Simon Williams - Store Manager of Co-op

Meet Simon Williams, Store Manager for MediaCity’s new, eagerly awaited Co-op and find out why Simon has enjoyed a 30 year career with the Manchester retail institution.

Simon’s journey with the Co-op began after taking on a part time customer team member (CTM) role while studying at University. Little did he know that this was going to set him on a path which would see him carve out a rewarding career spanning three decades.

He said: “I wasn’t particularly enjoying Uni but found that I loved going into work and being part of a friendly team. After graduation, I became a full time CTM and it didn’t take long until I became a supervisor, taking responsibility for the various sections in store from fresh food to the chilled areas. In 2007, I was offered the opportunity to train as a store manager and over the next 10 years I opened a number of successful stores across Staffordshire.”

Co-op MediaCity, has been the most high-profile launch he has overseen to date, involving the recruitment of a new team of 20 who have all been employed from the local area.

“It’s important for us to provide employment opportunities for local people and I’m genuinely excited to work with this new team who are so enthusiastic and committed to making the store a success.”

So, what’s the secret to running a successful store? Simon likens it to running a football team: “If the players in the team get on and like their manager, you’ll get the best performance from them. This store is all about the team. I’m here to steer and guide them and make sure everyone is happy but it’s really down to the passion from the team to deliver a great store to the community.”

For Simon, being at MediaCity is more than just managing the day to day running of a convenience store but also contributing to and being part of the community.

“I want to get out and meet as many people as I can across MediaCity as knowing your local community is very important to the Co-op. We want to get involved with Mediacity initiatives, events and support whenever we can.”

Simon is passionate about making the Co-op’s latest store a tremendous success and will undoubtedly enthuse his new team to deliver the best customer experience and weave into MediaCity’s fascinating fabric.

We can’t wait to discover the store and meet the team.