At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop charity shops, ensuring excellent customer experiences and income targets.
- Company: Join St Teresa's Hospice, a respected local charity making a real difference.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, ongoing training, employee wellbeing support, and a contributory pension scheme.
- Other info: Flexible hours with 80% mobile working across retail locations.
- Why this job: Make a genuine impact in your community while leading a passionate team.
- Qualifications: Retail management experience and strong leadership skills are essential.
Retail Operations Manager
The Best Connection are delighted to be recruiting on behalf of St Teresa's Hospice for an experienced Retail Operations Manager.
This is an exciting opportunity to lead and develop the hospice's network of charity shops and warehouse operations, ensuring they achieve their income generation targets while providing an excellent experience for customers, donors and volunteers.
This is a predominantly mobile role (approximately 80%) covering retail sites across the DL postcode and based at the retail shop.
The role:
- Lead, motivate and support shop managers, warehouse staff and volunteers across all retail locations.
- Ensure shops achieve agreed income targets through excellent customer service, effective merchandising and innovative promotions.
- Oversee stock distribution across the retail chain, ensuring efficient movement of donated goods and maximising sales opportunities.
- Work alongside the e-commerce officer to promote retail activity through social media and online selling platforms.
- Manage Gift Aid processes, ensuring records are accurate, secure and GDPR compliant.
- Take responsibility for the retail budget and financial performance of the department.
- Carry out regular support and supervision visits to each shop, providing coaching and guidance where required.
- Assist with the recruitment, induction, training and ongoing development of retail staff and volunteers.
- Organise holiday and sickness cover across the retail operation.
- Ensure all shops and warehouse facilities comply with Health & Safety legislation and hospice policies.
- Work closely with the wider hospice team, particularly fundraising, to promote a "One Hospice" approach.
The candidate:
- Previous retail and/or warehouse management experience is essential.
- Charity retail experience is desirable.
- Experience supervising and motivating staff and volunteers.
- Strong knowledge of retail merchandising, stock control and income generation.
- Experience using Gift Aid systems or similar electronic record systems.
- Excellent leadership, communication and organisational skills.
- Confident dealing with customers, donors and volunteers in a professional manner.
- Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and record-keeping systems.
- Ability to work independently and manage multiple retail sites.
- Knowledge of fashion brands, antiques and quality donated goods would be advantageous.
- Full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle for business travel.
Hours of work:
- Full-time position.
- Flexibility required, including Saturdays and occasional Sundays.
- Approximately 80% mobile working across retail locations.
Salary:
- £13.72 - £14.75 per hour (salary dependent on experience).
Benefits of working with St Teresa's Hospice:
- Opportunity to make a genuine difference within a respected local charity.
- Work alongside a dedicated and supportive team.
- Ongoing training and professional development.
- Be part of an organisation that supports patients and families across the local community.
- Contributory pension scheme.
- Annual leave entitlement.
- Employee wellbeing support.
Successful candidates will be invited to register online via our digital onboarding system before progressing to interview with our client.
Retail Operations Manager employer: The Best Connection
The Best Connection is an excellent employer for Warehouse Operatives in Guildford, offering competitive pay and a supportive work culture that values teamwork and individual growth. With immediate start positions available, employees benefit from flexible shift patterns and opportunities to develop their skills in a dynamic environment, making it a rewarding place to build a career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Retail Operations Manager
✨Get Your Retail Game On
Start by getting to know the local retail scene. Make a list of stores that align with your vibe and visit them. You'll be surprised at how many job openings come from chatting with staff or managers in-store. Plus, showing that you have a genuine interest in their brand can make you stand out when applying for that full-time role!
✨Join Retail Networks and Forums
Tap into retail-specific communities and forums, whether online or in-person. Platforms like Retail Week or local retail meetups can provide invaluable insights and connections. You never know who might drop a tip about an upcoming job at companies like The Best Connection, so don’t miss out on building those relationships!
✨Be Ready for Busy Season Opportunities
Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal hiring windows, especially in the run-up to major shopping periods. Retailers often look for full-time staff to carry through busy times and may even keep you on after the season. Stay proactive by regularly checking in with your favourite retailers about their hiring plans.
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail’s all about customer interactions, so make sure you showcase any relevant experience in your conversations and interviews. Share specific examples of your customer service skills and how they’ve led to positive outcomes. This is your moment to shine when applying to roles at places like The Best Connection!
We think you need these skills to ace Retail Operations Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any experience where you've dealt with customers, whether it’s resolving issues or enhancing the shopping experience. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations with ease.
Tailor Your CV for Retail:When applying for a full-time role like this one at The Best Connection, customise your CV to reflect retail-specific buzzwords. Include any relevant skills such as inventory management or visual merchandising, and if you have experience with POS systems, shout about it! This will show you’re serious about joining the retail team.
Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Don’t just repeat your CV in your cover letter! Use it as a chance to explain why you're excited about the opportunity at The Best Connection and how your values align with their brand. Mention specific aspects of the company that resonate with you and let your enthusiasm shine through!
Highlight Your Adaptability:In retail, things can get busy and unpredictable, so demonstrate how adaptable and flexible you are. Share examples of times you've had to adjust your approach on the fly or take on new responsibilities. This will show The Best Connection that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Best Connection
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail is all about providing an exceptional customer experience, so be ready to discuss your past customer service stories. We should have examples on hand of how we've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond to meet a customer's needs. These anecdotes will bring your application to life!
✨Familiarity with Point of Sale Systems
Many retail roles require us to work with Point of Sale (POS) systems, so it's a good idea to brush up on any relevant software you’ve used before. If you’re familiar with systems like Shopify or Square, don’t forget to mention this during the interview. Highlighting technical proficiency can set us apart from other candidates!
✨Understand Product Knowledge
Be prepared to discuss the products that the store sells and how we can contribute to their sales. Showing enthusiasm for the products and a willingness to learn can impress interviewers. We should research popular items or trends in the industry before the interview, so we can speak confidently about them.
✨Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios
Many retail interviews include role-playing scenarios where we might have to deal with a difficult customer or upsell a product. Practising these scenarios with a friend or family member can help us feel more comfortable. The key here is to showcase our problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure!
