1 Retail area managers jobs

Retail Operations & Facilities Manager

12 month fixed-term contract

Job description and person specification

Imagine being told that you, or someone you love, is losing their sight. In that moment, two profound questions demand urgent answers:

· Can this be stopped?

· How will I live my life?

Currently, research into preventing and treating sight loss is chronically underfunded, receiving a mere 1.2% of publicly funded health research grants: people who are blind or vision impaired are three times more likely to experience loneliness and isolation than the general population.

We find and fund the brilliant minds and bright ideas that put change in sight. Our researchers are at the forefront, making breakthroughs and discoveries that will prevent, treat and cure eye disease. The partnerships we build and initiatives we support are changing life for blind and vision impaired people.

We are Fight for Sight: we won’t stop until we: Save Sight. Change Lives.

We have a clear ambition and have the support of well-respected and highly engaged ambassadors. We are now looking for experienced, committed, and creative individuals to join our dynamic team to help realise a new five-year growth strategy. If you want to be part of something impactful, we’d love to hear from you.

The Retail Operations & Facilities Manager will form an integral part of our Retail team, working closely with the Area Manager and Head of Retail.

Responsible to

Head of Retail

Direct reports

None

Working hours and contract

35h per week, 12 month fixed-term contract

Salary

£30.000 - £35.000

Location

Four days per week in our shops, and one day from home

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a covering letter to our recruitment inbox with subject header – Retail Operations & Facilities Manager

Your covering letter should include a supporting statement (max two pages) comprising why you think you are an ideal candidate for the role, what applicable experience you’ll bring and why you want to work for Fight for Sight? 

Closing date for applications: 5pm, Wednesday, 4th November

Early applications are encouraged. We will be interviewing on a rolling basis; therefore, we will close the vacancy as soon as we have found the right candidate.

Important note: All applicants must have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we do not have a sponsoring license for non-UK employees which means that if you do not have a current, valid UK working permit, please do not apply, as we will not be able to consider your application.

Purpose of Job

To ensure the charity’s 12 shops operate safely, consistently, efficiently and in accordance with relevant legislation, organisational policies and operational standards.

The Retail Operations & Compliance Manager will lead the development, implementation and monitoring of retail procedures, compliance frameworks, financial controls and workforce administration processes. The role will provide clear systems, guidance and oversight to enable Shop Managers to manage their shops effectively and independently.

Working closely with the Head of Retail, Area Manager and Volunteer & Learning Manager, the postholder will identify operational risks, improve processes and establish consistent ways of working across the retail estate.

The role is responsible for ensuring that the right systems, standards and controls are in place. Shop Managers remain responsible for applying these requirements within their own shops.

Main Responsibilities

A. Health, safety and compliance

· Lead the monitoring and implementation of health and safety requirements across all shops, ensuring appropriate procedures, risk assessments and records are maintained.

· Develop and coordinate a risk-based programme of shop inspections and compliance audits.

· Monitor compliance with fire safety arrangements, manual handling requirements, safe storage, accident reporting and other relevant retail safety requirements.

· Ensure incidents, hazards and compliance concerns are recorded, escalated and addressed promptly.

· Maintain oversight of audit findings and corrective action plans, ensuring actions have clear owners, deadlines and evidence of completion.

· Identify recurring compliance failures and work with Project Manager to implement improvements to prevent reoccurrence.

· Coordinate with Project Manager regarding new and updated H&S policies, procedures and practices.

B. Financial controls and cash management

· Establish, maintain and monitor consistent retail financial control procedures across the shop estate.

· Oversee procedures relating to cash handling, banking, refunds, financial reconciliations, record-keeping and other relevant retail controls.

· Work with the Finance team to ensure retail procedures align with financial policies, delegated authority and reporting requirements.

· Coordinate checks to identify discrepancies, control weaknesses and potential financial risks.

· Ensure Shop Managers understand their financial control responsibilities and know how to apply the required procedures.

· Coordinate the investigation and resolution of financial control failures, escalating significant concerns to the Head of Retail and Finance team as appropriate.

· Identify opportunities to strengthen controls, reduce avoidable errors and improve the accuracy and reliability of shop-level financial information.

C. Workforce administration: rotas and payroll

· Establish clear and consistent processes for retail rota planning, approval, recording and monitoring.

· Ensure rota procedures support agreed opening hours, operational requirements, staffing arrangements and volunteer availability.

· Monitor the accuracy and completeness of workforce information submitted by Shop Managers.

· Coordinate the timely submission of payroll inputs in partnership with the central Payroll, Finance and HR teams.

· Establish clear deadlines and procedures for submitting hours, approved changes, absence information and other required payroll data.

· Monitor compliance with relevant working-time requirements and organisational policies.

· Work with the Area Manager to identify workforce planning issues that affect shop operations, stock processing or trading performance.

· Ensure appropriate authorisation, confidentiality and data-handling arrangements are followed.

The role coordinates retail workforce administration processes but does not replace the formal responsibilities of the organisation’s Payroll, Finance or HR functions.

D. Retail Operations communications and operational updates

· Own the coordination and distribution of operational communications across the shop estate.

· Establish clear communication channels and a consistent approach to issuing retail updates, instructions and deadlines.

· Work closely with Senior Retail Management to coordinate communications relating to operational procedures, compliance requirements, systems, policies and changes to working practices.

· Ensure communications are accurate, timely, clearly prioritised and accessible to Shop Managers.

· Maintain an appropriate record of key communications and monitor acknowledgement or implementation where required.

E. Operational procedures and process improvement

· Lead on end-to-end maintenance processes for the shop estate, coordinating with contractor partnership to resolve the maintenance issues.

· Ensuring that maintenance spends are aligned with financial budgets.

· Own the development, maintenance and review of standard operating procedures across the retail estate.

· Ensure procedures are practical, consistent, current and accessible to Shop Managers and relevant team members.

· Maintain appropriate document control, including version management, review dates and approval arrangements.

· Develop standard templates, checklists and guidance to support consistent delivery of routine retail activities.

· Review existing processes to identify duplication, inefficiency, unclear responsibilities and unnecessary administration.

· Lead the implementation of agreed operational process improvements and monitor their effectiveness.

· Work with the Area Manager to ensure operational procedures support efficient stock processing, effective trading and appropriate controls.

· Work with the Volunteer & Learning Manager to ensure procedures are incorporated into relevant induction and management development resources.

· Ensure operational changes are communicated effectively and that Shop Managers understand their responsibilities for implementation.

F. Operational assurance and management support

· Provide Shop Managers with clear guidance on operational standards, procedures and control requirements.

· Use audit results, incident reports, control checks and shop visits to identify risks and opportunities for improvement.

· Provide constructive feedback to Shop Managers and agree corrective actions where standards are not being met.

· Monitor progress against agreed actions and escalate repeated or unresolved failures to the Head of Retail.

· Identify common capability gaps and work with the Volunteer & Learning Manager to develop appropriate training and coaching interventions.

· Work collaboratively with the Area Manager to address operational barriers affecting shop performance.

· Encourage Shop Managers to take ownership of routine operational decisions and resolve issues within agreed policies and delegated authority.

· Ensure central support strengthens management capability rather than routinely completing shop-level tasks on managers’ behalf.

Person specification

Desirable skills, knowledge & experience

· The ability to work under pressure whilst remaining calm and organised

· To be receptive to change and to act as a change agent

· The ability to maintain excellent rapport with staff, volunteers, supporters, and donors

· To demonstrate a calm and logical approach to problem solving

· To consistently demonstrate a dedicated approach to the quality of customer service and team working.

· Adaptable to changing landscape and evolving organisation.

· Willing and able to operate at pace in an organisation going through rapid change, using your initiative and delivering to tight deadlines

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills

· Highly organised with ability to plan effectively and allocate resources appropriately.

· An understanding of and commitment to London’s blind and partially sighted people.

Personal qualities

The postholder will be people-focused, organised, supportive and results-driven. They will be passionate about volunteering and committed to developing people, while remaining focused on measurable improvements in workforce capacity and shop performance. They will understand the difference between providing support and creating dependency, and will help managers develop the confidence to lead their teams effectively.

Flexibility

The role description is a general outline of duties and responsibilities and may be amended as we grow. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time.

Employee benefits

We value our staff and volunteers and want to make sure that they are supported in their work. Other benefits we also offer are:

· A great team and a supportive culture

· Employer pension contributions matching up to 10%, and death in service cover

· Generous parental leave

· Flexible/hybrid working options

· Apprenticeships scheme, study leave and financial support for training & development

· Cycle to work scheme, eye test vouchers, and a staff loan scheme, access to an Employee Assistance Program

· An active Social Committee and staff events

Application & Interview process

See above (page 2) for How to Apply. Please note that we value the authenticity and individuality of our applicants and believe that your CV and cover letter should reflect your unique skills, experiences, and personality.

Successfully shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview online via MS Teams.

Accessibility

We believe in fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals, regardless of their abilities or circumstances, feel supported and valued. If you have any accessibility requirements or specific needs that you would like us to accommodate during the application process, please let us know. If you are unfamiliar with MS Teams and would like to familiarise yourself with the platform before the interview, we are more than happy to arrange a tech run-through to ensure your comfort and confidence.

Equal opportunities, diversity & inclusion 

Don’t meet every single requirement? At Fight for Sight we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workforce, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every item in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles that we have.

We have an inclusive and accessible recruitment process, including any adjustments required to support people from diverse community groups.