General Sales Assistant

**Title**: Shop Assistant

**Accountable to**: Shop Manager / Assistant Shop Manager

**Responsible for**:Volunteers

**Location**: Belfast

**Contract Type**: Permanent

**Working Hours**: 12 hours per week

**Benefits**:25 days holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata), Pension scheme, Flexible working arrangements

**Main purposes of the job**:

- To assist the Shop Manager / Assistant Shop Manager in overseeing the daily operation of the shop.
- To help ensure that the shop layout, standards and operations are to an acceptable standard, in accordance to the shop standards checklist.
- To help ensure that the volunteers are properly supported, according to the guidance of the Shop Manager / Assistant Shop Manager.
- To be responsible for opening and closing of the shop on the days the Shop Manager /Assistant Shop Manager is absent
- Promoting a positive image if Life’s work through the shops.
- To work closely with colleagues to ensure a cohesive approach to income generation for the charity

**Key achievement areas**:
**Sales and Profit**:
1) Achieve agreed area sales budgets and maximise profits

2) Maintain a standard of excellence at all times with regard to customer service and supporter care

3) Ensure all directives from the National Office are implemented within the shop

**Stock Management**:
1) Generate quality donated goods through shop driven initiatives to maximise income.

2) Ensure Life stock selection guidelines on quality and fashion are implemented in the shop.

3) Achieve all the agreed area key performance indicators including Gift Aid, Stock processing targets and Average selling prices on departments.

4) Ensure the shop complies with Life pricing policy

5) Ensure that efficient and organised stock room systems are maintained within each shop

**Shop Standards**:
1) High standard of merchandising and visual display, ensuring sales to space allocation is monitored in the shop.

2) National basic housekeeping standard, adhering to Life’s Health and Safety policy.

**People Management**:
1) Develop and train volunteers to work in the shop in various positions.

2) Maintain regular communication with volunteers to inform, motivate and drive performance.

3) Support the Shop Manager / Assistant Shop Manager in ensuring that shop is kept adequately staffed at all times.

4) Ensure volunteers are valued and rewarded for their contribution to Life.

**Administration, Security and Health and Safety**:
1) Shops to comply with all Life financial and administration procedures as detailed in the shop manual

2) Achieve compliance on both the financial and health and safety audits

3) Action all area administration required by the business within given timescales.

4) Adhere to Life’s health and safety policies in liaison with the Head of Central Services

**Premise and Security**:
1) To be a key holder of the shop in the absence of the Shop Manager / Assistant Shop

Manager

2) In the absence of the Shop Manager / Assistant Shop Manager, be responsible for the security of the shop takings, including the safe storage of the shop takings.

**Safeguarding Children & Adults at Risk of Harm**:

- Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and all employees are required to act in such a way that at all times safeguards the health and wellbeing of children and adults at harm of risk.
- Familiarisation with, and adherence to, the appropriate organisational Safeguarding policies and any associated guidance is an essential requirements of all employees as is participation in related mandatory/statutory training.
- All employees must ensure that they understand and act in accordance with this clause. If you do not understand exactly how this clause relates to you personally, then you must seek clarification from your immediate line manager as a matter of urgency.
- Equally, all managers have a responsibility to ensure that their team members understand their individual responsibilities with regards to Safeguarding Children and Adults at Harm of Risk.

**Personal responsibilities**:

- The post holder must assume responsibility for their own professional and personal development (supported by Life where appropriate) to ensure their continuing competence to deliver Life’s requirements.
- A key component of development is being fully aware of regulatory and legal requirements impacting on operational services and ensuring that all staff within those services are aware of and deliver their individual responsibilities

**Corporate behaviours**:
**All staff are expected to**:

- Work towards the charity’s aims and objectives, and uphold it’s vision and mission
- Demonstrate respect for others and value diversity
- Act responsibly regarding the health and safety of themselves and others
- Focus on the client and customer, both internally and externally, at all times
- Make an active contribution to develop the service
- Learn from, and share experience and knowledge
- Keep others informed of issues of i