My food & drink job: Olivia Walker, central operations specialist, Southern Co-op

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Southern Co-op Olivia Walker

Name: Olivia Walker

Age: 26

Job title: Central operations specialist

Company & location: Southern Co-op in Portsmouth

Education: Biology, Psychology and Law A Levels at Chichester College

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? My career ideas definitely changed a lot growing up. I first wanted to be a vet because I loved animals, then I went through a phase of wanting to become a police officer because I was fascinated by criminology.

By the time I got to college, I was leaning more towards sports psychology. Safe to say I explored a few options before landing where I am now.

“Whenever I can, I visit stores to hear directly from teams on the shop floor – that’s where you learn the most”

Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink? I started working in a store while I was at college because the hours fit around my studies. Once I joined, I quickly realised how many opportunities there were to progress. I loved how fast-paced convenience retail is and you get to see first-hand how stores support the communities around them.

Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): I sit between Southern Co-op’s head office teams and our retail stores, helping keep everything running smoothly. A big part of my role is supporting projects that make life easier for store colleagues and making sure they always have the latest processes and guidance at their fingertips.

What does a typical day look like for you? No two days are the same, which is one of the best parts of the job. I’ll usually start by catching up on emails and checking in on the projects I’m supporting. From there it’s a mix of meetings, updating processes for stores and working on initiatives that save colleagues time.

Whenever I can, I also visit stores to hear directly from teams on the shop floor – that’s where you learn the most.

Southern Co-op x Deliveroo 2

Tell us how you went about applying for your job: The interview process was one stage but split into two parts. The first was a standard interview about my background and experience. The second involved presenting a scenario I’d been given beforehand and explaining how I’d approach it. It was a great chance to show how I think through challenges and come up with practical solutions.

What’s the best part about working for a food & drink company? The fast-paced nature of retail. The convenience sector is constantly evolving, so there’s always a new challenge to tackle or a way to improve things for colleagues and customers. It definitely keeps you on your toes.

And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? That it’s easy. Whether you’re on the shop floor or in head office, there’s always something happening behind the scenes. Colleagues deal with everything from operational challenges to technology issues, so you never quite know what the day will bring.

What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the food & drink industry? Say yes to opportunities and be willing to learn. The industry is huge and there are so many different paths you can take, from stores to head office roles. It’s a great place to build experience and discover what you enjoy most.

What’s your ultimate career dream? I’d love to move further into project management or events co-ordination. I really enjoy organising projects and bringing different teams together, so that feels like a natural next step for me.