Charity Shop Assistant

Reporting to: Charity Shop Manager

Working Hours: 25 Hours per week (inc rotation Saturday)

Location: Blaydon / Gateshead

Salary: £14,872

Background to the post:

Age UK Gateshead is a registered charity which provides a range of services for older people across the borough of Gateshead, contributing to our strategic objectives to reduce social isolation and providing and promoting access to opportunities, activities and services which increase older people’s physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

This new post will play a vital part in delivering our strategic plan 2024 to 2025, specifically our aims to:

· Grow our unrestricted income to provide sustainable long term reserves to mitigate financial risk for the organisation

Main Purpose:

To assist the Charity Shop Manager in Age UK Gateshead’s Charity Shop (s) to provide a high quality retail service and together, achieving agreed sales and performance targets to maximise the financial contributions to the charity.

Main Duties:

• To ensure the shop premises are clean and tidy at all times and sales goods are displayed in an attractive and presentable manner.
• Deputise in the absence of the Charity Shop Manager, undertaking all appropriate duties to ensure the continued operation of the shop(s).
• To support, train and coordinate the work of the Shop Volunteers whilst encouraging an active interest in the shop (s) and the charitable work of Age UK Gateshead
• To maintain stock generation, sorting donations goods, pricing and recycling items.
• To provide the highest levels of customer services and care.
• To assist the Charity Shop Manager in the rotation of stock with the Charity’s other shops.
• To assist the Charity Shop Manager in ensuring all admin and financial procedures including banking, cash and card reconciliation, weekly returns and records are completed in line with Age UK Gateshead’s policies and procedures.
• To assist in the Marketing and Fundraising opportunities for the Shop(s), Insurance Services and the Charity.
• To promote the shop(s) in the local community on campaigns such as Stock Appeals.
• Flexible approach to work is required.

Your role will also require you to:

· Be aware of and adhere to charity sector best practice and legislation.

· Carry out tasks according to Age UK Gateshead’s policies, procedures and standards, in particular on confidentiality, anti–discriminatory policies and health and safety.

· Work within Quality Mark Frameworks such as ISO9001.

· Participate in training sessions and meetings as necessary, including multi-disciplinary team meetings

· A willingness and ability to work unsocial hours (e.g. weekends) to meet the needs of the business.

· To carry out any other duties as may be reasonably required by the Chief Executive

The job description is not intended as an indication of the full and detailed range of duties that may be undertaken by the post holder and will be reviewed and developed to reflect the changing needs of the service and the Organisation. Other duties that are commensurate to the grade of the post, may be requested from time to time.

The skills required for the post are:

Good General Standard of Education

Experience of working in a busy retail environment, working to sales and performance targets.

Excellent customer care skills with the ability to handle difficult customers and team issues..

Demonstrate a creative flair for shop and window displays

Administration skills, including an ability to create appropriate written records and enter data into a CRM database.

Able to work in a flexible way to meet the needs of the service and service users.

Willingness to travel and work between Charity Shops

Ability to manage cash transactions and ensure accurate records are maintained.

Willingness to participate in any relevant training

Ability to deputise for the Shop Manager as and when required.

Ability to work as part of a team as well as on own initiative with minimal supervision

A willingness and ability to work unsocial hours (e.g. evening and weekend work) to meet the needs of the business as required.

Ability to promote and market the shop to increase the shop profile and customer footfall.

Desirable Criteria:

Experience of working with individuals with a Global learning difficulty

Experience of working in Charity Retail

Experience of working with volunteers.

Further Information:

All contracts are subject to six months probationary period and are entitled to 25 days p.a. (pro-rata) plus public holidays, with a 3% contributory pension scheme after 3 months.

· This post will require an enhanced DBS disclosure.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: £11.44 per hour

Expected hours: 25 per week

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Every weekend
• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• customer service: 1 year (preferred)

Work Location: In person