Pros
Compensation is transparent and is above industry averages, though there is definitely been consolidation on contractual terms which will reduce your take-home for eg removal of any time multiplies unless you work nightshift. You have a lot of flexibility on how you run your department and floor, you do your own stock ordering which is a massive benefit and truly helps sharpen your commercial thinking. Each store is a reflection of its store manager and while there may be commonalities in terms of systems your experiences will vary greatly from branch to branch according to the branch manager's leadership style. It's a fast-paced environment that has no shortage of customers, anyone that has worked in a store and seen a lull in footfall knows that ultimately they can be shut down if the cash flow dries up, so it's better to be in a business where this isn't an issue. A strong business is a growing one with career opportunities.
Cons
Long hours, its retail management, get used to it or change job. As with all consolidations within the industry, Primark is no different just a little bit later than others to go with a restructure. We all know what this means as managers we will be expected to deliver the same or more with fewer resources under the banner of ever-increasing productivity. Office time to actually plan is at a premium unless your senior team expect to spend 95% of your time on the sales floor. This is going to make managing HR people issues and anything that requires forward planning challenging. I frequently see managers doing paperwork during their lunch breaks as it's one of the few times they can sit in the office without being asked to go to the floor. The recent restructuring has seen a 100's of managers leave the business. Those that remain aren't exactly lottery ticket winners, many have had to take demotions with pay cuts that are actually magnified when you factor in inflation. The rest are waiting for redeployment or redundancy using the statutory formula which is the bare minimum unless you're over 40.