Charity shop volunteer retail assistant jobs
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Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Are you someone who is excited about charity retail, fashion, who can use their initiative? Do you have experience managing a retail team? Yes, then please keep reading as we may have the role for you.
We are excited to be looking for an Assistant Shop Manager to work in our Derby Crown Walk Shop for 37.5 hours per week, on a permanent position. Shifts are worked on a 7‑day rota (Monday–Sunday). We’re flexible with days and happy to discuss what works best for you. We are looking for a passionate and motivated person to help our store reach full potential.
As an Assistant Shop Manager you will:
- Help develop in store systems and promote donations and sales to maximise profits
- Be representing Mencap as an efficient and charitable organisation by ensuring that your actions reinforce the Mencap aims and values
- Strive to ensure stock is generated from the local area and donors
- Sign up donors to the Gift Aid scheme and ensure maximum income is achieved through Gift Aid
- Be responsible for achieving profit targets by ensuring sales are maximised and the cost are effectively managed
- Maintain the store to a high standard of presentation throughout.
- Build an effective volunteer team and provide training, development, work reviews and appraisals to paid staff and volunteers
- Be responsible for all financial and cash handling and health and safety.
To be a successful Assistant Shop Manager, you will be:
- An experienced assistant manager or Supervisor with the ability to maintain budgets and complete weekly income and banking sheets accurately, preferably with previous charity retail experience.
- Have a flexible approach to working hours and days including working weekend and Bank Holidays as appropriate.
- Willing to travel to occasional team meetings, training events and in the initial growth of the new retail train assisting with setting up other new stores.
- Passionate about the Mencap values and will strive to ensure our Retail brand is successful.
We are an equitable, diverse and inclusive organisation and we particularly welcome and encourage disabled applicants and those from the Black and Asian communities to apply for the role as they are under-represented within the workforce.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and welcome applicants with disabilities to apply for all roles with us. To find out more about the scheme please visit the direct gov website.
If you’re passionate about leading high‑performing teams and maintaining exceptional store standards, we’d love to hear from you.
Applications close on 2 July, with interviews taking place from 18 June onwards. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as we may close the advert early if we receive a high volume of applications or identify suitable candidates.
Registered Charity
More than 1000
Empower individuals with learning disabilities and autism to reach their full potential and lead the lives they choose.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
JOB TITLE: Retail Manager
LOCATION: Alderley Edge
DATE WRITTEN: May 2026
ACCOUNTABLE TO: Retail Area Manager
PRIMARY PURPOSE:
To manage an Age UK Cheshire Charity Shop located in the Cheshire area, ensuring efficient and effective management of colleagues, volunteers, premises, sales, and stock to provide a high-quality retail service in relation to agreed performance targets.
To achieve the maximum potential of funds for Age UK Cheshire by achieving charity retail standards and community engagement.
To ensure all appropriate standards of security and health and safety are met. To organise and manage the day-to-day operations of the store including effective communication with the Head of Retail and reporting of relevant data.
Main Duties:
1. To ensure that the Age UK Cheshire Charity Shop achieves required standards of performance and agreed sales targets:
§ Maximisation of sales through stock rotation, correct pricing, brand awareness and merchandising, to use the full potential of the stock available to you.
§ To gain Gift Aid on eligible donations to Age UK Cheshire to maximise funds for the charity in line with HMRC guidelines. This includes signing up new donors to the scheme and selling stock accordingly.
§ Responsible for managing, training, and developing the Assistant Retail Manager to achieve pre-set objectives.
§ Support, train, and coordinate the work of volunteers in the shop as required.
§ Working with the Assistant Retail Manager to ensure that the shop complies with all the relevant legislation, trading standards and health and safety.
§ Ensuring stock from donors is correctly received and stored within the shop. Working with the Area Retail Manager to make certain of timely collections and suitable deliveries to merchandise appropriately and safely.
§ Administrative systems and working practices to include daily and weekly sales reports, charity log and financial information.
§ Identify stock which can maximise income when sold via e-commerce, auctions, or other sales opportunities.
§ To plan and prioritise special promotions, seasonal adjustments, and sale events.
§ Ensuring professional signage throughout the shop; to be clear and on brand.
§ Engage with the Retail Operations Manager regularly to create a cohesive working relationship with the wider retail team in order to gain support and advice
2. Maintain a high level of commercial awareness by staying informed of sales trends, stock position and local competition.
3. To work as a member of the wider retail team to ensure that all shops across the region are covered appropriately. Have a flexible approach to days worked and location, to provide support to other colleagues and providing holiday cover for the Assistant Retail Manager.
4. To participate in recruitment, induction, training and deployment of colleagues and volunteers. To work with other organisations when necessary to ensure compliance with all legislation and good practice.
5. To develop and manage “designated volunteers” through appropriate training and development, to ensure that they can take responsibility for the running of the shop in the absence of paid colleagues, including holiday cover if necessary.
6. Implement the highest standards of customer care and service.
7. To maximise income by participating in fundraising and trading opportunities.
8. To take responsibility for the shop to implement shop procedures, as follows: -
§ To act as a key holder at an assigned location
§ To prepare the shop for opening by the correct time
§ To close the shop at the correct time and ensuring the shop is secure before leaving
§ To assist in the acquisition of donations including furniture and to liaise with the Area Retail Manager on collection and delivery procedures
§ To sort, prepare and price stock to in line with charity retail processes.
§ To present stock in the sales area to the agreed standard
§ To recruit, train, organise, supervise, and care for the welfare of colleagues and volunteer helpers
§ To reconcile the cash register, banking and to work to Age UK Cheshire’s financial policies and procedures
§ To complete paperwork as necessary, to include use of information technology on computerised systems
§ To carry out Age UK Cheshire’s policy on Health and Safety of colleagues and customers, including all manual handling policies and procedures for goods and furniture, emergency and accident procedures, trading standard policy, refunds and exchange policy.
9. To use initiative to ensure any issues in the shop are resolved quickly and effectively. To follow the correct reporting procedure to inform the Health & Safety Manager of any problems or concerns.
10. To understand and achieve daily/weekly/monthly/annual targets which will be reviewed regularly with the job holder. To undertake performance related reviews with Assistant Retail Managers as required.
11. To be a role model for Age UK’s mission statement and values and to understand how the role of a Retail Manager complements this.
12. To undertake such duties as may from time to time be reasonably requested by management within the flexible definition of the post.
AGE UK CHESHIRE
RETAIL MANAGER - PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Criteria:
- strong communicator with the ability to deliver team messages, deal with customer issues and resolve problems with firmness and fairness.
- ability to understand and interpret financial information in order to manage shop performance outcomes.
- good administrative and organisational skills with the ability to undertake banking tasks, keep basic records and organise resources in a busy environment.
- the ability to recognise stock potential in order to generate income and the importance of attractive presentation.
- supervisory experience with the ability to motivate, inspire and lead a team.
- IT literate
- ability to travel freely between shops (ideally full driving licence and use of a properly insured vehicle during work hours).
Desirable Criteria:
- basic knowledge of Health & Safety and Fire regulations and ability to identify potential risks to include items that sold under Health & Safety regulations.
- proven retail experience
- experience of working with volunteers.
- general understanding/empathy with the aims of the organisation.
Processing stock deliveries will regularly involve carrying and moving heavy stock. You will also be on your feet for long periods of time. On occasions you may be required to work on your own within the shop.
AGE UK CHESHIRE
RETAIL MANAGER - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The organisation currently operates 9 charity shops and has ambitious plans to open more charity shops which all help to provide funds for the charity to deliver its services for older people in Cheshire, as well as being a location to promote Age UK Cheshire services.
All Age UK Cheshire shops sell unwanted household and personal goods donated by the public and other commercial companies. The success of the shops is dependent upon achieving a regular adequate supply of donations. Age UK Cheshire shops have established a reputation for selling good quality items, well presented and at reasonable prices.
The shop staffing structure is supported by volunteer helpers. They do not receive any payment other than the reimbursement of their exact travel costs from their home to the shop.
The shops are all expected to trade profitably. Their function is to provide income to the organisation. Each shop is given a weekly sales target to achieve to produce a targeted net profit once rents and other costs have been deducted.
Each shop has a mixture of staff and volunteers covering a 6- or 7-day working period. The Retail Manager will be supported by an Assistant Retail Manager working flexibly to provide cover at the shop. At times you might be asked to cover other shops depending on staffing issues, so flexibility is a must. Volunteer support is key to the success of the operation and development of “designated volunteers” who can take responsibility for the shop, during some periods of staff absence.
Location: Shop Base – Alderley Edge. You may be required to cover other shops on an ad hoc basis.
Hours: 36.25 hours per week, worked over 5 days Monday to Sunday. Hours are required to be flexible to ensure that the shop is staffed appropriately. There may be a requirement to travel between shops. In exceptional circumstances you may be required to work 6 days per week. The role will require working over the Christmas period and potentially all bank holidays.
Salary: £25452.03 per annum (£13.50 per hour). Overtime payments can be paid for exceptional circumstances where additional days have been worked.
Pension: Age UK Cheshire has an automatic enrolment workplace pension scheme in place for eligible employees.
Leave: 25 days’ leave per annum (plus Bank Holidays) rising after 5 years’ continuous service by one day per year (pro rata) to a maximum of 30 days’ leave after 10 years.
Contract: All new staff are subject to a three-month probationary period. 4 weeks’ notice is required to terminate employment by either side i.e., the employee or Age UK Cheshire. During the probationary period, one week’s notice is required by either side.
Health Care: All staff will automatically join the Age UK Cheshire’s Health Care Cash Plan and will be entitled to receive healthcare benefits.
Criminal Disclosure: Basic DBS Check applicable for this post.
Age UK Cheshire is a Mindful Employer and positive actions will be taken to ensure that people will not be excluded from working for Age UK Cheshire because of their age, race, ethnicity, faith, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, physical or mental health.
Registered charity no. 1091608
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Team: Estates and Construction
Location: Remote with regular travel in London and the South-East
Work pattern: 35 hours per week, Mon-Fri
Salary: Up to £53,736.33 per year
Contract: Permanent
We are the UK’s largest cat welfare charity. All over the country, our passionate employees, volunteers and supporters are using their kindness and expertise to make life better for millions of cats and the people who care for them.
Responsibilities of our Surveyor:
- Manage a designated portfolio of properties, delivering repairs and maintenance as required
- Be a property expert for colleagues across the estate, giving high levels of service and support.
- Oversee property works in alignment with retail and operations managers within agreed SLAs
- Assess property issues and take appropriate action
- Maintain accurate records across estate/FM databases and cloud-based systems
- Provide advice on retail/commercial lease acquisitions and disposals
- Liaise with agents, landlords, neighboring occupiers, solicitors and local authorities
- Procure and manage contractors, ensuring they are vetted and all work meets H&S legislation
About the Estates and Construction team:
The Estates and Construction team manage a wide-ranging and diverse portfolio that reflects the breadth of the estate. Within the region covered, the portfolio includes purpose-built cat adoption and homing centres (both freehold and leasehold), a network of leasehold charity shops, multi-pen sites, and a small number of residential properties. Occasionally, surveying expertise is also required for matters relating to legacy properties.
What we’re looking for in our Surveyor:
- Level 6 or higher professional surveying qualification
- Current membership of a professional institution such as RICS, RIBA, CIBSE, CIOB, IWFM
- Post qualification experience of surveying in a property or facilities management environment
- A full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle
- Working Knowledge of retail/commercial leases, acquisitions and disposals
- Multi-site and use property management and compliance experience
- Experience of working on and managing small building or maintenance projects up to £500k, including financial controls as EA or CA and contractor management
- Ability to work within a small team and externally with professionals and third parties
- Strong Microsoft Office skills
What we can offer you:
- range of health benefits
- 26 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with length of service
- Salary Finance, which empowers you to take control of your financial wellbeing
- and much more, which you can learn about
Application closing date: 8th June 2026
Virtual interview date: 29th June 2026
Second stage: in person 9th July at the UK Cat Centre, RH17 7TT
Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.
If successful, your recruitment journey will include:
1. Anonymised application form
2. Video screening
3. Virtual interview and assessment/presentation
4. Meet the team
Please email us if you require any adjustments to be made for you to complete your application or to participate in the recruitment journey
Registered Charity
501 - 1000
Making a better life for cats, because life is better with cats
