Charity shop retail assistant jobs

Reporting to: Area Manager

Hours: 30 hours per week (4 days) which may include Saturdays

Locations: Biggleswade, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City

Other Requirements: The jobholder must be mobile and have a car.  All travelling expenses will be reimbursed.

Key Responsibilities:

• To assist and cover for the Area Manager during periods of annual leave or absence
• To provide cover in Willow retail shops, managing Assistant Manager(s) and Volunteers, including the recruitment and retention of a motivated team of volunteers.
• To ensure income and profit maximisation through maximising donations, preparation of items for sale, sales and disposals of un-saleable items to trade merchants
• Achieve sales and profit targets in order that we are able to increase the number of Special Days for seriously ill young adults
• To achieve the optimum price for all donated stock.
• To maximise sign-ups for Retail Gift Aid and ensuring full records are maintained for donations under this scheme.
• To control shop expenditure in line with budget, applying Willow policies for purchasing at all times.
• To manage customer and donor engagement ensuring the best possible relationship with Willow.
• To manage the physical appearance of the shop maintaining high standards of shop merchandising and visual layout, controlling stock density and rotation systems, ensuring that it is inviting to customers and safe for customers, staff and volunteers at all times.
• To contribute to the development of retail through innovation, ideas and creativity, feeding back all team ideas to the Area Manager and Head of Retail.
• To demonstrate understanding of Willow’s purpose and activities striving to improve brand awareness and communicate key messages in order to raise the charity’s profile.
• To complete all shop administration including cash handling and banking functions accurately and to deadline, ensuring company policies and procedures are adhered to.
• To plan and organise daily workload for team, encouraging effective communication, setting objectives and fostering a positive team spirit.
• To ensure that trading standard regulations are adhered to at all times.

Generic responsibilities:

• To ensure all duties are carried out in a manner which promotes Willow’s equality and diversity policies
• To promote a health and safety culture within the workplace, observing all health and safety rules and procedures and all attend training courses as required
• To ensure that essential information of a sensitive or personal nature is not disclosed to or discussed with inappropriate persons
• To ensure all information is maintained in accordance with the Data Protection Act
• To manage personal resources and own professional development
• To undertake other duties, commensurate with the post, as required

 Travel requirements:

• To attend Shop Managers’ meetings and training sessions as required.

Unsocial hours requirement

• To work on Saturdays (and by prior agreement Sundays) as required within normal rota’d duties.

Person Specification

 Knowledge

• An appreciation of the value of things
• Understanding of stock management
• Ability to use word and email
• Ability to plan and organise own and teams work load
• An affinity with Willow’s objectives and activities

 Skills and abilities

• Accurate, Conscientious and self-motivated
• Ability to work on own and use initiative and make decision
• Good communication skills at all levels
• An artistic streak, eg flair for display

 Experience & qualifications

• GCSE Maths and English or equivalent literacy and numeracy skills
• Experience of managing a team in a retail or charity sector
• Experience of working within the voluntary sector
• Understanding of health and safety and trading standards

Age UK is recruiting! With over 250 locations across the UK, our stores raise funds for some of the incredible services and support provided by the charity.

We have an exciting opportunity to join our fantastic team as an Assistant Manager.

Our amazing Assistant Managers support our Store Managers in all aspects of the business, helping to guide and support our valued team of Sales Assistants and volunteers while ensuring customers are provided with an exemplary shop experience.

If you have a passion for retail and would like to use your skills within a charity that supports thousands of older across the UK, then this may be the role for you!

To ensure the smooth running of our stores, we will be conducting interviews throughout the advertising process. Early applications are advised.

You will have:

• The ability to work collaboratively and consultatively with the Shop Manager
• Ability to lift and carry bags of stock up to 10kg's.
• Be able to lead a team of volunteers and staff
• Ability to delegate and coach staff
• Excellent customer services skills
• The ability to manage time under conflicting priorities
• IT literacy and numeracy skills

Ideally you will also have:

• The ability to understand and establish successful retail processes
• Ability to understand basic financial reports
• Experience in a customer facing role

What we offer in return:

• Competitive salary, 25 days annual leave (pro rata for our part-time colleagues) + bank holidays + annual leave purchase scheme
• Wellbeing days - 2 paid days per year (pro rata for our part-time colleagues)
• Excellent pension scheme, life assurance, Bupa health cashback plan and EAP
• Car Benefit scheme, Cycle to Work scheme
• Home & Tech - apply to buy any Home & Tech items from 'Currys' & 'IKEA', up to £1000, and spread the cost over 12 months, interest free.
• Blue Light Card scheme
• You Did It Awards - recognition awards from £100-250.

Additional Information

To comply with UK legislation, we cannot accept applications from candidates under the age of 18 as the successful candidate will be required to work on their own in the shop without the aid of other staff.

Supporting statements and anonymisation

Please submit a Word version of your CV as it will be anonymised by our recruitment system when you apply for a role. Our system is unable to anonymise supporting statements and heavily formatted CVs. Please could you remove any personal information including your name before you upload to support our inclusive recruitment process. All equalities monitoring information is also anonymised and not shared with the hiring panel. Your name and address will only be known to us if invited for interview.

Equal opportunities & Disability Confident Scheme

Age UK is an Equal Opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates, regardless of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital/civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity. We guarantee an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria under the Disability Confident Scheme. Please note that on occasion, due to high numbers of applications, Age UK reserves the right to limit the overall number of interviews offered, and therefore, it may not always be practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people that meet the minimum criteria for the job.

Is this the job for you? We know that men, of all backgrounds, and men and women from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are currently under-represented in our workforce, and we want to change this! So, we are particularly keen to hear from applicants from these groups.

Reasonable adjustments

Disabled job seekers can access reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. All requests for reasonable adjustments are considered on a case-by-case basis, in collaboration with the disabled job seeker to best meet their needs, by contacting the Recruitment Team. Disability disclosures will be kept confidential and only shared on a need-to-know basis to support the implementation of adjustments. Disclosures will not be used to inform hiring decisions.

Age UK is committed to safeguarding adults at risk, and children, from abuse and neglect. We expect everyone who works with us to share this commitment.

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert at any time.

We’re expanding our charity retail network, and there’s never been a better time to join us. As we open two brand-new shops in Camden and Kentish Town, alongside the continued success of our already established stores, we’re looking for passionate and motivated, Full time and Part time Assistant Shop Managers to play a key role in the smooth running and success of our shops.

We’re looking for individuals with proven charity retail experience, excellent customer service skills, and the ability to work proactively as part of a team. This is your chance to be part of an exciting new chapter, supporting our mission while helping our shops flourish in vibrant local communities.

You’ll play a key part in shaping the shop’s success, from merchandising and smart pricing to promoting Gift Aid and connecting with the local community.

Working closely with and sometimes deputising for the Shop Manager, your role will be essential in the smooth day-to-day running of our shop. You’ll be an excellent communicator, driving donations and sales, training and supporting a dedicated volunteer team. 

In return you’ll be rewarded by working in a retail role with purpose as our Hospice, and the care we give our patients, could not exist without the support of our shops. If you’re ready to bring your retail experience— and be part of something genuinely meaningful — we’d love to hear from you. 

Working for our organisation

As an organisation, we are committed to offering a healthy work/life balance, with accessible mental health support, an extensive range of lifestyle and health benefits and excellent training and development opportunities, and hence, we offer the following range of competitive benefits:

•    Competitive rates of pay 
•    Generous annual leave 
•    Transfer of NHS pension scheme
•    Pension - Employer contribution pension scheme 
•    Access to clinical supervision
•    Fully funded Health Cash Plan 
•    Life Assurance cover
•    Flexible/Hybrid Working 
•    A range of opportunities for professional learning and development
•    Access to our 24/7 confidential Employee Assistance Programme 
•    Travel incentives
•    Family friendly and special leave
•    A supportive and collaborative work environment
•    Blue Light Scheme membership and carers’ discounts
•    Social events throughout the year and much more…

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please review the attached job description and person specification for more details on the role and type of individual who would suit the post.

Please note that this position is not assigned to one specific location. The successful candidate will be expected to work across multiple shop locations as required.

We reserve the right to interview candidates who are most suited to this post before the closing date. 

North London Hospice is an equal opportunities employer and a proud member of the Disability Confident Employer Scheme. We value diversity, and we acknowledge that we currently have an underrepresentation from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people. North London Hospice job opportunities are open to all, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age.

Crisis is the national charity for people experiencing homelessness. In 2024 we embarked on our new 10-year strategy for ending homelessness. We know it is not inevitable. We know together we can end it.

Our shops generate valuable income to support our services, create opportunities for homeless people to learn new skills and contribute to Crisis’ work in the community. They have a unique contemporary visual identity and are dynamic and creative places to work.

About the role

We are recruiting for an Assistant Shop Manager to join a busy and creative team in Streatham. You will join an exciting team and collaborate to build a group of volunteers from all walks of life, raising money to fund Crisis’ work ending homelessness. We are bold with a culture of continuous review and improvement, where we try new things, take risks, and sometimes fail. There will be numerous opportunities to improve our team’s effectiveness. Your voice will count!

We also work closely with local artists and universities. We’d love you to bring your own ideas, along with your experience of fashion, retail and current trends, to this role. You will have opportunities to build your own skills and career progression through training and development – many of our shop managers were promoted internally. Ensuring our recruitment practices are as equitable as possible is our number one priority so we are looking for someone who advocates for others and challenges injustice.

You will be primarily based in the Streatham shop, but you may be required to travel to other shops within London 1 & 2 on a short-term basis.

About you

To be successful in this role you will have retail experience at a supervisory level alongside a genuine interest in charity retail. You will be keen to build your people management skills including working with Crisis members. We are particularly interested in meeting candidates with an interest or background in visual merchandising, although this is not essential. You will be committed to Crisis’s values and mission to end homelessness.

You may have experience in: assistant shop manager, assistant store manager, shop supervisor, store supervisor, charity shop manager, retail manager, charity retail

Please see the full Job Pack linked below, for a full list of requirements for this role. We realise that long lists of criteria can be daunting, and you may not want to apply for a role unless you feel 100% qualified. However, if you feel you have relevant examples to answer the screening questions, we encourage you to apply.

We believe diversity is a strength, and our aim is to make sure that Crisis truly reflects the communities we serve. We are actively working towards our organisation being a place where everyone can thrive and make their best contribution to our mission of ending homelessness for good. We know that the more perspectives, voices, and experiences we can bring to this work, the better. We particularly welcome applications from people who have lived experience of homelessness, and people from all marginalised groups, communities, and backgrounds.

Working at Crisis

Our values, Bold, Impactful, Collaborative and Equitable, are at the heart of everything we do as we continue in our mission to end homelessness.

Our staff, members and volunteers are vital to getting the right government policies in place, providing breakthrough services, and building a supportive community. We’ll lead by example to nurture a positive and ambitious workplace guided by ending homelessness.

As a member of the team, you will have access to a wide range of employee benefits including:

• A competitive salary. Please note, our salaries are fixed to counter inequity and we do not negotiate at offer stage.
• Interest free loans for travel season ticket, cycle to work, and deposit to secure a tenancy.
• Pension scheme with an employer contribution of 8.5%
• 28 days’ annual leave (pro rata) which increases with service to 31 days and the option to purchase up to 10 additional days leave.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, and adoption pay.
• Flexible working around the core hours 10am-4pm
• Wellbeing Leave to be used flexibly And more! (Full list of benefits available on website)

Alongside our excellent staff benefits, we will support your ongoing development to build your skills, experience, and career.

When you join us, you will have the opportunity to join our staff diversity networks, which aim to champion issues across the organisation, enable staff to be their authentic and best selves and contribute to making Crisis a truly diverse organisation.

How do I apply?

Please click on the 'Apply for Job' button below. Our shortlisting process is anonymised as part of our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We do not ask for CVs, instead we ask you complete the work history section and answer the screening questions for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively. At least two members of staff score all applications.

Closing date: Tuesday 27 January 2026 at 23:59.

Can I use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for my application?

We strongly discourage applicants from using AI technology at any stage of the recruitment process. This is so we can run a fair, transparent process which gives all applicants an equitable chance of success. We want to hear about your own experience and perspectives in your application and if shortlisted, during the interview too.

Accessibility

We want our recruitment process to be as accessible as possible. If you need us to make an adjustment or provide additional support as you apply for a role, please email our Talent Acquisition team to discuss how we can help.

Registered Charity Numbers: E&W1082947, SC040094

Salary: £37,739.41 per annum plus a company car

Location: Home based with regular travel to Shelter shops across East Scotland

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 37.5 per week

Closing date: Tuesday the 6th of January at 11:30pm

At Shelter Scotland, we believe home is everything. Every day, thousands of people are devastated by the housing emergency — and we’re here to fight it. Our shops play a vital role in raising funds to support our frontline services and campaigns, while also connecting us with communities across Scotland.

We’re now looking for a dynamic and motivated leader to join our Retail team as Assistant Area Manager (East Scotland). In this role, you’ll help ensure our shops are safe, welcoming, and thriving spaces that inspire donations, volunteering, and sales — all contributing to Shelter’s mission of defending the right to a safe home.

About the role

This role supports the Area Manager to ensure shops across the area are safe, welcoming and thriving. You’ll represent Shelter in the community, creating positive experiences for customers, donors and volunteers while maximising Gift Aid and encouraging ongoing support.

You’ll help to oversee shop operations – from pricing and stock rotation to displays and local income-generating events, along with playing a key part in recruiting, developing and guiding Community Shop Managers.

Financial responsibility is central, following procedures, reviewing shop accounts and supporting managers to identify opportunities and reduce costs. Success means helping shops meet and exceed targets, increasing Shelter’s contribution and ensuring vibrant, well-run shops that maximise impact.

About you

We’re looking for an experienced leader who can inspire and motivate teams to deliver outstanding results. You’ll thrive in a varied role, bringing energy and creativity to shop environments, helping teams attract customers and donors, and deepening their knowledge of Shelter’s mission. With strong influencing skills, you’ll train, develop and empower people to run successful shops that raise vital funds.

To succeed, you’ll need experience managing staff or volunteers, delivering excellent customer service, overseeing multiple sites and working with budgets. You’ll also be enterprising and innovative, with the ability to engage communities and have knowledge of charity retail and how to grow sales.

Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.

Benefits 

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help. We’re here so no one has to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own.

We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.

About the team

This role sits within the Income Generation directorate within the Retail team at Shelter. You will work alongside and report into the Area Manager, along with the Community Shop Managers of the shops you will be helping to oversee.

How to apply

Please click ‘Apply for Job’ on the advert. You are required to submit a CV and a supporting statement with responses to the points in the About You section of the job description of no more than 350 words each. Please provide specific examples following the STAR format.

• We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset

Any applications submitted without a supporting statement will not be considered

About Shelter Scotland 

Shelter Scotland is Scotland’s national housing and homelessness charity. Our vision is of a home for everyone in Scotland. For over 50 years, the way we drive change has remained the same. We advise and support people in housing need today and use the insight we gain to inform our campaigns to change tomorrow. We also raise professional standards for those working in Scotland’s housing and homelessness sector by offering a broad range of training courses.

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday thousands of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter Scotland. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

Safeguarding statement

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

Shop Manager - Wimbledon

Permanent, 35 hours

Starting full-time salary £23,581.58 a year + an additional £2,000 market supplement.

Wimbledon shop - 84 The Broadway, London, SW19 1RH

Join Our Community

Would you like to work at the heart of your local community? Are you motivated to inspire and support a team of volunteers? Do you have retail experience and are ready for the next step in your career?

If so, this could be the opportunity for you.

The role

As Shop Manager of Scope’s Wimbledon shop, you’ll have the autonomy to run the shop with creativity and flair. Every day is different

In this role, you’ll lead a team of paid colleagues and volunteers, offering clear guidance, encouragement, and development. Using your experience and management skills, you’ll help grow sales while making sure every customer and donor enjoys a welcoming and inclusive shop experience. In this role you will:

· Ensure shop sales performance is maximised, actively seeking ways to improve the shop’s performance on a continuous basis.

· Manage all aspects of stock collection and preparation; ensuring that stock processing levels are sufficient to achieve required shop floor density, encouraging stock donations at all times. Also support our online selling with identifying suitable items and listing on online selling platforms

· Recruit, manage and develop paid colleagues and volunteers within Scope’s HR and operational policies and procedures and build a strong team

· Work collaboratively with the Assistant Shop Manager

For more information about the role’s responsibilities, and the skills and experience required please visit our website. 

About you

We’re looking for someone who has:

· Previous experience as either a Retail Shop Manager, Assistant Manager, or a Supervisor looking to step up, ideally in retail or charity shops.

· Commercially aware and able to spot opportunities

· Be able to lead and support people

· Customer-focused, with a can-do attitude

· A team player with strong work ethic

· Accurate and detail-oriented

· IT literate and numeracy skills

We welcome applications from people with lived experience of disability and from all backgrounds.

We also ask you to share how you support Scope’s values and contribute to our goal of creating a fair and equal future for disabled people.

Please make sure you explain in your application, with examples, how you can meet these important skills.

Working in our shops

Our shops are the face of our retail brand, run by dedicated, creative, and passionate teams. We focus on sustainable fashion, engage with local communities, and lead volunteers to deliver a great experience for colleagues and customers. Funds raised support Scope’s mission of achieving equality for disabled people and their families.

Shop hours

Scope shops are open every day. Some weekend and Bank Holiday cover is needed.

Full-time: 35 hours per week, five days out of seven

Part-time: Weekly hours on a seven-day rota

Additional Information

In line with UK legislation, we are only able to accept applications from individuals aged 18 or over. This is because the role may involve working alone in the shop without other staff present.

You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Scope is not able to offer visa sponsorship.

Anonymised applications

We use an anonymised shortlisting process as part of our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. All advertised vacancies require a CV and the completion of a short application form.

Our values

Pioneering, courageous, connected, open, fair

By living our values and trusting each other, we empower our colleagues to make decisions. By giving our colleagues freedom and space to spark creativity for innovation, we can push boundaries, change mindsets and be empowered to change the game with grit and determination and a sense of urgency.

Our promise to disabled people

We are proud to be a charity that stands for disability equality. We welcome applications from disabled people and anyone with an impairment, condition, or access need. We want our team to reflect the communities we serve.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we promise to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential requirements for the job. To do this, tick the box in your application to say you are applying under the Offer an Interview Scheme (this used to be called the Guaranteed Interview Scheme).

If you need any changes or support during the recruitment process, please email us via our website.

You can also find more details about asking for adjustments at interview on our website.

Important to know

· You must meet all the essential requirements listed in the job description.

· If lots of people apply, we may need to limit interviews to a fair number of disabled applicants who best meet the criteria.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

EDI is a priority at Scope. We welcome applications from people of colour and other underrepresented communities. We aim to create a culture where everyone feels they belong, treating all with dignity and respect. As a disability equality charity, accessibility and inclusion come first. We listen, learn and continuously improve.

You can find out more about our approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion on the Scope website.

Scope benefits

We believe hard work deserves reward and recognition. We offer a wide range of benefits including:

· 35 days annual leave

· flexible working (where we can)

· company pension

· excellent training and career development

· strong colleague networks across disability, LGBTQ+, race equality, carers, women and young colleagues

· Wellbeing incentives like a discounted gym membership, cycle to work scheme, and much more

One in four of us in the UK are disabled and we are a diverse, proud, and vibrant community. We’re here to create an equal future with all disabled people. We campaign to transform attitudes to disability, tackle injustice and inspire action. We are creating a powerful movement of disabled people, allies, organisations and businesses.

Together we will be unstoppable.

Please note that successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

We welcome all applications by 11:59pm GMT on Friday 30 January 2026.

Lead with compassion. Inspire through purpose. Shape the future of Hospiscare.

Hospiscare has been at the heart of our community for over 40 years, providing outstanding specialist end-of-life care and support to people and their families across Exeter, Mid and East Devon. As we look to the future, we are seeking an exceptional Chief Executive Officer to lead our charity with vision, empathy and strategic strength.

The opportunity

This is a pivotal leadership role — guiding a much-loved local charity through a period of challenge but also opportunity. You’ll work closely with a dedicated Board of Trustees and an experienced Leadership Teams to shape and deliver our strategic goals, ensuring Hospiscare remains resilient, sustainable, and true to our founding values of care, compassion, and dignity.

You’ll be the public face and voice of Hospiscare — inspiring confidence among our staff, volunteers, supporters, healthcare partners, and the wider community. Your leadership will ensure we continue to deliver the highest standards of specialist palliative care while innovating to meet the changing needs of our patients and our community.

About you

You are an accomplished and compassionate leader, able to inspire and unite people around a shared purpose. With substantial senior leadership experience — ideally gained in the charity or health and social care sectors — you bring a track record of shaping strategy, managing complex budgets, and achieving sustainable results.

You’ll understand the challenges facing healthcare and charitable organisations and bring creative, collaborative solutions. You are confident working with a Board, comfortable in the public eye, and driven by a genuine commitment to making a difference to people’s lives at the most profound of times.

Key strengths you’ll bring

• Strategic vision and proven experience leading organisational change and growth
• Strong understanding of governance, finance, and regulatory environments
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills — connecting easily and authentically with people from all walks of life
• A leadership style that combines compassion, clarity, and courage
• A deep alignment with Hospiscare’s mission and values

Why join Hospiscare?

At Hospiscare, you’ll find a community of extraordinary people — staff and volunteers dedicated to providing the very best care and support when it matters most. This is more than a leadership role; it’s an opportunity to make a lasting impact on a vital local charity and the lives of countless people in Devon.

We are working with Charity Recruitment Consultant, Jackie Dawkins of Shine Charity Recruitment,who is supporting our search.  For further details about Hospiscare, please read the Recruitment Pack 

Key Dates:

• Closing Date – 26th January 2026 at 5pm
• First Interview with Jackie Dawkins (via Zoom) – 2nd/3rd February 2026
• Shortlisted candidates informal meeting with Chair – 23rd February 2026
• Interview and Assessment Day at Hospiscare – 24th February 2026