Future Operations Leader - Degree Apprenticeship Wales (37-month fixed term contract)

This is an opportunity to earn a fully funded degree from a Russell Group university while leading in the heart of Amazon's operations. You will earn a fully funded BSc (Hons) in Leadership and Project Management while working on the ground in one of our fulfilment centres or operational sites, solving real business challenges alongside experienced leaders.

This is a hands-on role, not a desk job. You'll be out across the floor where the action happens, covering real distance as you lead teams, drive change, and make a tangible impact.

What You'll Do

This is a people role, focusing on motivating teams, having difficult conversations with empathy, and creating an environment where people want to do their best work. The role involves shift work, including days, nights, and weekends, as operations run around the clock. You'll rotate through different shift patterns, which means early starts, late finishes, and night shifts. It's a demanding, fast-paced environment where you'll need to prioritise quickly, stay composed under pressure, and keep the most important things moving.

A day in the life can involve:

• Starting with a team stand-up or shift handover, reviewing priorities, performance metrics, and issues from the previous shift.
• Shadowing or supporting a team leader or manager on the floor, getting stuck into real-time problem solving - clearing a bottleneck, supporting a team member, or managing workflow across the site.
• Working on a project linked to your degree - building a business case for a process improvement, mapping stakeholders for a site change, or analysing quality and risk data to present back to leadership.
• On university weeks, attending masterclasses or webinars and completing coursework, then bringing what you've learned straight back onto the floor.

As you progress, you'll build relationships across the site, develop your own leadership style, and take on increasing responsibility.

Skills and Experience

This programme is for you if you have natural leadership instincts, such as captaining a sports team, coaching younger students, leading a group project, completing your Duke of Edinburgh, volunteering, organising events, or being a prefect. It's also for those who have spent time in the workplace and naturally stepped up by training new starters, leading a team, improving a process, or taking ownership of tasks beyond their job description.

What You'll Achieve

Over 37 months, you'll develop the knowledge and skills to lead in a complex operational environment, including:

• Business strategy and how organisations operate
• Project planning, scheduling, budgeting, and delivery within time, cost, and quality constraints
• Leading and managing diverse teams, building trust, and driving performance
• Financial controls, business case development, and performance reporting
• Stakeholder engagement, communication, and influencing at all levels
• Organisational change management - preparing teams and operations for change
• Risk identification, quality assurance, and continuous improvement
• Commercial awareness, procurement, and contract management
• Digital innovation, data-driven technologies, and AI in a business context

You will achieve:

• BSc (Hons) Leadership and Project Management
• Level 6 Project Manager Degree Apprenticeship
• CMI Level 5 Certificate in Project Management (dual accredited)
• International Project Management Association (IPMA) Level D qualification

This is a blended learning programme combining pre-reading, in-person masterclasses, online learning, and individual study. You'll be supported by a dedicated Academic Mentor, with progress reviews involving your Line Manager, and have access to university resources.

Basic Qualifications

• Be 18 years or over before the start date (September 2027).
• Have the right to live and work in Wales at the point of enrolment (June 2027).
• Have lived in the UK or in the European Economic Area (EEA) for the last 3 years prior to the start date.
• Not be registered to study on a UK government funded course ending August 2027 or later.
• Be prepared to travel for external/mandatory training.
• Hold 5 GCSEs at grade 4-9 (A-C) or above (or equivalent) including Maths and English.
• Hold 3 A Levels at minimum grades ABB (or equivalent).
• You must NOT already have a qualification in a similar subject at the same or higher level than this apprenticeship.

Preferred Qualifications

• An interest in operations, logistics, or supply chain environments.
• A genuine enthusiasm for leading, motivating, and working with people.
• Natural leadership instincts.
• Resilience and ability to prioritise under pressure.
• Great communication skills and ability to influence others.
• A problem-solving mindset and a willingness to learn.
• Comfortable with change and able to stay calm in a fast-paced environment.
• Happy working in a fast-paced warehouse environment, including shift work (days, nights, and weekends).