Assistant Retail Manager

Role: Assistant Retail Manager

Location: Ellesmere Port

Contract: Permanent

Reports to: Retail Manager

Hours of Work: 14.5 hours per week (working pattern to be discussed).

Salary: £9824.24 actual per year

Closing Date: 9.30am, Wednesday 11th November 2026.

Age UK Cheshire works with older people to support them in living their best life…

• relieving loneliness, so that older people feel connected,
• combatting poverty, so that older people have enough to live on, and
• increasing independence, so that older people can live the lives they want to lead

Primary Purpose:

Under the direction of the Retail Manager, you will help to run an Age UK Cheshire Charity Shop by achieving a high quality of retail service in relation to agreed performance targets and undertaking all appropriate duties to ensure the continued shop operations.

Main Duties:

Undertake all appropriate duties and responsibilities to ensure the continued operation of the shop and the achievement of agreed performance targets.

1. To ensure that the Age UK Cheshire Charity Shop achieves required standards of performance and agreed sales targets:

• Maximise sales through stock rotation, creative window displays and merchandising, to ensure the full potential of the stock available to you. Boost impulse sales by displaying appropriate products at the point of sale.
• Support, train, and coordinate the work of volunteers in the shop as required.
• Work with the Retail Manager to ensure that the shop complies with all the relevant legislation, trading standards and health and safety.
• Ensure stock from donors is correctly received and stored within the shop.
• Follow administrative systems and working practices to include daily and weekly sales reports, Charity Log and financial information.
• Identify stock which can maximise income when sold via e-commerce, auctions, or other sales opportunities.
• Plan and prioritise special promotions, seasonal adjustments, and sale events.
• Ensure professional signage throughout the shop; to be clear and on brand.
• Actively promote Gift Aid, sign up donors and ensure records are kept up to date, to achieve performance targets.
• Maintain a high level of commercial awareness by staying informed of sales trends, stock position and local competition.

3. To work as a member of the wider retail team to ensure that all shops across the region are covered appropriately. Have a flexible approach to days worked and location; to provide support to other colleagues and providing holiday cover for the Retail Manager.

4. To participate in recruitment, induction, training, and deployment of volunteers. To work with other organisations when necessary to ensure compliance with all legislation and good practice.

5. To develop and manage “designated volunteers” through appropriate training and development, to ensure that they can take responsibility for the running of the shop in the absence of paid colleagues, including holiday cover if necessary.

6. Implement the highest standards of customer care and service.

7. To maximise income by participating in fundraising and trading opportunities.

8. To take responsibility for the shop to implement shop procedures, as follows: -

• Act as a key holder at an assigned location.
• Prepare the shop for opening by the correct time.
• Close the shop at the correct time and ensuring the shop is secure before leaving.
• Assist in the acquisition of donations.
• Sort, prepare and price stock, delivered from the Retail Drivers.
• Present stock in the sales area to the agreed standard.
• Recruit, train, organise, supervise, and care for the welfare of colleagues and volunteer helpers.
• Reconcile the cash register, banking and to work to Age UK Cheshire’s financial policies and procedures.
• Complete paperwork as necessary, to include use of information technology ton computerised systems.
• Carry out Age UK Cheshire’s policy on Health and Safety of colleagues and customers, including all manual handling policies and procedures for goods and furniture, emergency, and accident procedures, trading standard policy, refunds, and exchange policy.

9. To use your own initiative to ensure any issues in the shop are resolved quickly and effectively. To follow the correct reporting procedure to inform the Health & Safety Manager of any problems or concerns.

10. To understand and achieve daily/weekly/monthly/annual targets which will be reviewed regularly with the Retail manager.

11. To be a role model for Age UK’s mission statement and values and to understand how the role of an Assistant Retail Manager complements this.

12. To undertake such duties as may from time to time be reasonably requested by management within the flexible definition of the post.

Essential Criteria:

· Previous experience in a retail/customer centric environment including the use of EPOS systems.

· Previous experience of communicating with a diverse customer base.

· Ability to motivate, inspire and work as a team.

· Good standard of numeracy.

· Good administrative and organisational skills with the ability to undertake banking tasks, keep basic records and organise resources in a busy environment.

· Ability to understand and interpret financial information to manage shop performance outcomes.

· Strong communicator with the ability to deal with customer issues and resolve problems with firmness and fairness.

· The ability to recognise stock potential to generate income and the importance of attractive presentation.

· Basic knowledge of Health & Safety and Fire regulations and ability to identify potential risks.

· Flexible and positive attitude – Expectation to cover the Retail Manager and other team member’s holidays & sickness.

· Must be able to work weekends & Bank Holidays as and when necessary.

If you are passionate about driving success through effective management and teamwork, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity as Assistant Retail Manager where you will enjoy the flexible working benefits of working for Age UK Cheshire.

To apply for this position, please send your updated CV to Estelle Atkins: [email protected].

• Closing Date for Applications: 9.30am, Wednesday 11th November 2026.

Pay: £9,824.24 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Health & wellbeing programme
• Sick pay

Application question(s):

• Is your home location within a 1 hr radius of Cheshire?
• Are you able to travel to Ellesmere Port to meet the requirements for the role?

Experience:

• Retail sales: 1 year (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Willingness to travel:

• 25% (required)

Work Location: In person