Marks & Spencer is recruiting more than 11,000 Christmas Customer Assistants to support its stores across the UK over the festive period, the retailer has announced. The roles are the face of the business at its busiest time of year, serving customers on the shop floor and at service points, keeping shelves and rails stocked, and helping shoppers find what they need.

What the roles involve

Customer Assistants work across Food, Fashion, Home and Beauty, with some stores also needing overnight help with deliveries and shelf preparation. Christmas colleagues also play a central part in the retailer's Christmas Food to Order service, making sure festive essentials and treats reach customers on time.

Pay and how to apply

M&S says it is recruiting even more colleagues than last year, with over 1,000 additional vacancies, reflecting extra investment in colleague hours to protect customer service during the busiest weeks. Successful applicants receive training, tools and support to get up to speed quickly.

The roles pay £13.41 an hour, M&S's entry-level national rate as reported at launch. Hours, shift patterns and contract lengths vary by store, so applicants should read the individual vacancy carefully before applying, particularly around availability in the two weeks before Christmas. Applications are open now through the M&S careers page, as directed in the company's own announcement, followed by a one-to-one interview or group assessment. No closing date is stated in the official release, so none is claimed here. Apply only through the official M&S route — never pay anyone to secure a retail job.

Sources: Marks & Spencer, The Grocer.