Licensing Specialist

Licensing Specialist
£26,000 - £27,500 plus excellent benefits (Work Level 6B)
Manchester city centre – hybrid working between home and two days a week in the office https://jobs.coop.co.uk/hybrid-working-policy 
18-month fixed-term contract

We’re looking for a Licencing Specialist to join us our Licensing team within our wider Co-op Business Services (CBS) organisation. CBS is made up of a number of diverse teams dedicated to delivering high-quality, reliable and cost-effective business services across our Co-op. You’ll play a key role in helping CBS to support and realise our group vision of ‘co-operating to build more value for member-owners every day’

In this role, you'll help make sure our licensed premises stay compliant and supported. From managing licensing enquiries to coordinating with colleagues, suppliers and local authorities, you'll play an important role in keeping things running smoothly while delivering a great service across the business.

Why this role matters

At Co-op, doing the right thing is at the heart of everything we do. In this role, you'll help ensure our stores meet legal and regulatory requirements, provide expert support on licensing matters, and look for ways to continuously improve the service we offer. Your work will help protect our business while supporting colleagues to serve our customers with confidence.

What you'll do

• Manage licensing enquiries, providing guidance and resolving a range of issues for colleagues across the business
• Coordinate with internal teams, external suppliers and local authorities to ensure licensing matters are handled efficiently
• Maintain and update internal systems accurately, ensuring licensing records are complete and up to date
• Provide first-line support for complex queries and help colleagues understand licensing requirements and processes
• Monitor compliance with licensing legislation and support licensed premises in meeting their legal obligations
• Follow agreed processes, policies and standard operating procedures to deliver a consistently high-quality service
• Identify recurring issues, implement effective controls and escalate concerns where appropriate
• Support delivery against agreed service levels, KPIs and business deadlines, including within this 18-month fixed-term contract
• Build positive relationships with stakeholders and collaborate across teams to achieve the best outcomes
• Continuously look for opportunities to improve processes, increase efficiency and enhance the service we provide

What you'll bring

We’re committed to making our roles as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria. To thrive here, you’ll need to bring:

• Experience of licensing law, regulation and compliance requirements
• Experience handling sensitive and confidential information with care and professionalism
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across a range of internal and external contacts
• Good IT skills, including proficiency in Excel and experience maintaining accurate records and data
• Knowledge of retail or store operations, with experience of Power Platform tools being beneficial

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays 
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions 
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ) 
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands 
• Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it 
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice 
• 24/7 colleague support service 
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you.

Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion.