Retail Customer Assistant at Sunderland Royal Hospital - 18 hours

Location: Sunderland Royal Hospital, Kayll Rd, Sunderland SR4 7TP.

Position type: part‑time, permanent.

Salary: £12.71 per hour (£23,136 FTE per annum).

About the Retail Customer Assistant Role

Royal Voluntary Service hospital cafes, shops and trolleys are part of the NHS and a real asset in their own right. Staffed by employees and volunteers, we provide an outstanding range of beverages and healthy food choices. Our customers love that their spend funds volunteer action. Working alongside a friendly team of employees and volunteers, you will help run our busy retail sites at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

In This Role, You Will Be Responsible For:

• 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.

Hours: 18 hours per week. Shift pattern to be confirmed after interviews. Retail sites are open weekends and bank holidays. Paid overtime may be available.

What You'll Bring As Our 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 would be an advantage, but training will be given – just make sure you have a positive attitude and can‑do mindset along with a willingness to work and we’ll teach you the rest.
• The ability to deliver outstanding customer service.
• Excellent communications skills.
• Demonstrates a high level of organisational skills.
• Familiarity with email and internet is required.
• A flexible approach towards working hours.
• Enjoying working within a passionate team of employees and volunteers, as well as working on your own on occasions.
• Can demonstrate a proficient level of literacy and numeracy.
• Knowledge of EPOS / till systems would be advantageous.
• Knowledge and experience of general administrative processes.
• A willingness to undertake training and continuing professional development.

Job Responsibilities:

• To ensure the effective operation of the retail outlet(s) in maintaining outstanding store standards, whilst providing friendly, helpful, and excellent customer service to all customers, maximising a great shopping experience.
• Provide friendly, helpful, and efficient customer service at all times.
• Welcoming customers, informing them about specials or new products, answering questions and accepting orders and payments.
• Preparing hot and cold drinks (Café).
• Serving freshly made food such as cake, sandwiches, and pastries (Café).
• Operating the till and undertake cash reconciliation as required.
• Receiving incoming deliveries, distributing, maintaining, and dating rotating stock as appropriate.
• Assist in the accurate completion of regular stock checks.
• Engaging with volunteers to direct and lead by example to ensure they have a great volunteer experience.
• Maintaining a high level of cleanliness complying with Health and Safety and food hygiene standards and ensuring all areas of the site remain tidy.
• This role may involve pushing loaded trolleys of stock for long distances.

This Is How You'll Be Doing It:

• Delivers Objectives – strives to deliver what is expected or required of them and consistently meets objectives and deadlines.
• Quality Orientation – pays attention, is precise, checks, and completes things.
• Team Working – enjoys participating in group activities and likes to work with other people.
• Service Delivery Focussed – identifies and focuses on the individual needs and concerns of the customer or client.
• Following Directions – is motivated to accept and comply with standards and instructions.
• Interpersonal Sensitivity – has the ability to interact with others in a sensitive and effective way.
• Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion – values difference and sets a positive example of inclusive behaviour in all interactions.

Job Benefits:

• Salary of £12.71 per hour (£23,136 per annum).
• 26 days’ holiday (pro rata) plus paid statutory Bank Holidays (pro rata).
• Up to 2 days paid volunteer leave a year, through our employer supported volunteer scheme.
• Ten weeks’ company sick pay following successful completion of probation.
• A great pension scheme with 8% employer contributions.
• 2 x Base Salary Death in Service Benefit, subject to qualification.
• Enhanced Family Leave schemes.
• An employee benefits package that gives access to an exclusive rewards website to get discounts and cashback online.
• A 24‑hour doctor line, financial support with dental/optical and other therapies.
• A free and confidential employee assistance programme with up to six face‑to‑face counselling sessions included.
• Opportunities to discuss flexible working.
• Opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career.
• The chance to make a positive, lasting impact that changes lives, communities, and society.

Closing date: 01 June 2026. The vacancy may be closed earlier if sufficient applications are received.

At Royal Voluntary Service our goal is to welcome everyone and build inclusive and diverse teams. We celebrate difference and encourage everyone to join us and be themselves at work.