Shop Manager

Are you a dynamic, positive person looking for a retail role that's win-win? We want your energy and enthusiasm, to help fulfil our mission to Save Sight. Change Lives. And in return we'll give you the chance to take a well-stocked, beautifully styled charity shop and make it a lively, well-loved hub for the Muswell Hill area. Become a Fight for Sight shop manager to take our high street presence to the next level. Regardless of whether you're currently a deputy shop manager or supervisor, whether you're in corporate or charity retail, we want to hear from you. If you're prepared to come in with ideas and energy, we'll offer you support and the opportunity to thrive in a retail career.

About our mission... Imagine being told that you, or someone you love, is losing their sight. In that moment, two profound questions demand urgent answers: Can this be stopped? How will I live my life? Currently, research into preventing and treating sight loss is chronically underfunded, receiving a mere 1.2% of publicly funded health research grants: people who are blind or vision impaired are three times more likely to experience loneliness and isolation than the general population. We find and fund the brilliant minds and bright ideas that put change in sight. Our researchers are at the forefront, making breakthroughs and discoveries that will prevent, treat and cure eye disease. The partnerships we build and initiatives we support are changing life for blind and vision impaired people. We are Fight for Sight: we won't stop until we: Save Sight. Change Lives. We have a clear ambition and have the support of well-respected and highly engaged ambassadors. We are now looking for experienced, committed, and creative individuals to join our dynamic team to help realise a new five-year growth strategy.

If you want to be part of something impactful, we'd love to hear from you.

Responsible to: Commercial Manager

Direct reports: Immediately responsible for the Assistant Shop Manager and developing a team of dedicated volunteers. In due course the role and responsibilities may grow in line with organisational growth and priorities.

Working hours and contract: Permanent, Full time 35 hours, 5 days per week but flexible over a seven-day rota

Salary: £27,000

Location: Kingston

How to Apply: Please submit your CV and a covering letter to our recruitment inbox with subject header Shop Manager, Kingston (Full Time). Your covering letter should include a supporting statement (max two pages) comprising why you think you are an ideal candidate for the role, what applicable experience you'll bring and why you want to work for Fight for Sight?

Closing date for applications: Rolling. Early applications are encouraged. We will be interviewing on a rolling basis; therefore, we will close the vacancy as soon as we have found the right candidate.

Important note: All applicants must have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we do not have a sponsoring license for non-UK employees which means that if you do not have a current, valid UK working permit, please do not apply, as we will not be able to consider your application.

Role Responsibilities:

• Purpose of Job: Coach, lead, and manage the Assistant Shop Manager and volunteers. Drive sales performance, maximize profit, Gift Aid, and donations. Deliver the retail strategy, ensuring cost efficiency. Ensure compliance with regulations, policies, and procedures. Promote strong community relations to enhance the charity's profile.
• Main Responsibilities: Deliver income plan and Gift Aid targets; coach team to achieve goals. Manage volunteer pricing, adherence to policies, and recognize contributions. Foster ownership, follow-up, and effective team communication. Induct, train, and develop staff and volunteers. Liaise with key managers and provide customer service feedback. Network locally to generate donations and volunteer engagement. Monitor stock security and maintain housekeeping. Pursue personal development to enhance retail contribution.
• Sales and Profit: Monitor sales, category performance, and financial results; engage the team in understanding shop performance. Foster a creative, entrepreneurial environment to maximize income. Manage team to maximize Gift Aid income on donated products. Ensure adherence to all financial procedures and timely execution.
• Shop Floor: Source sufficient stock and maintain efficient processing systems. Ensure compliance with legal and internal policies. Inspire team to deliver excellent customer experience. Enable effective visual merchandising and new product sales. Maintain safe, healthy, and fit-for-purpose shop environment.
• Leadership - Volunteers: Recruit, induct, and retain an inclusive, motivated volunteer team. Connect volunteers to Fight for Sight's mission and recognize contributions. Maintain an empowered, well trained, motivated and engaged volunteer team with excellent levels of communication at team and individual level.
• Leadership - Paid Staff: Support recruitment, induction, and development of staff. Coach staff to achieve targets; conduct performance reviews.
• Management - being part of Fight for Sight: Play active part in the charity, including attending and contributing to all-staff meetings. Play a key role in enabling the shop to represent Fight for Sight and increase the knowledge of the local community about our mission and work. Be accountable for the integration of the shop into the local community in collaboration with the shop team. Empower the team to respond to all appeals and fundraising opportunities. Adhere to and enforce Fight for Sight safeguarding policies.
• Other: Adhere to Fight for Sight's vision, mission, and values. Commit to equality, diversity, and staff wellbeing.

Person specification:

• Desirable skills, knowledge & experience:
• The ability to work under pressure whilst remaining calm and organised.
• To be receptive to change and to act as a change agent.
• The ability to maintain excellent rapport with staff, volunteers, supporters, and donors.
• To demonstrate a calm and logical approach to problem solving.
• To consistently demonstrate a dedicated approach to the quality of customer service and team working.
• Comfortable working in a small team both strategically and operationally.
• Commitment to teamwork, business partnering and a collegiate approach with a can-do attitude and a sense of humour.
• Able to provide positive, dynamic, tenacious and flexible leadership at all times.
• Results-driven, able to measure and quantify own outcomes.
• Adaptable to changing landscape and evolving organisation.
• Willing and able to operate at pace in an organisation going through rapid change, using your initiative and delivering to tight deadlines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Highly organised with ability to plan effectively and allocate resources appropriately.
• An understanding of and commitment to London's blind and partially sighted people.

Flexibility: The role description is a general outline of duties and responsibilities and may be amended as we grow. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time.

Employee benefits: We value our staff and volunteers and want to make sure that they are supported in their work. Other benefits we also offer are: A great team and a supportive culture, employer pension contributions matching up to 10%, and death in service cover, generous parental leave, flexible/hybrid working options, apprenticeships scheme, study leave and financial support for training & development, cycle to work scheme, eye test vouchers, and a staff loan scheme, access to an Employee Assistance Program, an active Social Committee and staff events.

Application & Interview process: See above for How to Apply. Please note that we value the authenticity and individuality of our applicants and believe that your CV and cover letter should reflect your unique skills, experiences, and personality. Therefore, please refrain from using AI tools, including ChatGPT, to produce your application materials. Applications drafted with the assistance of AI will be automatically rejected. Successfully shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview online via MS Teams.

Accessibility: We believe in fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals, regardless of their abilities or circumstances, feel supported and valued. If you have any accessibility requirements or specific needs that you would like us to accommodate during the application process, please let us know. If you are unfamiliar with MS Teams and would like to familiarise yourself with the platform before the interview, we are more than happy to arrange a tech run-through to ensure your comfort and confidence.

Equal opportunities, diversity & inclusion: Don't meet every single requirement? At Fight for Sight we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workforce, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every item in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles that we have. We have an inclusive and accessible recruitment process, including any adjustments required to support people from diverse community groups.