John Lewis has announced applications for 550 jobs open at its new Leeds shop on Friday 13 May.

The retailer is looking for talented Partners (staff) to fill full-time and part-time positions within the shop, from customer services and shop floor assistants, to specialist roles including carpet estimators, beauty therapists and personal stylists.

These expert Partners will guide customers through the range of in-store concepts and services that will be available in the new shop including the &Beauty spa, a foreign exchange and home design service.

John Lewis Leeds will be the retailer's most service-led shop when it opens in autumn 2016, with more than 30 services available for customers to enjoy. The breadth of services available in John Lewis Leeds reflects the retailer's ambition to expand the experiences within its shops.

The recruitment drive forms part of John Lewis's ongoing commitment to the city, having signed Hammerson's Victoria Gate employment charter together with Leeds City Council, marking their pledge to support Leeds residents to access more than 1000 new employment opportunities collectively.

James Prince, Head of Branch at John Lewis Leeds, said: 'Having lived in the city for the past four years, it means a lot to me to be able to offer jobs at John Lewis Leeds to local people. There are some brilliant, talented individuals in the region and I'm looking forward to meeting enthusiastic and dedicated future Partners and hopefully welcoming them to become a part of our team.'

Hilary Benn, Labour MP for Leeds Central and Shadow Foreign Secretary, said: 'This is an exciting development for Leeds and a striking building. It is bringing a large number of jobs to the city centre, and we all look forward to John Lewis opening. I hope that as many people as possible from Leeds will apply for the wide range of jobs available.'

As a part of John Lewis's unique Partnership structure, successful applicants will become Partners and co-owners of the business, and will receive a host of benefits including an annual bonus, access to holiday and leisure facilities, education and career development support.

John Lewis Leeds will be the third John Lewis to open in Yorkshire. Representing a £37m investment in Leeds, the 255,000 sq ft site will anchor Hammerson's Victoria Gate development and will become part of the wider Victoria estate at its launch later this year. The shop will feature more than 350,000 products across fashion, home and technology.

All applicants for roles at John Lewis Leeds can log onto www.jlpjobs.com to apply for available positions, which go live on Friday 13 May.