Real Estate Trainee

Real Estate Trainee

Action is active in 15 markets, and we continue to grow. This growth creates new opportunities within Real Estate, as we open new stores every day across Europe. That is why we are looking for new talent to support our international expansion.

As a Real Estate Trainee, you join an 18‑month programme that helps you grow from a curious starter into a confident real estate professional. From our headquarters in Zwaagdijk, you learn how Real Estate supports our growth — from development and analysis to processes, systems, portfolio management and lease management.

You take on real tasks from day one, work with data, systems, and colleagues across Europe, and finish the traineeship with a clear next step in your career.

Your daily tasks

Your traineeship is structured in three phases of six months each. Throughout all phases, you will work across the different pillars of our Real Estate department: RE Analysis, Process & Systems, and Portfolio & Lease Management.

Phase 1 – Foundation (Months 1–6)

• You will immerse yourself in the Real Estate department, getting to know the teams, their tools, and their ways of working. You will be embedded in each area in turn, carrying out structured process reviews and building your understanding of how data, systems, and strategy connect.
• Get to know the RE Portfolio& Lease team: learn how lease and portfolio performance data is collected, analyzed, and reported in collaboration with Business Control and the BI team.
• Explore the Process & Systems team: understand how Real Estate systems are managed, how data quality is safeguarded, and how process improvements are identified and implemented.
• Discover the development & analysis team: learn how market analyses are used to support international expansion and shadow colleagues preparing investment proposals.
• Document your findings and begin building your personal development plan for the phases ahead.

Phase 2 – Skilling up (Months 7–12)

• With a solid foundation in place, you will take on more responsibility in all areas simultaneously. You will support live projects, contribute to cross-functional collaboration, and own a structured improvement initiative.
• Contribute to RE portfolio reporting and help prepare input for portfolio targets and monitor results of portfolio related achievements.
• Take an active role in a process or system improvement project: map a workflow, gather requirements, coordinate with IT, and support rollout and training.
• Work alongside the Portfolio& Lease team to translate data to long-term portfolio management strategy for country teams.
• Act as a connector between Real Estate and other departments such as Supply Chain, Finance, and IT – facilitating alignment on cross-disciplinary topics.
• Launch and deliver an improvement project with a measurable impact on a Real Estate process, system, or analytical tool.

Phase 3 – Creating impact (Months 13–18)

• This phase is tailored to your development and interests. Having worked across all three areas, you will have a clear sense of where your strengths and ambitions lie. The options include:
• Step into a full Real Estate Analyst role, focusing on performance reporting, investment analysis, and Committee preparation.
• Move into the Process & Systems Analyst role, taking functional ownership of RE systems and leading process standardization across the department.
• Develop into a Portfolio& Lease Analyst, driving data-led portfolio management and advising country teams on portfolio strategy.
• Explore other business departments to discover where your skills and interests fit best within Action’s broader organization.

Your team

You will become part of Action’s Real Estate department – a dynamic, international team based at our headquarters in Zwaagdijk. The department brings together three closely connected areas of expertise: RE Analysis (performance reporting and investment decision support), Process & Systems (system management, data quality, and process improvement), and Location Portfolio Management (expansion strategy and market analysis). Together, these teams support store growth across more than 13 countries. As a trainee, you will work with all three sub-teams as well as with country organizations, Business Control, Supply Chain, and IT. From day one, you will have a dedicated manager and mentor to guide your development. Your colleagues are eager to share their knowledge and support you in growing into a confident Real Estate professional.

What you offer

You are analytically strong, curious by nature, and comfortable working across both data and processes. You enjoy translating complex information into clear insights and are equally at home collaborating with strategic stakeholders and diving into system workflows. You approach challenges in a structured, fact-based way and take initiative without waiting to be asked.

Your background:

• Completed HBO or WO degree, preferably in Real Estate, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or related field.
• Starter level – no prior professional experience required.
• Affinity with data analysis, process thinking, and strategic problem-solving.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; strong Excel skills are a plus.
• Good command of English (spoken and written); Dutch is an advantage.

Necessary competencies:

• Curiosity and eagerness to learn – you ask questions, seek context, and want to understand the ‘why’.
• Analytical and structured thinking – you approach problems methodically and back conclusions with data.
• Adaptability – you switch comfortably between analytical, process-oriented, and strategic tasks.
• Clear communication – you engage effectively with IT, operations, country teams, and senior management alike.
• Proactive attitude – you take ownership and see tasks through completion.
• Collaborative mindset – you build relationships easily and contribute to a positive team dynamic.

What we offer

From our headquarters in the Netherlands, you will have an impact across the whole of Europe. Action growth means you can always take steps to develop as a professional, whether that means a certain position, an interesting innovation project, or new skills. And you can do all that in a culture where we truly embrace our shared values: customer focus, teamwork, simplicity, discipline, cost-consciousness and respect.

• A competitive salary (based on a 38-hour working week)
• 24 days holiday with the option to buy five additional days (based on 38 hours per week)
• 15% staff discount on your purchases at Action
• Collective health insurance and travel allowance (Zwaagdijk is reachable from Amsterdam by car in just 30 minutes on uncongested roads)