Furniture store manager jobs

The Volunteer Manager plays a critical role in advancing the mission of Sussex Emmaus by building and maintaining a strong volunteer program. This position is responsible for recruiting, training, and supporting volunteers to ensure they have a meaningful and impactful experience while contributing to our goals.

This Volunteer Manager role focuses on recruiting, training, and supporting volunteers to ensure effective program delivery and strong community engagement. Key responsibilities of the Volunteer Manager include developing outreach strategies and partnerships to attract diverse volunteers, coordinating interviews and background checks, and providing orientation and ongoing training.
The role also involves matching volunteers to suitable roles, managing schedules, monitoring performance, and fostering a positive, inclusive volunteer culture through recognition initiatives. Additionally, it requires maintaining accurate volunteer records, reporting on impact to stakeholders, and collaborating closely with managers while representing the organisation at community events.

Sussex Emmaus is also a vibrant part of the local area. Our Portslade second-hand superstore offers affordable furniture, household items, clothing, books, toys and more. By giving new life to pre-loved items, we reduce waste and promote reuse, helping the environment while supporting people on their journey out of homelessness.

Across our site, we also run a café, the Outfit vintage clothing shop, The Greenhouse, a bedroom store, a vintage emporium and an upcycling workshop. In addition, we have an Outfit vintage shop on London Road in Brighton.

Please see the job pack for more details.

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

Reporting to: Accommodation and Facilities Manager

Location: Baca office, Loughborough, England. The role will require regular travel to other locations where Baca’s services are delivered

Hours: 37.5 hrs per week including some evening and weekend hours may be required

Salary: £26,750 per annum

Overall Purpose

To provide maintenance support to the organisation, ensuring premises are maintained at a standard that will serve the mission of Baca. This will include properties across Loughborough and 2 office sites.

Duties Responsibilities

• Organise and conduct required maintenance at all Baca sites. The below list is not exhaustive but some of the below skills will be required to fulfil the role; General Plumbing; bathroom and kitchen plumbing repairs, blocked toilets & sinks etc, Painting and Decorating, Basic carpentry skills, Meter Reading for electricity and gas meters, Fire Testing; routine testing of smoke and CO alarms.
• To become familiar and actively use the Baca’s maintenance management system which aids the reactive and planned works across all sites.
• Communicating with contractors, residential workers and landlords as required, ensuring repairs and maintenance is conducted when planned.
• Administering quarterly checks, quarterly cleans, health and safety requirements and annual servicing such as: PAT testing and Gas safety on properties and reporting issues for follow up.
• Working alongside the Premises Manager, administer the Health & Safety checks on all Baca properties including the offices, to ensure regulatory requirements are met and associated paperwork is completed.
• Support in the setting-up and closing down of properties and rooms between moves.
• Administering the setup and set-down of rooms for young people moves between Baca properties, ensuring the rooms are ready for new young people.
• Ensuring the office and car parks are clean and tidy, ensuring visitor experience is positive, professional, welcoming, friendly and helpful.
• Assist the Premises Manager and Finance Manager with year-end Fixed Assets verification.
• Supporting with other administrative activities in line with the team needs.

General:

• Play an active and supportive role within the organisation.
• Take ownership of files allocated, ensuring they are up to date and stored correctly.
• Maintain strict confidentiality in relation to work undertaken and ensure all confidential material is stored according to Baca’s Confidentiality statement and Data Protection Policy.
• Embrace the Vision and Values of Baca and reflect this in working practice.
• Treat all staff and young people fairly and without prejudice, in line with Baca’s Equality and Diversity policy.
• Be aware of the correct procedures for dealing with any suggested incidences of safeguarding concerns and to follow them, in line with Baca’s Child, Vulnerable Adult Protection & Safeguarding Policy.
• Adhere to all Baca’s policies and procedures.

Personal Specification

Baca is looking for someone who can help the organisation with the housing maintenance and day to day function of all properties it houses young people in and our offices. The successful applicant will be motivated and passionate about the work that Baca does and the young people in our care. They will be very organised and practical, able to get on with tasks that need doing on a day-to-day basis, managing a varied and busy workload. They will be very approachable and enjoy working on their own as well as part of a team and supporting others. The successful applicant will need access to transport as the role requires travel between the properties that Baca manages including the transportation of items to the properties.

The successful applicant will have a personable style that is in line with Baca’s vision and values. Someone who is supportive, approachable, responsible, reliable and personable.

Qualifications/Knowledge/Experience

• Good knowledge/understanding of the building and maintenance process.
• A good awareness of general health and safety, especially regarding maintenance work.
• Ability to use computers well, with experience in Microsoft Office and on-line email systems.
• Experience of prioritising workload to meet competing deadlines.
• Advocate of customer care including experience of dealing with a range of client queries/concerns in a professional and understanding manner.

Skills/Abilities

• Experienced in the use of hand tools and familiar working with timber, basic plumbing materials, furniture building, decorating and gardening.
• Excellent personal organisation with a high attention to detail.
• Ability to manage a number of tasks at any one time.
• Self-motivated to complete a varied workload.
• Working well as part of a team is essential.
• Good interpersonal skills and able to interact well with staff, contractors and visitors to the office and other properties.
• Ability to work to deadlines and respond in a flexible way to the changing demands of Baca’s work.

Other Expectations

• Appointment is subject to a satisfactory DBS check.
• Applicants to have a genuine concern for and commitment to asylum seekers/refugees, young people and UASCs in particular.
• Ability and commitment to work at all times within a framework of confidentiality and anti-discriminatory practice.
• Commitment to work within the aims, values and ethos of the organisation.
• Ability to have flexibility with working hours to facilitate occasional out of office hours access to accommodation for contractors.
• Holds a full, clean driving licence and has access to transport.

How to Apply:

If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of young asylum seekers and meet the above criteria, we would love to hear from you. Join us in making a positive impact and helping young people build a brighter future!

Applicants will be shortlisted and interviewed as and when applications are received.

Please note: We do not offer sponsorship for this role.