Innovation & Design Thinking - Graduate Program (Jul 2022)

NEXT – an innovation partner of the Reece Group

NEXT is the innovation and insights arm of BIG – the Breakthrough Innovation Group. At NEXT, we solve problems & develop new ideas using design thinking, as well as help imbed a culture of innovative thinking for our clients. We operate as an in-house external organisation within the Reece Group.

What does that mean?

It means that we operate under the Reece Group banner and have the leverage of a large company, whilst providing our services to both Reece and non-Reece clients.

Reece Group - Much more than plumbing

Reece is an Australian icon – we’ve been around for over 100 years. We’re a big business that works hard to retain the little things that made us great when we were small - staying agile and innovative – which has been one of the key drivers of our success.

We are Australia's largest supplier of plumbing and bathroom products; a major public company with over 8,000 people, 800 locations and 10 business lines across Australia, New Zealand and North America. As an essential service, our business has never been more important to community health and hygiene.

We thrive on new ideas and are on the hunt for Graduates with the energy and passion to make things happen. We are specialists beyond just taps, toilets and pipes – we’re creators of customer experiences and customer value across all areas of Bathroom & Plumbing.

And that’s where you come in.

About the opportunity

NEXT has a rare opportunity for a graduate to be mentored and developed into this innovation arm of the broader Reece Group business. As a NEXT graduate, you will be on a pathway to becoming an Innovation Partner where you will work for Reece and non-Reece clients on enabling and rolling out big and small innovations across any and all business functions.

The Graduate Program, in partnership with the Reece Group, will host you through an immersive learning experience over 18 months, split into 2 major periods:

• 6-month Learning Journey working from within one of our retail-based branches where you will undertake a month-by-month learning plan, and learn deeply our customers & products first-hand from the frontline. This 6-month experience will broaden your understanding of the Reece Group businesses, deepen your knowledge of our customers, and build your preparedness to craft your career at NEXT.
• 12 months of supported learning and development within the NEXT Innovation team, under the guidance of a personalised mentor. Over this time, we’ll hone your skills in design thinking practices that enable clients to discover innovative solutions to their problems. You will build your capability in undertaking research practices that help collect key insights from respective customer and market segments. And you’ll be shown how we build an innovation culture that has the power to transform a company.

This Graduate opportunity will commence in July 2022.

Key Selection Criteria

We’re seeking recent university graduates from a range of disciplines and backgrounds in Marketing, Business, Arts and others. What we’re searching for is evidence that within your studies you’ve built your knowledge and capability of:

• Design thinking principles and practice
• Project management
• Customer/market behaviour
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Why Work With Us

A role with NEXT is a great opportunity for a career pathway into strategy and innovation. In this space, you get the opportunity to work with amazing leaders to support them in improving their business.

Here are some other reasons why you should consider us:

• A clear career pathway into more senior positions within the NEXT Innovation team
• Be given the responsibility to make decisions with real-time business outcomes
• Structured learning, development and leadership programs
• You’ll work side-by-side with some of the best in the business with opportunities to progress your career
• Work on meaningful projects and be given real responsibility
• Eligibility to receive profit share bonuses and other employee benefits

Reece is a place where people make a real difference. And that’s the secret to our success is having the right people, with the right attitude in the right roles. This means that we value diversity and fairness and are committed to providing equal opportunity regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or life stage. 

If you’re excited by the idea of working with great people in a thriving business, then Reece may be for you. Put your future first and apply today.