Trainee Commercial Manager - Elevation Programme

Company Description

At Frasers Group we’re rethinking retail. Through digital innovation and unique store experiences, we’re serving our consumers with the world’s best sports, premium and luxury brands globally. As a leader in the industry, we’re elevating the retail experience for our consumers through our collection of established brands, including Sports Direct, FLANNELS, USC, Frasers, and GAME.

**Our Vision – ** we are building the worlds most admired and compelling brand ecosystem

Our Purpose – we are elevating the lives of the many with access to the world’s best brands and experiences

At Frasers Group, we fear less and do more. Our people are forward thinkers who are driven to operate outside of their comfort zone to change the future of retail, embracing challenges along the way. The potential to elevate your career is massive, the experience unrivalled. To be able to make the most of it you need to live and breathe our principles:

• Think without limits - Think fast, think fearlessly, and take the team with you
• Own it and back yourself - Own the basics, own your role and own the results
• Be relevant - Relevant to our people, our partners and the planet

Are you ready to join the fearless?

The programme

The Commercial Elevation Programme is a fast-track development opportunity designed to build the next generation of leaders across our Product, Supply Chain and Commercial functions.

Over two years, you'll gain first-hand exposure to how a global retail supply chain operates, from factory floor to customer. You'll work alongside sourcing partners, manufacturing facilities and commercial teams, developing the skills and experience needed to influence product availability, performance and profitability across the UK's largest sports retailer.

You'll help support the flow of millions of products across one of the UK's most dynamic retail businesses, influencing decisions that impact brands, customers and commercial performance across the Group.

This is not a traditional graduate scheme. We recruit people with the ambition, curiosity and commercial potential to become future leaders, whether that potential has been developed through university, work experience or a combination of both.

What you'll experience

During the programme, you'll gain hands-on experience across the full commercial and supply chain lifecycle, including:

• Product development and sourcing
• Supplier management
• Planning and forecasting
• Pricing and margin optimisation
• Production planning and critical path management
• Logistics and supply operations
• Commercial trading and performance analysis

You'll work directly with sourcing and manufacturing partners who play a critical role in bringing our brands to life, giving you exposure to supplier relationships, commercial decision-making and real-world problem solving from day one.

As your experience grows, you'll take on greater responsibility, broaden your exposure across brands and product categories, and begin specialising within key areas of our commercial operation.

Development and career progression

Alongside hands-on experience, you'll complete a structured development programme covering:

• Leadership
• Communication and influence
• Stakeholder management
• Emotional intelligence
• Personal effectiveness

You'll learn directly from senior leaders across Frasers Group while building a network that supports your long-term career development.

Previous programme participants have progressed into careers across Planning, Supply Chain, Sourcing, Product Operations and Commercial Trading.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for ambitious people who want to build a long-term commercial career within one of the world's leading retail and consumer businesses. We value people who take ownership, embrace challenge, think boldly and are committed to continuous improvement. These qualities are at the heart of how we work and succeed at Frasers Group.

Successful candidates are typically

• Commercially aware and curious
• Motivated to learn and develop
• Strong problem solvers
• Comfortable working with data and making evidence-based decisions
• Confident communicators
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced environment
• Eager to take ownership and responsibility

Experience gained through retail, hospitality, customer service, operations, leisure or other customer-facing environments can be beneficial but is not essential.

Analytical mindset

This programme is highly commercial and data driven.

Successful participants enjoy working with numbers, identifying trends and using data to influence business decisions. You'll likely thrive in this programme if you:

• Enjoy working with quantitative information
• Can identify patterns and opportunities within data
• Translate information into recommendations and actions
• Make decisions based on evidence rather than assumptions
• Are comfortable learning new systems and tools

Previous Excel experience is beneficial but not essential. More important is a willingness to develop strong analytical capability and commercial judgement.

Applicants must

• Hold GCSE Maths and English (Grade 4/C or above, or equivalent)
• Have permanent UK working rights

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications from candidates sponsored under a visa route, including Skilled Worker, Graduate, Student or Dependant visa categories.

Alongside our standard colleague benefits, you'll also receive

• Accommodation support located near our Shirebrook Head Office
• Subsidised food and laundry facilities
• 20% discount across Frasers Group brands
• One year's free membership at Everlast Gyms
• Access to the Frasers Champion peer recognition scheme

Wellbeing support

• Frasers Fit wellbeing platform, including free classes and discounted gym access
• Retail Trust support, including a 24/7 wellbeing helpline, counselling services, and financial and legal support

Selection process

• Application review
• Online assessment (analytical skills, logic and values)
• 1-way video interview
• Assessment centre at Shirebrook Head Office (March 2027)
• Offer stage
• Programme start (September 2027)