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Walmart is reportedly restructuring store-support and training roles as it looks to simplify its organizational structure in an apparent shift from a corporate to more of a local focus.
Bloomberg, which first reported the news, said that hundreds of store-support roles would be affected.
Walmart Eliminates Market Coordinator Role, Trims Academy Coach and Coordinator Roles
The cuts include eliminating the market coordinator role, which assists Walmart market managers with data compilation, analysis, and administrative tasks, as well as coordinating projects and events. Market managers are responsible for supervising roughly a dozen store managers each.
Regarding those changes — Cedric Clark, Walmart U.S. EVP, store operations — said in the July 16 memo attained by Drug Store News, “We’re simplifying our market support structure, reducing touchpoints and friction for our store associates. With improved processes and new tools, we’ve determined that the Market Coordinator (MC) role no longer serves the same purpose as when it was created. To help drive speed and clarity for our store leaders, we’re giving ownership of the remaining work to other market-level associates and eliminating this role."
Walmart is also eliminating some Academy coach and Academy coordinator positions as it evolves the structure of Walmart Academy, its training facilities for developing store employees and managers, to accelerate training efforts. Academy coaches lead the training sessions at the facilities, while the Academy coordinator is more of an assistant role.
Clark wrote in the memo, “Specifically, we are moving from a one-size-fits-all staffing model to staffing our Walmart Academy facilities based on location, volume of participants, and training needs. Across all locations, we aim to train more associates in-person than we did last year, in addition to expanding online and mobile learning options so people can learn on the job. We’ll modernize our structure while maintaining the quality and accessibility of training. To achieve this, we’re adding some new roles in our higher-volume Walmart Academy locations and eliminating some Academy Coach and Academy Coordinator roles in other locations."
Affected market coordinators and Academy coach employees will be offered store-level coach roles. Affected Academy coordinator staffers are being offered other store roles.
Walmart Continues Efforts To Streamline Operations
The moves build on Walmart’s efforts to streamline operations. In May, Walmart announced plans to cut about 1,500 jobs, affecting teams in global technology operations, e-commerce fulfillment in U.S. stores, and its advertising business of Walmart Connect.
In February, Walmart indicated it planned to eliminate nearly 700 jobs in New Jersey and North Carolina as part of a move to relocate employees to its main hubs in California and Arkansas. The job reductions come as Walmart in May said it would have to raise prices due to the high cost of tariffs.