Online Assistant
Rate: £13.23 per hour
Location: Whitley Bay Store, Whitley Bay, NE25 9EX
Hours: Part time, 12 hours per week
Contract type: Permanent
Business area: Retail
Requisition ID: 400066100
Shift hours
Early shift: 03:00 - 12:00
Late shift: 12:00 - 20:00
Working in our stores:
Our stores are fast-paced environments where no two days are ever the same. They are at the heart of the local community providing outstanding value, quality and great service. As one of our Online Assistants, you’ll be the special ingredient that supports a joyful shopping experience for our online customers, so they get everything they shop at Sainsbury’s for.
Eligibility:
- You must be above the school-leaver age in your country School leaving age - GOV.UK
- If the shifts for this role cover hours earlier than 6am or later than 11pm, you will need to be at least 18 years of age.
- You must have Right to Work eligibility in the UK
Online General Assistant (GOL)
What you’ll be doing
- Picking and assembling online grocery orders at pace, maintaining high accuracy and quality standards under time pressure
- Selecting the best products for customers, including making quick, sensible substitution decisions when items are unavailable
- Using handheld technology to follow efficient pick routes and consistently meet performance targets (speed and accuracy)
- Preparing and organising orders for dispatch, including handling and moving totes up to 20kg safely and efficiently
- Supporting the loading of vans and maintaining flow in the dispatch area to ensure orders leave on time
- Proactively identifying and resolving issues (e.g. stock gaps, damaged items, bottlenecks) to keep the operation moving
- Working across different parts of the online operation as required, including picking, marshalling, and dispatch support
- Acting as a backup delivery driver when required, ensuring safe, professional, and efficient customer deliveries
What we’re looking for High-performance mindset
- Comfortable working at pace in a high-volume, target-driven environment
- Able to maintain performance consistently across a full shift, not just in short bursts
Physical capability
- Able to handle a physically demanding role, including lifting and moving loads up to 20kg repeatedly
- High levels of energy and stamina, with the ability to stay productive in a fast-moving environment
Proactive & self-sufficient
- Takes ownership of tasks and acts without waiting to be told
- Spots problems early and deals with them quickly to avoid impacting the wider operation
Strong decision-making
- Confident making quick, practical decisions (e.g. substitutions, problem-solving on the shop floor)
- Uses judgement to balance speed, accuracy, and customer outcomes
Team-focused
- Works collaboratively and understands how their performance impacts the wider operation and delivery timelines
- Willing to step in and support others to maintain flow during busy periods
Driving capability (essential)
- Holds a full UK driving licence for at least 12 months
- Confident driving regularly, with good awareness and ability to manage time pressures
- Comfortable supporting customer deliveries when needed
What makes a great colleague in this role
- Thrives in a fast-paced, physically demanding environment
- Stays calm and focused under pressure
- Balances speed with accuracy and attention to detail
- Reliable, consistent, and able to perform at peak times
- Takes pride in doing the job well and contributing to a high-performing team
Working for us has great rewards
We truly value our colleagues and provide market-leading benefits and training to reflect that:
- Nightshift premium – in addition to the advertised hourly rate, a further £2.45 nightshift premium is paid for every hour worked between midnight – 5am (where applicable)
- Discount card – 10% off at Sainsbury’s, Argos, Tu, and Habitat after four weeks, increasing to 15% discount at Sainsbury’s every Friday and Saturday
- Free food and hot drinks – provided for colleagues in all our stores
- Generous holiday entitlement – based on the hours you work, plus maternity and paternity leave
- Pension – we’ll match between 4–7.5% of your pension contributions
- Sainsbury’s share schemes – buy Sainsbury’s shares at discounted prices
- Shopping discounts – special offers on gym memberships, restaurants, holidays, retail vouchers and more
- Wellbeing support – including free access to our Employee Assistance Programme, a confidential service providing support and guidance on a wide range of issues
Please note: our vacancies may close quickly, so we encourage candidates to apply at their earliest convenience.
If you need an update on your application, you should contact the store you have applied to. You can find contact details for all Sainsbury’s stores online here.
An inclusive place to work and shop We are dedicated to being a truly inclusive retailer, where every colleague can achieve their full potential, and every customer feels welcome when they shop with us. To support this commitment, our colleagues may be entitled to a range of enhanced discretionary leave for families, as well as support for carers. We provide our colleagues resources to help them understand and support their role and their team effectively. Our internal colleague networks seek to ensure true representation for everyone, helping us identify and remove barriers that our colleagues may face. We are proud to offer a range of development opportunities, including mentorship, training, and career progression pathways, to help our colleagues grow and succeed. We also celebrate diversity through various initiatives and events, fostering a culture of inclusion and respect. If you would like to learn more about our commitment to inclusivity, please take a look here. As part our commitment as a Disability Confident Leader, all candidates will have the opportunity to be offered an interview through our online assessment which will prioritise those candidates who achieve the highest score and therefore most closely match the essential criteria for the role.
Should you require any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview stages, please let us know, and we will endeavour to support you.
