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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Support the daily management of a busy hospital café, providing excellent customer service.
- Company: Join Royal Voluntary Service, a charity enhancing NHS services through retail and volunteer support.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, flexible working options, and extensive training opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a positive impact in your community while gaining valuable experience in a supportive team.
- Qualifications: Previous retail or café experience is preferred; strong communication skills are essential.
- Other info: Part-time weekend role with potential for overtime during busy periods.
The predicted salary is between 13800 - 16200 £ per year.
Overview
Royal Voluntary Service has an opportunity for a Senior Retail Customer Assistant – Weekends to join our team at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UY. This is a part-time, permanent role with a salary of £12.68 per hour (FTE £23,091 per annum).
About The Senior Retail Customer Assistant Role
Royal Voluntary Service hospital cafes, shops and trolleys are part of the fabric of the NHS and a real asset in their own right. Staffed by employees and volunteers, we provide a range of beverages and healthy food choices. Our customers fund volunteer action in hospitals and the community.
Working alongside a friendly team of employees and volunteers, to support the day-to-day management of our busy retail Cafe at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.
Responsibilities
- Providing friendly, helpful and efficient service at all times
- Welcoming customers, informing them about specials or new products, answering questions and accepting orders and payments
- Operating the till and cashing up
- Maintaining a high level of cleanliness complying with Health and Safety and food hygiene standards and ensuring all areas of the site remain tidy
- Ensuring that all stock and displays are replenished regularly and ordering supplies if required
- Engage with volunteers to direct & lead by example to ensure they have a great volunteer experience. Have a positive & motivated attitude
- Supervise the site and the team in the absence of the Retail Service Manager and support the manager to achieve KPI’s set and be able to direct, train & support your team to deliver
Hours
16 per week. This is a weekend-only position. You must be available to work Saturday and Sunday between 09:00 and 19:00. The role consists of 16 hours per week. Example shifts include: 09:30 – 18:30.
Additional Information
Our retail sites are open every day, including weekends and all bank holidays. There may also be opportunities for paid overtime during busy periods or to cover absences.
What You\’ll Bring As Our Senior Retail Customer Assistant
Working in a hospital requires a special kind of customer service. Your ability to communicate with a variety of people in a friendly and cheerful way will make a real difference to someone’s day. The key is to adapt your approach to each person to ensure their needs are met.
Job Requirements
- Previous experience in a retail or cafe environment with experience of managing people
- Knowledge of EPOS systems would be advantageous
- Knowledge and experience of general administrative processes
- Knowledge in Food Safety & Health & Safety procedures would be advantageous but full training will be given
- Excellent communications skills
- Skilled at Organising, Delegating & Prioritising
- Can remain calm & professional in fast paced environment
- The ability to deliver excellent customer service
- Experience with email and internet is required
- Enjoy working within a passionate team as well as working on your own on occasions
- Flexible to the needs of the business & can attend out of hours training if required
Job Responsibilities (What you’ll be doing)
- Provide friendly, helpful, and efficient customer service at all times with excellent product knowledge
- Supervise a team ensuring preparation of hot and cold food to legal food safety standards and assist at peak trade
- Operate the till and undertake cash reconciliation as required; open and close a service
- Receive incoming deliveries, distribute, maintain, and date rotate stock; assist in regular stock takes
- Engage with volunteers to direct and lead by example to ensure they have a great volunteer experience
- Maintain high levels of cleanliness, comply with Health and Safety and food hygiene standards, ensure areas remain tidy
- Support the manager to achieve KPI’s and direct, train and support the team to deliver
- Communicate and provide feedback to your team and manager on performance, and challenge where improvement is needed
- Flexible to the needs of the business and available to work any day of the week including weekends; may be required to work out of hours for training or stock takes
Service and Leadership Attributes
- Service Delivery Focused
- Delivers Objectives
- Enable Volunteers
- Supporting & Managing Others
- Quality Orientation
- Leadership
- Following Directions
- Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Benefits
- Salary of £12.68 per hour (FTE £23,091 per annum)
- 26 days’ holiday (pro rata) plus paid statutory Bank Holidays (pro rata)
- Ten weeks’ company sick pay following successful completion of probation
- A great pension scheme
- 2 x Salary Death in Service Benefit, subject to qualification
- Enhanced Family Leave schemes
- Access to an exclusive rewards website for discounts and cashback
- 24-hour doctor line, dental/optical and other therapies support
- Free and confidential employee assistance programme with up to six face-to-face counselling sessions
- Extensive online and on-the-job training
- Opportunities to discuss flexible working and develop new skills
- Opportunity to make a positive impact in lives and communities
If you feel you have the skills and experience to become our Senior Retail Customer Assistant, please click ‘apply’ today. The closing date is 8th September 2025, with right to close early if sufficient applications are received. Please do not delay your application. We welcome everyone and promote inclusion and diversity in the workplace. For more about our commitment to EDI, visit our website.
Join Royal Voluntary Service and help change lives, communities and society. Other organisations may refer to this role as Retail Assistant, Shop Assistant, Café Assistant, Store Assistant, Retail Sales Assistant, or Customer Service Assistant.
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Senior Retail Customer Assistant - Cafe at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital employer: Royal Voluntary Service
Contact Detail:
Royal Voluntary Service Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Retail Customer Assistant - Cafe at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific needs of a hospital environment. Understanding how to provide excellent customer service in a healthcare setting can set you apart. Think about how you can adapt your communication style to cater to patients, visitors, and staff.
✨Tip Number 2
Highlight any previous experience in retail or café management during your conversations. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully led teams or managed busy environments, as this will demonstrate your capability to handle the responsibilities of the Senior Retail Customer Assistant role.
✨Tip Number 3
Show your enthusiasm for working with volunteers. Since this role involves engaging with volunteers, think of examples where you've positively influenced a team or created a supportive atmosphere. This will showcase your leadership skills and ability to foster a collaborative environment.
✨Tip Number 4
Be prepared to discuss your knowledge of health and safety standards, especially in food service. Even if you haven't worked in a hospital before, demonstrating an understanding of these regulations can show your commitment to maintaining a safe and clean environment for customers and staff alike.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Retail Customer Assistant - Cafe at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in retail or café environments. Emphasise any supervisory roles you've held and your ability to manage a team, as this is crucial for the Senior Retail Customer Assistant position.
Craft a Strong Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for customer service and your understanding of the unique environment of a hospital café. Mention specific examples of how you've provided excellent service and engaged with customers in previous roles.
Highlight Relevant Skills: Clearly outline your skills that match the job requirements, such as knowledge of EPOS systems, food safety standards, and your ability to remain calm in fast-paced situations. Use bullet points for clarity.
Showcase Teamwork and Leadership: Since the role involves supervising a team and engaging with volunteers, provide examples of your leadership experience. Discuss how you've motivated others and contributed to a positive team environment in past positions.
How to prepare for a job interview at Royal Voluntary Service
✨Showcase Your Customer Service Skills
As a Senior Retail Customer Assistant, your ability to provide excellent customer service is crucial. Prepare examples of how you've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond for customers in previous roles. This will demonstrate your capability to create a positive experience for hospital visitors.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Health and Safety Standards
Understanding food safety and health regulations is key in a café environment. Brush up on relevant guidelines and be ready to discuss how you would ensure compliance in your role. This shows that you take the responsibilities seriously and are prepared to maintain high standards.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Qualities
Since you'll be supervising a team, it's important to highlight your leadership skills. Think of instances where you've successfully led a team or trained new staff. Be prepared to discuss how you would motivate volunteers and support your manager in achieving KPIs.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions during your interview. These may involve handling customer complaints or managing busy periods. Practice your responses to these types of questions, focusing on your problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure.