Assistant Store Manager in Surbiton

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 Surbiton 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: The Shop Manager

Direct reports: Responsible for volunteers in the absence of the Shop Manager

Working hours and contract: 21h per week across a flexible seven-day rota

Salary: £15,124 PTE (depending on experience)

Location: Surbiton

How to Apply: Please submit your CV and a covering letter to our recruitment inbox with subject header Assistant Shop Manager, Surbiton (Part 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.

Interview dates: Rolling

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:

• Support the Shop Manager to lead and manage volunteers
• Drive sales and maximise shop profits through retail strategy, donations, gift aid, and other income
• Ensure compliance with regulations and policies
• Promote strong community relations to enhance the charity's profile

Main Responsibilities:

• Achieve income, gift aid, and donor conversion targets
• Liaise closely with the Shop Manager
• Support volunteers in pricing and stock processing
• Promote a culture of ownership, follow-up, and effective communication
• Model exceptional customer service
• Maintain safe, legal, and secure shop operations
• Network locally to generate donations and volunteer engagement
• Pursue personal development opportunities
• Ensure good housekeeping and carry out other relevant tasks

Shop Floor:

• Source sufficient donated stock and establish efficient stock processing systems
• Ensure compliance with legal and internal stock regulations
• Inspire volunteers to deliver excellent customer and donor experiences
• Empower volunteers in visual merchandising and shop displays
• Support shop maintenance and safe, healthy working conditions

Leadership - Volunteers:

• Assist in recruiting, inducting, and retaining a diverse volunteer team
• Support training, motivation, and engagement of volunteers
• Connect volunteers with Fight for Sight's mission and impact

Other:

• Required to adhere to Fight for Sight's vision, mission and values
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equality, diversity, and staff health and wellbeing principles

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 visually impaired 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.