ICT

Our team is critical in supporting every aspect of our business, from the 4,000 tills in our stores through to the servers in our offices in Hong Kong. Like our retail stores, customer service is at the heart of everything we do – and the ICT team ensures that our customers have the best information and communication technology to support them in their jobs.

We’re continually looking for new and innovative technologies that will allow us to become more efficient and remain focused on our customers. Some of the recent developments of our store tills have included lottery, gift cards and multi-channel sales.

It’s a challenging, but exciting time to join the ICT team as we begin an ambitious change programme that will transform the way we operate as a business and ensure that we can deliver extraordinary customer service through our ICT.

What will I learn?

The ICT graduate scheme is an 18 month programme in which you will learn:

• How ICT adds and delivers value in a multi-channel retailer
• How an ICT team ensures our technology is relevant and viable
• How ICT is central to business growth, change and transformation
• How ICT manages programmes and projects
• How enterprise architecture drives and maps all ICT developments
• How Business Intelligence supports business decision making, planning and performance management
• How ICT Service Delivery gives value to our business by ensuring our technology has the right capacity, availability and security
• How infrastructure, networks, data and applications are managed and optimised to support our business objectives and operations

What’s it like working in ICT?

“I was looking for a challenging role when I joined Wilkinsons as a Technical Support Assistant. A diverse role providing support to all stores, head office, DC and remote workers – it didn’t disappoint!

I’m now a Technical Assistant looking after laptops, remote connection to the system and training of the support team. This is the great thing about Wilkinsons – there is always time to develop your skills and knowledge and move up within the business.

In my job there is no sitting at your desk watching the world go by. I get involved with supporting business projects as well as using new technology to improve our systems within the business.

Being young and working for Wilkinsons is great, I am gaining a wide range of experience and skills whilst having the opportunity to train alongside a group of people that are committed to making the ICT department and business better.”

Laura North – Technical Assistant

“In my role as a Data Base Analyst, I’m responsible for the maintenance of business critical ICT systems. It’s my job to ensure that our team members have twenty-four hour access to all the information they need to do their jobs. As a retail business running over 350 stores, two massive distribution centres and an office in Hong Kong, this is no easy task.

I’m part of a dedicated team who are constantly looking for new and exciting technologies that can help push the business forward. As a fast moving retail business, it’s important that we invest heavily in cutting edge ICT systems that help us stay ahead of the competition.

I started with Wilkinsons in 2005 with no previous experience, but I’ve built a career in ICT and have gained industry recognised qualifications thanks in part to the company’s massive investment in me.”

James Messner – DBA

ICT – can I apply?

To apply for our ICT graduate scheme you must:

• Have a 2:1 or higher ICT or business related degree
• Be commercially aware and passionate about the latest technology developments within the retail industry
• Be adaptable to change and able to work as part of a team to deliver change to the business
• Be able to demonstrate strong analytical skills
• Be able to demonstrate the ability to carry out research to establish facts and apply these to solve problems in a systematic manner
• Be legally able to work in the UK and have permanent UK residency status. If you hold a Tier 1 or Post Graduate Work Visa you are not eligible to apply for any of our graduate schemes
• Hold a full UK drivers licence and be willing to use your own vehicle for any travel required as part of your retail and other placements
• Be willing to stay in hotel accommodation for up to five nights a week during your four month retail placement
• Be willing to spend time working in other areas of the business during your training programme
• Be willing to relocate to Worksop, or to live within a reasonable daily commutable distance of Worksop, at the end of the retail placement (Summer 2012)
• Be committed to self development and excited about a career in retail