Retail Sales Assistant - Keyholder in Sunderland

Become a Retail Sales Assistant. As a Sales Assistant, you’re the face of our brand on the shop floor - a true brand ambassador. Every day, you create moments that make our customers smile. Your mission is to deliver exceptional service, spark brilliant conversations, and help customers with their shopping missions - whether it’s discovering new products they'll love or finding the perfect gifts for someone else. By getting to know their interests or shopping mission, you’ll be ready to recommend things that surprise, delight, and inspire them. You’ll also play a key role in keeping the store well-stocked, tidy, safe, and welcoming. Alongside your teammates, you help create an environment where everything runs smoothly and everyone feels supported and included in the team.

In this role, every interaction, every conversation, and every thoughtful recommendation helps bring our brand purpose, values and behaviours to life. Being a brand ambassador at The Works isn’t just a job title; it’s the way you bring our brand to life every day through the moments you create. Whether you’re on the shop floor, in our distribution centre, or at our support centre, you’ll always be representing our products, services, values and behaviours in a positive and authentic way.

Your Mission:

• Deliver friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient service to every customer.
• Maintain excellent store standards, including merchandising, cleanliness, and stock replenishment.
• Operate tills accurately and handle transactions with care.
• Support with deliveries, stockroom organisation, and product availability.
• Follow all operational procedures, including health & safety and loss prevention.
• Work collaboratively with your team to meet store targets and KPIs.
• Stay informed about promotions, products, and services to help customers make informed choices.
• Be a brand ambassador—positive, professional, and passionate about what we do.

The role can be physically demanding and hard work - you'll need to be physically comfortable managing stairs and heavy stock, but your supportive team will be there to lend a helping hand!

Skills / Behaviours That Will Set You Apart:

• A passion for delivering great customer service.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• A team player with a positive, can-do attitude.
• Reliable, punctual, and flexible to work varied shifts.
• Comfortable using tills and handling cash.
• Previous experience in customer service or hospitality role.
• Experience in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

Keyholder Responsibilities:

If you’re over 18, with training and support, you’ll join us as a keyholder, giving you the chance to take on extra responsibility and build valuable experience. Whenever you’re holding keys, you’ll be responsible for:

• Opening and closing the store
• Cashing up
• Carrying out management responsibilities

Promoting Diversity, Inclusion, and Applying Reasonable Adjustments. At The Works, we are proud to have an inclusive culture where everyone truly feels able to be themselves. Our roles are open to all, including under-represented groups such as ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, carers & members of the LGBTQ+ community. We are open to discussions around working hours and flexible working.

Our Perks Are 'The Works':

• 25% Colleague Discount! - Plus, exclusive Double Discount days!
• MyWorks - Access exclusive online discounts across hundreds of retailers, holidays, utilities deals, tech and more!
• Family Friendly Leave - Enjoy some time well spent with enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
• Holiday – 28 days including bank holidays, or 33 days including bank holidays for Deputy and Store Managers.
• Can-Do Academy - Grow your skills and career with instant access to further training and development in areas that interest you.
• Stream - Claim early access to 50% of your wages as you earn them.
• Share Scheme - Own a piece of The Works!
• 24/7 support for you and your family - Through our partnership with Retail Trust Charity.
• Healthcare Cash Plan – To support your everyday healthcare costs.

Our Purpose: To inspire reading, learning, creativity and play.

Our Values: We are Crafty | Smart with what we've got. We are Caring | Heart in every action. We are Can-do | Energy that gets it done.

Why The Works? You sell the paint that turns someone into an artist. You provide the book that unleashes an inner author. You supply the games that help bring families together. You give someone the puzzle book that reconnects them with a late family member’s memory. You never know who someone will become. So with your passion, and our products, you will help ignite the spark within people, allowing them to unleash their creativity, find new passions, hobbies, or rekindle fond memories.