From Trainee Manager to People & Culture Process Specialist: My 10-Year Career Journey at Primark
Hi, I’m Lauren, a People & Culture Process Specialist, and this year marks my 10 year work anniversary with Primark. When I joined the business as a 20-year-old Trainee Manager, I had no idea where my career would take me. Looking back now, my journey has been anything but linear – what we like to call a squiggly career – and that's exactly what makes it so special.
Over the past decade, Primark has been part of every stage of my life. I've grown professionally, built a career I'm proud of, bought a home, become a mam, and developed lifelong friendships along the way. Through every chapter, Primark has provided opportunities to learn, grow and challenge myself.
How I started my career in Retail at Primark
My career began in one of our stores, where I joined as a Trainee Manager. Over the following years, I progressed to Department Manager. Working in store gave me a fantastic foundation and taught me the importance of putting people at the heart of everything we do.
One of the things I still love most about Primark is seeing colleagues develop their careers. Every time I reconnect with people I worked with in store and see how they've progressed, whether through store management roles or into Central Functions, it's a reminder of just how many opportunities there are within the business.
How I stepped away from Retail Management and discovered my passion for People & Culture at Primark
After a few years in retail, I was approached about an opportunity to move into the People & Culture function within my store. It was a move that completely changed the direction of my career.
I worked as a P&C Department Manager, where I discovered how much I enjoyed supporting colleagues and helping create a positive workplace experience.
A few years later, another opportunity came my way – joining our Dublin Head Office People & Culture team. I became part of the Retail Business Partnering team, supporting stores across Ireland. My role involved end-to-end recruitment for retail management positions, employee relations support, and helping colleagues and managers navigate people-related queries.
Building a career in People Operations and Process Improvement at Primark
While I enjoyed many aspects of People & Culture, I realised that what really excited me was the operational side of the function.
I became fascinated by how things work behind the scenes from our processes to policies and ways of working. I wanted to understand how we could make things simpler, more efficient and ultimately create a better experience for both colleagues and customers.
That passion led me to my next role within the Colleague Relations and Operations team in People & Culture, a newly created team focused on improving people processes and creating an engaging colleague experience.
I had the opportunity to work on exciting projects that have real impact across the business. One highlight was supporting our partnership with Alshaya as Primark expands into the GCC region. Working alongside our People & Culture teams to support policies ahead of new store openings has been an incredibly rewarding experience.
In my current role as a People & Culture Process Specialist, I focus on designing and improving people processes that support colleagues across our global business. What I enjoy most is finding solutions to complex challenges and identifying ways to make everyday experiences simpler and more effective for both managers and colleagues.
Working across global teams gives me the opportunity to make a real difference behind the scenes. Knowing that the processes we create can improve the experience of colleagues around the world is incredibly rewarding and continues to motivate me every day.
Growing my career at Primark while balancing parenthood
One of the biggest milestones during my career at Primark was becoming a mother.
I took maternity leave and, like many parents, wondered what returning to work might look like. What I found was a supportive culture that allowed me to continue progressing in my career while balancing family life. The flexibility, understanding and encouragement I received made a huge difference as I navigated this new chapter.
My daughter is a huge source of motivation for me. She reminds me every day of why I work hard and continue to push myself, both personally and professionally.
How colleagues and mentors helped shape my career journey at Primark
If there's one thing that has shaped my career more than anything else, it's the people.
I've been lucky to work alongside incredible colleagues who have become mentors, supporters and, in many cases, close friends. Some of the women I've worked with throughout my career have had a huge impact on my development, encouraging me to take opportunities, build confidence and keep learning.
What started as working relationships grew into genuine friendships, and those connections continue long after roles change and career paths take different directions.
For me, that's one of the most special things about working at Primark.
What 10 years at Primark has taught me about career growth
When I look at my 10-year service badge, I'm reminded of how much I've grown since joining Primark as a Trainee Manager. My career hasn't followed a straight line, but every role, every opportunity and every challenge has helped me get to where I am today.
If there's one thing my journey has taught me, it's that careers don't need to be perfectly planned. Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you never expected. My advice would be to stay curious, keep learning and be open to new experiences – you never know where they might lead.
And after almost 10 years, I'm still excited to see what's next.
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