Virgin Active 
• An employee discount card entitling you to up to 15% off a wide range of our own goods and services
• Membership of our Manchester complex sports and social club - giving you access to our newly refurbished gym with sun beds, as well as discounts on theatre and concert tickets, and on UK and overseas trips
• The Printworks Card, giving you discounted rates in bars and restaurants in central Manchester
• Free independent financial advice on anything from coping with student loan payments to taking out your first mortgage

One-year business placement:

• Starting salary of £14,400 circa
• 23 days annual holiday
• A BUPA reduction of 35%
• Opportunity to become a member of The Co-operative Group
• An employee discount card entitling you to up to 15% off a wide range of our own goods and services
• Membership of our Manchester complex sports and social club - giving you access to our newly refurbished gym with sun beds - as well as discounts on theatre and concert tickets, and on UK and overseas trips
• The Printworks Card, giving you discounted rates in bars and restaurants in central Manchester
• Free independent financial advice on anything from coping with student loan repayments to taking out your first mortgage

Graduate programme: If you consistently achieve your project objectives there is potential to increase your salary by a further £1,000 within twelve months. You should also expect to increase you salary by a minimum of a further £1,000 within eighteen months when you complete the programme and move into your first managerial role. However, this is entirely dependent upon your performance.

Finance programme: Salary progression is linked to successful completion of each stage of your professional exams. The increase is as follows, Certificate level £500, managerial stage £750, Strategic and TOPCIMA £1750. Total salary increase is therefore £3,000 over 3 years.

One-year business placement: There is no increase in salary during the placement.

Graduate and finance programme: There are four stages, the first is an on-line application form, the second is on-line psychometric testing (numerical and verbal ability), the third is a face-to-face interview and the final stage is an assessment centre.

The application form stage is very competitive and we would encourage you to take your time to show us why you are different and right for our programme.

One-year business placement: To apply for a one-year placement, you need to attach a copy of your CV and a covering letter to the vacany you are interested in.

Graduate and finance programme: We are looking for 12 exceptional graduates (2 for the CIMA programme).

One-year business placement: We are looking to recruit between 10 and 20 placement students every year.

Graduate and finance programme: It is difficult to know exactly how many people will apply this year but we are expecting about 2,000 applications. We will meet about 200 of these people for an interview and about 50 of those people will be invited to an assessment centre. The application form stage is very competitive and we would encourage you to take your time to show us why you are different and right for our programme.

One-year business placement: This is the first year we are running an undergraduate programme therefore we do not have exact numbers, however we anticipate 40 applications per vacancy.

In our Head Offices in and around the Manchester area. You may also be required to do some national travel.

Graduate and finance programme: If you are relocating from outside of Manchester you may be eligible for financial support with relocation. This would be discussed with you when an offer is made.

One-year business placement: The one-year business placement applicants do not get any help with relocation or housing

A driving licence is not part of our selection criteria, however you may find the role easier if you drive.

Graduate and finance programme: Of course we're looking for the brightest and best graduates, like all recruiters, but we are also looking for something different. Its not just about academic ability, as a graduate on our development programme you will need to have an unique mix of skills and behaviours. You will share our values and principles and be passionate about our business.

The programme isn't for everyone. The challenges the business will throw at you will mean you have to be confident, tenacious, resilient and flexible. And while early responsibility and a high profile are exciting prospects, it won't be easy to earn the credibility and respect that you'll need to make an impact.

One-year business placement: For the successful one-year business placement applicants we will be looking for competencies, such as planning & analysis, managing impact, drive for excellence and tenacity.

Graduate and finance programme: Any degree discipline, although a business related degree would be advantageous.

One-year business placement: For one-year business placements this can vary - please see individual vacancies for more detail.

Graduate and finance programme: It doesn't. A few years ago we developed an entirely new graduate development programme for The Co-operative Group.

Not only are we a uniquely different business model, but the programme structure offers something altogether different, within the graduate market, in terms of the project approach, the individual learning review, the new management development programmes, the change focus, the type of projects and roles you will be working in.

We are offering you the opportunity to work across all of our diverse businesses and, within the general programme, corporate functions, giving you much greater business knowledge, breadth and scope for your personal and career development.

One-year business placement: This is the first year we are running an undergraduate programme.

The programme and one-year business placement is open to those with post-graduate qualifications, however the content of the programme and the salary we offer is the same for all.

As we are a UK based co-operative it is unlikely that we would be able to offer these opportunities. If this is important to you it is unlikely we are right for you.

Graduate and finance programme: Absolutely! You will meet managers from all over our business from your first interview onwards; during the assessment centre, in your first week, at networking events, through your development programme, on your projects and through your mentor.

One-year business placement: This is dependent on the nature of your placement. You may be part of a wider change project where you will have exposure to senior management; otherwise you will be placed in one our departments where you will be involved in the team's activities and contributing to the team's success.

Graduate and finance programme: We currently offer career breaks or sabbaticals in exceptional circumstances only.

Graduate and finance programme: Our recruitment process is rigorous, and if we make you an offer we will be certain that you are right for us. You will be offered a permanent role from day one.

One-year business placement: The one-year business placement gives you an excellent opportunity to show us your skills and talent. If you are a successful business placement student, you will be put forward to our assessment centre for the graduate programme. We encourage successful business placement students to join the business on graduation. A business placement with us is the first step to a successful career.

All programmes: Yes. The Co-operative Group does not arrange work permits for international applicants. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are eligible to work for us.

All programmes: No. The Co-operative Group is an employer who values diversity and seeks to engage our people regardless of gender, ethnicity, culture, age, physical ability, mental impairment, sexual orientation, religion/belief, marital status, education and those with caring responsibilities amongst other attributes.

The Co-operative Group's programme has been highlighted as best practice for recruiting and developing mature graduates by the AGR (Association of graduate recruiters) the EFA (Employers Forum on Age) and Prospects.

All programmes: The Co-operative Group will make any reasonable adjustments to support people with disabilities throughout the application process and if you joined the business.

Graduate and Finance programme: No. We only invite about 50 people to assessment centre, in order that we can get to know each candidate very well. This means that we do not have space on each assessment centre for candidates who wish to apply for the following year.

One-year busineses placements: No, vacancies are recruited for on an at need basis and so therefore must be filled in the short term.

Graduate and finance programme: We start recruiting in September and we will close when all our places are filled. 

Graduate and finance programme: September 2009
One-year business placement: For the one-year business placements the start date is negotiated with the student and the the line manager.