Did you know? In fact, Woolworths vacancies account for the vast majority of retail jobs in South Africa.
That’s not surprising given that Woolworths Holdings Limited is one of the leading retail giants in the country, with total revenue reaching R74.36 million per year.
And, as the business continues to grow, it makes sense that the company needs tons of hardworking individuals to keep the boat afloat.
That being said, today’s guide contains all the information regarding Woolworths vacancies.
This means that in this guide, you can learn everything related to Woolworths vacancies, from company profiles, reasons to work for Woolworths, the types of job opportunities that are generally available, to how to apply for them.
Thus, if you’ve been looking for a guide that can help you navigate your application to the very end, then you’ll love this guide.
Without further ado, let’s get down to it.
Photo: @mikhail-nilov on pexels.com
What is Woolworths Holdings Limited?
Photo: Brand South Africa on www.brandsouthafrica.com
Woolworths Holdings Limited, or Woolworths, is a South African multinational retail company that also serves in other countries such as Australia, Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius and many others.
The company owns the South African retail network of Woolworths, David Jones and the Country Road Group.
And, although the company shares the same name with one of the Australian supermarket chains, it has no association whatsoever with the other Woolworths.
Woolworths South Africa’s business consists of fashion, home and beauty shops. However, it consists mostly of premium food retail offerings.
Woolworths set up stand-alone food shops and “Food Stops” which were integrated with Engen gas stations across the country.
In total, there are 155 full-line stores, 52 fashion, beauty and home stores and 194 stand-alone food stores under the South African Woolworths operation. Also, the company manages another 68 stores across the continent.
Founded in 1931 by Max Sonnenberg, Woolworths’ first store was in Cape Town, in the dining room of the Royal Hotel. Due to its rapid success, two more stores were opened in Cape Town.
The choice of the name “Woolworths” came from Sonnenberg’s friendship with a London financier and shipper named Percy Lewis.
Reasons to Work for Woolworths
- Employee discounts
- Good employee management
- Lots of training and development opportunities
- Work-life balance
- Excellent workplace culture
Job Opportunities Available in Woolworths Vacancies
While it’s true that most retail jobs are customer service, there are other behind-the-scenes positions for you to apply for.
These positions may include technical jobs as you can see in the following list of Woolworths vacancies.
It proves that Woolworths is an inclusive company that offers opportunities to nearly all individuals with the right qualities and qualifications.
Some of those technical positions include:
1. Assistant Technologist
An assistant technologist, of course, has similar tasks to a technologist, but when the company adds this retail job to the organisation chart, he/she generally provides support for day-to-day tasks along with developing, launching, maintaining and upgrading technical standards from a local supplier base in Woolworths African markets.
Also, an assistant technologist might ensure compliance with all exported food products. In addition, other responsibilities of this job include providing operational support to the Africa Team for technical related matters, collaborating with product development teams in key categories to develop product selection, and providing possible solutions to mitigate risks related to Food Safety & Quality across the supply chain for all products.
Skills needed:
- Effective analytical and problem-solving ability
- Strong focus on quality and attention to detail
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Planning and organisational ability
- Continuous improvement mindset
- Strong leadership skills
Essential qualifications and experience:
- Relevant qualification, i.e. Food Science, Food Technology
- Minimum of 2 years relevant experience
- Technical experience in protein and/or agricultural industries
- Experience in technical processes, principles and import/export legislation
2. IT Project Manager
Generally speaking, this job deals with project delivery management, from taking a project from the idea stage, defining the project’s objectives, impacts, and outputs, to managing the people, processes and technology that make up the project to deliver solutions effectively.
An IT project manager may also be in charge of budget control, risk and issues management, and reporting or communications.
Skills needed:
- Excellent multi-tasking ability
- Attention to detail
- Strong leadership ability of direct and virtual teams
- Ability to align the IT Projects being executed to Business Requirements throughout the programmes and projects lifestyle
Essential qualifications and experience:
- 3-year tertiary or NQF aligned qualification
- Project Management certification
- Up to 7 years of experience in programme and project management
- Previously managed at least 5 IT or IT related projects through the complete project management lifecycle
- Agile Project Management experience
- Proven track record of delivering business application and infrastructure projects
3. Application Specialist
An application specialist is a necessary addition to the Woolworths management team.
Responsibilities of this job include providing input on ITS strategy, delivering quality system solutions, proactively updating ITS, and ensuring that solutions are made following technical standards and principles.
Skills needed:
- Relevant technical and architectural knowledge
- Project management skills
- Relevant business knowledge
- Strong documentation skills
- Attention to detail
- Strong problem-solving and leadership skills
Essential qualifications and experience:
- 3 years IT qualification
- 5 to 10 years of relevant working experience
- Experience working in an agile environment with peers and business counterparts
4. Systems Manager
If you have a strong commitment to continuous improvement of technology and architecture as an employee, then this is probably the most suitable job for you.
As a systems manager, you will be responsible for the delivery and maintenance of the complex systems that support the company’s business planning.
Also, your job is to build and maintain a capable and motivated team.
However, it doesn’t stop there. You must also help with system upgrades according to IT and information settings.
Skills needed:
- Problem-solving skills
- Strong analytical skills
Essential qualifications and experience:
- 3 years tertiary or NQF aligned qualification
- 5 to 8 years of relevant experience across multiple areas of IT
- 2 years in people management
How to Apply to Woolworths Vacancies
To apply to the mentioned Woolworths vacancies, you must first visit the Woolworths careers webpage by clicking here.
On the menu tab, click “Our Jobs” to check the current job openings. You can sort them by location, job type, and department.
Choose your desired career and read the full description of it. To submit your Woolworths job application, click “Apply”.
You will have to create an account to apply to Woolworths vacancies. Create an account if you don’t already have one, or log back into your account to start.
Then, upload your latest CV and you’re good to go!
Usually, it can take up to weeks for recruiters to process all incoming applications.
While you are waiting to hear feedback on your application from the company, make the best use of the time available by applying to other vacancies.
If you currently live or have recently moved to Port Elizabeth, then you should check out our list of jobs in Port Elizabeth to help yourself start your career journey in the city.