Shop manager and assistant shop manager jobs in Cumbria
Location: The Children's Society Shop, Tithebarn St, KESWICK, Cumbria.
37 hours per week over Monday to Sunday
£25,760 per annum
We offer many enhanced benefits including:
-28 days holiday a year, plus Bank Holidays
-Stakeholder pension scheme with matching contributions up to 8%
-Free parking space at the shop
-Free confidential counselling service: available to all staff and volunteers
-Opportunity for all managers to join our Bespoke Management Development Programme - Compass
Full details about our benefits can be found on our website.
Do you have retail experience and a flair for leadership? Are you a natural leader with a drive for results and a passion for making a difference?
We're looking for a confident and motivated Shop Manager to lead our team in our Keswick shop. The shop is less than a year old, making this a fantastic opportunity for the right person to engage with the local community, shape the shop's future, and drive up income to support young people.
You'll be responsible for managing an Assistant Shop Manager and a brilliant team of volunteers, working together to turn donated goods into meaningful support for young people. You'll lead and inspire existing volunteers, and attract, recruit and develop new ones to build a team that maximises the shop's potential.
If you have retail experience and enjoy connecting with people from all walks of life, this could be the perfect role for you. If you're also passionate about making a difference, we'd love to hear from you.
The Children's Society has been helping children and young people in this country for over 140 years. We run local services that support children when they are at their most vulnerable and in desperate need of help. We're there for children, every step of the way.
We run over 100 local services that help thousands of young people who desperately need our support, and we campaign to get laws and policies changed to make children's lives happier and safer.
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.
The Children's Society is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to a safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across our services.
We look forward to receiving your application.
The closing date for applications is Friday 2nd January 2026. Please note that if enough applications are received we reserve the right to close the vacancy early.
Interviews will be held on a date to be confirmed.
IN1
Salary: £37,739.41 per annum
Location: Home based with regular travel to Shelter shops across East Scotland
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time 37.5 per week
Closing date: Tuesday the 6th of January at 11:30pm
At Shelter Scotland, we believe home is everything. Every day, thousands of people are devastated by the housing emergency — and we’re here to fight it. Our shops play a vital role in raising funds to support our frontline services and campaigns, while also connecting us with communities across Scotland.
We’re now looking for a dynamic and motivated leader to join our Retail team as Assistant Area Manager (East Scotland). In this role, you’ll help ensure our shops are safe, welcoming, and thriving spaces that inspire donations, volunteering, and sales — all contributing to Shelter’s mission of defending the right to a safe home.
About the role
This role supports the Area Manager to ensure shops across the area are safe, welcoming and thriving. You’ll represent Shelter in the community, creating positive experiences for customers, donors and volunteers while maximising Gift Aid and encouraging ongoing support.
You’ll help to oversee shop operations – from pricing and stock rotation to displays and local income-generating events, along with playing a key part in recruiting, developing and guiding Community Shop Managers.
Financial responsibility is central, following procedures, reviewing shop accounts and supporting managers to identify opportunities and reduce costs. Success means helping shops meet and exceed targets, increasing Shelter’s contribution and ensuring vibrant, well-run shops that maximise impact.
About you
We’re looking for an experienced leader who can inspire and motivate teams to deliver outstanding results. You’ll thrive in a varied role, bringing energy and creativity to shop environments, helping teams attract customers and donors, and deepening their knowledge of Shelter’s mission. With strong influencing skills, you’ll train, develop and empower people to run successful shops that raise vital funds.
To succeed, you’ll need experience managing staff or volunteers, delivering excellent customer service, overseeing multiple sites and working with budgets. You’ll also be enterprising and innovative, with the ability to engage communities and have knowledge of charity retail and how to grow sales.
Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.
Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.
Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help. We’re here so no one has to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own.
We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.
About the team
This role sits within the Income Generation directorate within the Retail team at Shelter. You will work alongside and report into the Area Manager, along with the Community Shop Managers of the shops you will be helping to oversee.
How to apply
Please click ‘Apply for Job’ on the advert. You are required to submit a CV and a supporting statement with responses to the points in the About You section of the job description of no more than 350 words each. Please provide specific examples following the STAR format.
- We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset
Any applications submitted without a supporting statement will not be considered
About Shelter Scotland
Shelter Scotland is Scotland’s national housing and homelessness charity. Our vision is of a home for everyone in Scotland. For over 50 years, the way we drive change has remained the same. We advise and support people in housing need today and use the insight we gain to inform our campaigns to change tomorrow. We also raise professional standards for those working in Scotland’s housing and homelessness sector by offering a broad range of training courses.
Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday thousands of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.
We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.
We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.
Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter Scotland. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.
Safeguarding statement
Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.
Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.