Charity Shop Assistant Manager vacancy in Hebden Bridge (272OH)

Charity Shop Assistant Manager vacancy in Hebden Bridge (272OH)

Charity Shop Assistant Manager

Hebden Bridge Furniture Shop

Salary:

Hours: 37.5 hours per week including regular weekends.

Contract: Permanent

Responsible to: Shop Manager

Accountable to: Area Manager

Overgate Hospice is an independent charity with a mission to ensure that patients and those close to them live with the best possible quality of life. This is enabled by provision of the highest standard of compassionate and evidence-based specialist palliative and end of life care for adults in Calderdale who have active, progressive life limiting illness.

Job Summary

The Assistant Manager will support the effective day to day operation of Overgate Hospice’s Hebden Bridge shop, ensuring a welcoming environment and consistently high retail standards. Working closely with the Shop Manager, Area Managers, and volunteers, the postholder will help maintain smooth operations, deliver excellent customer service, and maximise income to support the work of the Hospice.

This role involves supporting and motivating volunteers, promoting Gift Aid and hospice initiatives, overseeing stock control and presentation, and ensuring all financial and administrative procedures are followed accurately.

As a key member of the Retail Team, the Assistant Manager will demonstrate the values of Overgate Hospice and contribute to a positive, well-run shop that reflects the Hospice’s reputation within the Calderdale community.

Minimum Qualifications / Experience Required

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent, or able to demonstrate relevant experience.
• A minimum of one year’s experience working in a retail environment.
• Experience of delivering a high standard of customer service.
• A full, valid driving licence is essential.
• Experience of supervising, supporting and motivating staff and/or volunteers.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Retail

• Work alongside the Shop Manager to support the effective day-to-day running of the shop, including acting as a key holder, opening, and closing the premises, and ensuring the shop remains safe and secure at all times.
• Take responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the shop in the Shop Manager’s absence, ensuring high standards are maintained and providing a positive experience for customers and volunteers.
• Support the Shop Manager with the day-to-day management and motivation of Shop Assistants, Shop Van Drivers and volunteers. In the Shop Manager’s absence, take responsibility for leading and supporting the team and ensuring all collections and deliveries are completed professionally and in a timely manner.
• Ensure that the Gift Aid scheme is used effectively and that agreed targets are achieved. Support staff and volunteers to understand the scheme fully and provide appropriate training so they feel confident in promoting and processing Gift Aid. You will receive full training to enable you to oversee Gift Aid activity and help the team meet its targets.
• Maximise income from donated stock by ensuring all items are processed efficiently and by recycling goods that cannot be sold.
• Follow all required financial procedures, including accurate cashing up, banking, reporting of figures, and ensuring that all financial donations are processed and recorded correctly. Complete all relevant paperwork to the required standard.
• Sort, price, and move donated stock and bought-in goods, ensuring all items, particularly furniture, are handled safely and appropriately.
• Collect donated goods from supporters in line with the agreed collection schedule, ensuring items are suitable for sale and meet all relevant safety requirements, including appropriate fire safety labelling where required.
• As part of this role, you will be required to engage in manual handling tasks, including lifting and carrying bags and boxes of donated stock. Training and guidance on safe manual handling practices will be provided to ensure your safety and wellbeing.
• Ensure all health and safety policies are implemented and adhered to including ensure all COSHH assessment completed.
• Proactively generate donations of stock and maintain adequate stock levels.
• Maintain a clean, tidy, and welcoming shop environment, ensuring the sales floor, stock areas and displays are well presented and organised. Create and regularly refresh high-quality window and in-store displays to showcase stock effectively, attract customers and support sales.
• Work closely with the shop team to maintain consistently high standards across all areas of the shop. Support the delivery of excellent customer service, ensure the shop is well presented, and contribute to a positive and welcoming experience for all customers and volunteers.
• Support the Shop Manager in using social media to promote the shop, showcase key items for sale, and attract new volunteers and customers. Contribute to creating engaging content that helps raise the profile of the shop and encourages people to visit and support Overgate Hospice.
• Take responsibility for complying with and supporting the implementation of all Overgate Hospice policies, procedures, risk assessments, and relevant legislative requirements, ensuring these are followed consistently within the shop. Identify and report any issues, risks or concerns to the Shop Manager and take appropriate action, working together to resolve them promptly and effectively.
• Develop strong and positive relationships with volunteers within the shop and across the wider organisation, ensuring they feel supported, valued, and engaged in their roles.
• Contribute to keeping the shop competitive on the high street by maintaining high retail standards, presenting stock effectively, and supporting initiatives that attract customers and encourage repeat visits.
• Attend and provide support at fundraising and retail events, helping to represent the Hospice and contribute to successful income generation activities.
• Be an active, participative, and supportive member of the Retail Team to ensure that all aspects of the Hospice retail strategy are successfully delivered.

2. Volunteer Co-ordination & Teamwork

• Support the Shop Manager in leading, motivating and developing volunteers, providing clear guidance and support to maintain an effective and engaged team across both shops.
• In the Shop Manager’s absence, take responsibility for the day-to-day management, supervision, and support of volunteers, ensuring they understand their roles and responsibilities and are able to carry them out effectively.
• Keep all volunteers up to date with all appropriate information from the Hospice and ensure they undertake annual training for health and safety.
• Work with the Manager to actively recruit, interview, and induct new volunteers and correctly train volunteers within their roles.
• Promote volunteering opportunities where and when appropriate.

3. Customer Service

• Ensure that customer service is professional and supports the ethos of the hospice.
• Support and advertise hospice events, campaigns, and awareness issues.
• Build relationships with customers and the community.
• Promote the role of the charity in the community.
• Ensure professional and friendly service is given at all times.
• Accept all donations politely and professionally.
• Promote the use of the Hospice loyalty card scheme.

Overgate General Duties and Responsibilities

All employees must maintain a safe working environment in accordance with Overgate Hospices Health and Safety policies & abide by the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974).

All employees must undertake relevant mandatory training.

All employees must comply with all Hospice policies and procedures and always maintain strict confidentiality within the guidelines of the General Data Protection Regulations.

All employees must adhere to the Hospice’s Standards of Behavior Framework and Values in all aspects of their work.

This job description is not exhaustive and will be subject to periodic review. The employer and the employee share responsibility to review and amend it as appropriate.

Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk

All Hospice staff are required to act in such a way that at all times safeguards the health and well-being of children and adults at risk. Familiarisation with and adherence to the Hospice safeguarding policies is an essential requirement of all employees as is participation in related mandatory/statutory training.

Valuing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

All employees should perform their duties in accordance with the values and principles of valuing equality, diversity, and inclusion. It is the responsibility of all employees to support the Hospice vision of promoting a positive attitude to equality, diversity and inclusion of opportunity, to promote inclusion, eliminate discrimination and disadvantage in service delivery and employment, and to manage, support or comply through the implementation of the Hospice’s Equal Opportunities Policy.

Person Specification

GCSE-level education or equivalent relevant experience.

Full, current UK driving licence.

Experience of working to timescales and deadlines

A minimum of one year’s experience working in a busy retail environment

Experience of supervising, managing and motivating staff and/or volunteers

Experience of cash handling and following appropriate financial procedures

Experience of working effectively to deadlines and agreed timescales

Experience of representing an organisation professionally and delivering excellent customer service

Ability to prioritise and manage own workload, using initiative and working with minimal supervision

Ability to manage multiple priorities and remain effective in a busy environment with frequent interruptions

Experience of delivering a high standard of customer service

Confident in using computers and standard IT systems.

Experience of working within charity retail

Skills & Ability

Excellent organisational and time management skills.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Strong interpersonal skills with a friendly, approachable, and professional manner.

Ability to work effectively as part of a team, including alongside and supporting volunteers.

Flexible and adaptable approach to work, with the ability to respond to changing priorities.

Ability and willingness to work flexibly, including occasional unsocial hours where required.

Reliable, with excellent timekeeping.

Ability