Sessional Shop Assistant - Cumbria Cluster
The Children's Society
Cumbria (On-site)
£12.71 per hour
Temporary
Job description
Fixed term contract for 6 months initially in view of extending.
Zero hours sessional contract to cover a shop for holiday, sickness and additional support as and when needed.
£12.71 per hour (plus holiday allowance)
Located across our 3 Cumbria shops - Cockermouth (base shop), Keswick and Whitehaven.
Main Street Cockermouth,Tithebarn Street Keswick, Lowther Street Whitehaven.
Benefits include but not limited to:
-We match up to 8% pension
-Free counselling service
-Opportunities to develop and widen your skills
-55p per mile (from base shop)
-Free parking available at Cockermouth and Keswick. Reimbursement for parking at Whitehaven
About us: The Children's Society has been helping children and young people in this country for over 140 years. We deliver essential local services that provide safe, trusted support to children and young people during times of significant need.
We run over 100 retail shops covering the whole of the UK - every one of these shops play a vital role in our mission to providing support to children and young adults. Every day we're changing the lives of children in this country for the better - and with your help, tomorrow we can be there for even more.
About the role:This role sits within our Retail Domain, which transforms donated goods into vital income to support young people across the UK. You'll play a key part within our Cumbria shops, supporting the shop management teams to deliver excellent customer service, income generation and reduce any lost trading hours. You need to love working with people and have the ability to manage a shop alongside volunteers in the absence of the shops management team. Hours will differ week to week (Monday - Sunday) depending on the business needs.
As a Sessional Shop Assistant, you'll need good communication skills, retail experience with a "can do" approach and ability to work on your own initiative are essential. A willingness to travel will be required to reach the shops. Someone who enjoys variety, builds strong relationships quickly, and can confidently lead a team. If this is you, we'd love to hear from you.
Key Skills and Competencies:
The required skills and competencies for this role are:
-Retail experience, and a “can do”, positive approach
-Excellent people skills & customer service
-Good IT skills
It would also be an advantage if you have any of the following skills and competencies:
-Full driving licence and access to a vehicle
-Experience of working with volunteers
Closing date: Midnight on 27th August 2026.
Interviews: A date to be confirmed in early September 2026.
The Children's Society is committed to safeguarding and protection of the children and young people we work with. As such, our safer recruitment process includes a Basic or Enhanced DBS check, 2 years of references, and additional vetting checks relevant to the role. We have a comprehensive range of policies and procedures in place to promote safeguarding and safer working practices across all areas of our organisation.In support of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, shortlisting is carried out on an anonymised basis. Personal details are hidden from the shortlisting panel, and candidates are referenced by a candidate number only. As part of this process, we ask that your CV is anonymised before submission - this means removing personal information such as your name, contact details, age, and any other identifying details.
AI tools can support your application but only when used appropriately. You're welcome to use them to improve clarity, structure, and research. However, overuse or misuse (e.g. inventing experience or using AI during assessments) may lead to rejection at any stage. We want to hear the real you - authenticity matters.
IN2
Zero hours sessional contract to cover a shop for holiday, sickness and additional support as and when needed.
£12.71 per hour (plus holiday allowance)
Located across our 3 Cumbria shops - Cockermouth (base shop), Keswick and Whitehaven.
Main Street Cockermouth,Tithebarn Street Keswick, Lowther Street Whitehaven.
Benefits include but not limited to:
-We match up to 8% pension
-Free counselling service
-Opportunities to develop and widen your skills
-55p per mile (from base shop)
-Free parking available at Cockermouth and Keswick. Reimbursement for parking at Whitehaven
About us: The Children's Society has been helping children and young people in this country for over 140 years. We deliver essential local services that provide safe, trusted support to children and young people during times of significant need.
We run over 100 retail shops covering the whole of the UK - every one of these shops play a vital role in our mission to providing support to children and young adults. Every day we're changing the lives of children in this country for the better - and with your help, tomorrow we can be there for even more.
About the role:This role sits within our Retail Domain, which transforms donated goods into vital income to support young people across the UK. You'll play a key part within our Cumbria shops, supporting the shop management teams to deliver excellent customer service, income generation and reduce any lost trading hours. You need to love working with people and have the ability to manage a shop alongside volunteers in the absence of the shops management team. Hours will differ week to week (Monday - Sunday) depending on the business needs.
As a Sessional Shop Assistant, you'll need good communication skills, retail experience with a "can do" approach and ability to work on your own initiative are essential. A willingness to travel will be required to reach the shops. Someone who enjoys variety, builds strong relationships quickly, and can confidently lead a team. If this is you, we'd love to hear from you.
Key Skills and Competencies:
The required skills and competencies for this role are:
-Retail experience, and a “can do”, positive approach
-Excellent people skills & customer service
-Good IT skills
It would also be an advantage if you have any of the following skills and competencies:
-Full driving licence and access to a vehicle
-Experience of working with volunteers
Closing date: Midnight on 27th August 2026.
Interviews: A date to be confirmed in early September 2026.
The Children's Society is committed to safeguarding and protection of the children and young people we work with. As such, our safer recruitment process includes a Basic or Enhanced DBS check, 2 years of references, and additional vetting checks relevant to the role. We have a comprehensive range of policies and procedures in place to promote safeguarding and safer working practices across all areas of our organisation.In support of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, shortlisting is carried out on an anonymised basis. Personal details are hidden from the shortlisting panel, and candidates are referenced by a candidate number only. As part of this process, we ask that your CV is anonymised before submission - this means removing personal information such as your name, contact details, age, and any other identifying details.
AI tools can support your application but only when used appropriately. You're welcome to use them to improve clarity, structure, and research. However, overuse or misuse (e.g. inventing experience or using AI during assessments) may lead to rejection at any stage. We want to hear the real you - authenticity matters.
IN2
Posted on: 13 August 2026
Closing date: 27 August 2026 at 23:59
Job ref: 6178
Tags: Retail / Sales
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