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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.
Independent Age is the national charity focused on improving the lives of people facing financial hardship in later life. We believe no one should face financial hardship in later life.
Our Helpline and expert advisers offer free, practical support to older people without enough money to live on. Through our grants programme, we support hundreds of local organisations working with older people across the UK.
We use the knowledge and insight gained from our support services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in poverty and campaign for change.
We would love to find individuals from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds to join us on this journey.
Responsibilities and Person Specification:
This is a critical and influential role at Independent Age, reporting to the Head of Governance. The post holder will provide high-quality support across a broad and impactful portfolio, including risk management, procurement and contracts, governance, safeguarding and business continuity, helping to build a culture where accountability, learning and continuous improvement drive meaningful change.
Working closely with senior leaders and the Board, you will play an important role in enabling effective and confident decision-making across every level of the charity. This is an opportunity to contribute across a wide range of areas and to see the direct impact of your work on how the organisation functions and delivers its mission.
We are looking for someone with a genuine passion for risk management, alongside a strong understanding of not-for-profit governance best practice. You will also bring experience in at least one of the following areas: procurement, contracts management, third party contract risk, business continuity planning, policy management or safeguarding.
You will be an excellent communicator, confident working with senior stakeholders, with strong attention to detail and a proactive, can-do approach. Above all, you will take pride in getting things done efficiently and to a high standard and be motivated by the opportunity to work for a values-led organisation making a meaningful difference to older people.
This is a full-time role, 35 hours per week, which you can choose to work over five days or a 9-day fortnight.
If your experience doesn’t align perfectly with all of the above criteria but you do meet most of them and are excited about the role, we encourage you to apply anyway.
What it’s like to work at Independent Age:
We celebrate diversity at Independent Age and champion the differences that make each of us unique. We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. We aim to attract and retain a wide range of talent and create an environment where everyone can feel safe, protected, welcome and included. In line with this, our office has many inclusive features, and there is no dress code.
We offer great benefits including 28 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme with life assurance, and fantastic learning and development opportunities. We also offer a number of enhanced leave provisions and benefits.
We know that a good work life balance helps us perform at our best and supports wellbeing. Flexible working hours and hybrid working is standard for all, but if you need a different form of flexibility, we are always happy to talk flexible working. Those contracted to work in the office are required to attend the office a minimum of 4 days per month. This role supports Board and committee meetings which may be held online or in the office, meaning availability to support with this is required.
You can find out more about what it’s like to work at Independent Age on the Careers page on our website.
Application Process:
To apply, please visit our website to submit a CV and a Supporting Statement, detailing how your skills and experience meet the criteria within the Job Description and Person Specification (please do not hesitate to contact us if you have specific requirements and need support to apply in an alternative format).
To support our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion our hiring managers use anonymous shortlisting. Therefore, please do not include your name, photo, or information to indicate your gender or age in your CV and supporting statement. Please do not omit dates of employment. Please ensure the title of any uploads does not contain your name.
Independent Age is committed to safeguarding and follows Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding those we work with. We therefore ask that you supply your full work history with explanations for any gaps in the application documents you submit and, if offered the post, we will require two employment references including your current or most recent employer. A Basic DBS check will be carried out for the successful candidate.
Closing Date: Tuesday 14 July, 23:59
1st Interview Dates: Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 July, online via Microsoft Teams
2nd Interview Dates: Wednesday 29 July, in person at our London Office (Avonmore Road)
Independent Age is the national charity focused on improving the lives of people facing financial hardship in later life.


The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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!
Location: Hybrid role working in North East England (primarily home-based with significant regional travel)
Base region: Tees Valley and Tyne & Wear
Coverage: This is a home-based role that requires regular weekly travel to schools and colleges across the North East. You will be expected to work extensively throughout Tees Valley and Tyne & Wear, with specific current activity hubs in Cramlington, Walkergate, Hartlepool, Stanley and Redcar. Regional location throughout the North East will change according to programme demand.
Applicants must hold a full, clean driving licence and have the ability and willingness to travel regularly across the region.
Reporting to: National Programmes Manager
Application Deadline: Wednesday 8th July at 9AM. We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy sooner if we receive a high volume of applications.
1st Stage Interviews: Week commencing 13th July (online)
2nd Stage Interviews: Wednesday 22nd July (in-person)
About The Girls’ Network:
The Girls' Network is a national charity with a mission to inspire and empower girls from the least advantaged communities by connecting them with a network of professional women role models and volunteer mentors. We believe no girl should have her future limited by her gender, ethnicity, background, or parental income. Our vision is a future where all girls are supported to realise their ambitions, discover their self-worth, and shape their own futures.
We partner with secondary schools and colleges across multiple regions in England, including London, Merseyside, Portsmouth, Southampton, Sussex, Tees Valley, Tyne & Wear and the West Midlands. We match girls aged 14–19 with trained volunteer mentors for one-to-one support. In addition to this core mentoring, workshops, and access to an Ambassador Community that provides continued opportunities for development, career support, and connection.
Role Summary
The Regional Programme Lead is responsible for delivering The Girls’ Network’s suite of programmes in schools and colleges, including facilitating engaging and impactful workshops for girls aged 14–19 from disadvantaged backgrounds. The post-holder also leads on the recruitment, induction, training, matching, supervision and support of volunteers and will appropriately match mentors with young people. You will steer local partnerships and oversee programme administration to ensure the smooth and effective delivery of our mission.
This role combines hands-on programme delivery with operational coordination, ensuring that The Girls’ Network’s regional programmes achieve their intended outcomes and contribute to national KPI achievement.
Person Specification:
Essential:
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Applicants must hold a full, clean driving licence and have the ability and willingness to travel regularly across the region.
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Understanding of equal opportunities and inclusion in youth work. A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, with an understanding of its application in youth work in the charity and/or education sector. We welcome applications from outreach youth workers and/or teachers/teaching assistants or equivalent roles.
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A genuine understanding and passion for addressing the challenges faced by girls and young women from disadvantaged backgrounds.
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Experience and/or willingness to learn delivering high quality workshops or training sessions to groups of young people, aged 14-19.
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Proven ability to build and independently manage multiple relationships with key stakeholders, including young people, volunteers, education providers and local partner organisations.
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Excellent organisational, prioritisation and time-management skills, with a proven ability to meet deadlines in a target-driven environment.
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Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
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Experience of developing resources for programmatic delivery, including volunteer training and workshops for young people.
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Project or programme coordination experience, with the ability to manage conflicting priorities effectively.
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Target-oriented, with experience of achieving KPIs and contributing to performance monitoring.
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Practical knowledge and experience of safeguarding and child protection working practices.
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Competence in using digital tools, including Salesforce or other CRM platforms, with attention to accuracy and the ability to maintain high-quality records for monitoring and evaluation purposes.
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Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage deadlines, adapt to change, and work effectively both independently and as part of a geographically dispersed team.
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Commitment to The Girls’ Network mission and keeping young people at the centre of all work.
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Ability to travel and work flexibly, including occasional evenings and weekends.
Desirable:
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Experience working in a charity, youth, or education setting.
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Experience of working with young people from diverse backgrounds.
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Experience of safer recruitment in volunteering.
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A mentoring or coaching qualification, or equivalent experience.
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Experience working remotely, demonstrating initiative and the ability to work proactively with minimal supervision.
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Flexible and adaptable approach, with an understanding of the time and resource limitations typical in small organisations.
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Specific knowledge of mentoring programmes and/or youth/education services.
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. If you believe you have relevant experience and the potential to thrive in this role, we encourage you to apply, even if you do not meet every single criterion listed.
How to apply
Please apply as soon as possible. You will be asked to complete your application by submitting your CV and answering a few application questions.
Appointees are subject to a DBS check. You must have the right to work in the UK to apply.
The deadline to submit your application is Wednesday 8th July at 9AM. Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.
Diversity at our core
The Girls' Network is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating discrimination. In line with the Equality Act 2010, if you require any reasonable adjustments to support you with any stage of this recruitment process, please contact the Recruitment Team.
Our Benefits
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27 holiday days per year, plus public holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff)
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Option to purchase up to 5 additional days of annual leave every year
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Gifted birthday leave
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3 days volunteering leave per year
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Extended and comprehensive sick pay policy
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Enhanced Family Leave pay policy
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Pension scheme
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Annual professional development fund to help you grow
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24-hour Employee Assistance Programme for wellbeing support
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Benefit from flexible, remote working options with home office equipment.
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A dedicated Girls’ Network buddy, available beyond the induction period for ongoing support
Our mission is to inspire and empower girls from the least advantaged communities by connecting them with a mentor and network of female role models.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.