Shop Manager

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Shop Manager to join our Dorking Team. As a Shop Manager, you will be reporting to the Retail Operations Manager. Your role will be to be responsible and accountable for maximising shop profit by achieving budgeted income, controlling shop expenditure in line with budget and recruiting and retaining a motivated team of volunteers.

Knowing what it takes to maximise shop sales, you will possess a sound knowledge of technical terms and commercial arithmetic, and an excellent understanding of working within a customer focused environment. With experience of working in a complex environment, across a large and diverse workforce, you will be exceptionally organised with a high-level of attention to detail. You will naturally possess excellent inter-personal skills, and an ability to consult and positively engage with key stakeholders across the organisation.

You will be a natural and enthusiastic leader able to provide challenge and support to a high performing team. This is a chance for an outstanding candidate to make a significant and lasting difference to the lives of thousands of children and families.

Role Requirements

Income generation

To manage the Retail budget to achieve agreed targets:

• To maximise shop sales by achieving agreed targets both through donated stock and bought in/new goods. This involves proactive stock generation, optimum pricing, processing stock to agreed amounts and stock planning.

• Achieve Gift Aid sales conversion target through maximising new donor sign up and encouraging repeat donations.

• Achieve the shops Raffle sales targets through involving the shops team.

• To maintain high levels of shop presentation by merchandising and housekeeping to agreed standards as set out in the Shops Operations manual.

• Manage the stock levels of bought in/new goods, to include ordering of more stock as and when necessary and recording key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Assist in holding and attending Fundraising events to promote the awareness of The Children's Trust.

• To source links with local communities to promote Retail in the community via media and other sources.

• Role involves a degree of manual handling in sorting and lifting of stock.

Administration and compliance

To ensure adherence to The Children's Trust policies and procedures, in particular ensuring full compliance of the shops in line with all Health & Safety legislation, Trading Standards, Risk Assessments, Gift Aid, Raffle and all other legal or statutory requirements:

• To control shop expenditure through effective cost control of weekly expenses.

• To ensure minimum losses of both stock and cash by following bank and till procedures, and safeguarding the property of The Children's Trust at all times.

• To adhere to all Policies and Procedures including those relating to the compliance with Health and Safety responsibilities, Gift Aid and Raffle.

• To be responsible for the daily management of Health and safety within the shops, completing daily checks and contributing to Risk Assessments.

• To complete all administration to meet the requirements, standard and deadlines for whom this work is produced.

• Embracing the change and development of new technology in the shop, for example The Loop (internal intranet) and Chariot (EPOS till system).

• Timely efficient responses to requests for information including voice and email messages.

• To fulfil any other agreed duties that may at times be reasonably required.

Personnel and Training

To ensure the Shops team are: recruited, retained and developed:

• Provides positive, visible and proactive leadership to the Assistant Manager and Shops Volunteer team.

• To manage all employees and volunteers within the Shop in accordance with the aims and values of The Children's Trust.

• To be responsible for the daily management of the shop team, including contribution to performance reviews for any Assistant Shop Managers.

• To recruit, support and retain team of shop volunteers.

• Provide induction and training for both Assistant Shop Manager and volunteer team as and when necessary.

• Attend where appropriate, training courses relevant to the development of the role

• Promote awareness of relevant training courses and development opportunities to others within the team.

• Attendance at Retail Sales Meetings and responsible for cascading information to Shops team as appropriate.

• To assist the Retail Sales Manager in shop openings and closures.

• Undertake relief cover within The Trust's shops as and when required.

• Carries out duties in accordance with Trust values.

Customer Service

To ensure customer care and quality of service:

• To provide excellent customer care through quality of service, dealing with complaints both efficiently and effectively, and having a good understanding of what The Children's Trust does.

• Support other shops and fundraising colleagues as and when necessary.

• Adheres to all health and safety guidelines, including infection prevention and control.

• Provide evidence of a valid NHS Covid Pass or acceptable proof of Covid vaccination or medical exemption and all vaccinations (or medical exemption) required for the post.

• Adhere to manual handling procedures and complete mandatory manual handling training.

• Promotes the health and safety of others.

• Uses the incident reporting and risk assessment system (IRAR), to identify and report risks and incidents/actions if directed.

• Responsible for identifying and mitigating risk within the work environment.

Wellbeing and Emotional Resilience

• Maintains a positive approach and outlook when dealing with change and overcoming challenges and problems.

• Recognises own limitations, develops realistic goals, and uses support network resource when or if necessary.

• Treats challenges and problems as a learning experience.

• Remains organised and focused when under pressure.

• Responds appropriately and effectively to all constructive feedback.

• Motivates self and others.

Terms and Conditions

PLEASE NOTE: The Children's Trust Application Form MUST be completed and submitted, for your application to be considered. As part of the shortlisting process, gaps in employment will be examined and further explored during the interview process.

Strictly no agencies, please.

As we often receive high levels of applicants for our roles, we regret that we will only be able to contact those applicants who are shortlisted for interviews. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume you have not been shortlisted for an interview on this occasion.

About Us

The Children's Trust is the UK's leading charity for children with acquired brain injury, providing expert rehabilitation, education, therapy, and care at our national specialist centre in Tadworth, and to children and their families across the UK, via our Brain Injury Community Service.

Boasting a beautiful 24-acre site in Surrey, we are located just outside of London, close to the M25 (accessible via Junction 8, A217 to Tadworth) and easily accessible via National Rail, by way of: Clapham Junction, Sutton, and Epsom.

Staff Benefits

The work we do is highly rewarding, and in addition to an attractive salary, we offer a valuable range of benefits, including our staff flexible benefits platform, on-site nursery, free eye tests, enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay, time out days for those experiencing menopause symptoms and time off for gender reassignment.

We also offer additional annual leave days for those with long service, with entitlements ranging from 35 to 41 days (including bank holidays) depending on your length of service.

Other benefits include free on-site parking; a staff shuttle service from Epsom and Sutton train stations to Tadworth Court, subsidised cafeteria, on-site staff accommodation (subject to availability), the ability to retain your NHS pension (where applicable), Teacher's pension (where applicable) or the opportunity to join an alternative scheme, and the opportunity to develop your career in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Rehabilitation of Offenders

Many roles at The Children's Trust are exempt from the provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013 and 2020) and as such, are subject to an Enhanced DBS check. Successful applicants will be required to complete an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check, which will disclose all unspent convictions and adult cautions and any spent convictions or adult cautions that would not be protected. The exceptions to this are our retail roles within The Children's Trust shops, which are subject to Basic DBS checks which will disclose unspent convictions or adult cautions.

Equal Opportunity Employer

To help us achieve our ambition to give children and young people with brain injury and neurodisability the opportunity to live the best life possible, we want to accurately reflect the UK's diverse population. We want equity, diversity, and inclusion to be at the heart of everything we do, and our people, services, and culture to reflect the diverse needs of all. Through our diversity and inclusion strategy, we have made a commitment to increase the diversity of our charity and create an inclusive culture. We have networks across the organisation working to ensure that these aims are met - including an LGBTQIA2S+ group, Ethnic Diversity Group, and Spark – our broad EDI group. Read more about our EDI work here. We welcome applications from all who share our ambition regardless of background. We will strive to ensure that any reasonable adjustments are made in respect of interview and working arrangements.

Online Searches

In accordance with statutory safeguarding and child protection guidance, online searches will be conducted for shortlisted candidates before interview. The online searches will be conducted by a person who is independent of the interview and selection process and will focus on relevant information returned via searches of the candidate's name (and variations thereof). Social media searches will be limited to professional platforms such as LinkedIn. Any concerns relating to suitability for work with children and young people will be forwarded to the interview panel, for discussion during the interview.