Area Manager

Position: Area Manager

Reporting to: Head of Retail

Salary: £22,000 (£27,500 full-time equivalent)

Hours: Full-Time, Monday to Friday and occasional Saturdays and Sundays

Location: Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Letchworth Garden City, Stevenage, Hertford, Biggleswade and Welwyn Garden City

Other Requirements:    The jobholder must be mobile and have a car.  All travelling expenses will be reimbursed.

Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Caretaking the Charity Shops in the absence of the permanent Shop Manager or Assistant Shop Manager.
• Helping a Shop Manager in the event of a severe sales staff shortage in a branch.
• Ensuring stock rotation in the absence of a driver.
• Assisting with the implementation of operation actions required to maximise income and profit and identifying and taking action to resolve any areas of under performance.
• Ensuring that all managers and assistant shop staff are fully trained and are equipped to train and motivate paid and voluntary staff
• Ensuring that all managers and staff understand and deliver Willow’s aims, principles and objectives.
• Ensuring that all managers and staff in Willow shops understand and implement the charity’s operating procedures and comply with all aspects of employment, trading standards and health and safety legislation at all times, including ensuring that risk assessments are undertaken regularly, and remedial actions taken.
• Working closely with colleagues in other areas of the charity e.g. Comms, Community Fundraising, Major Partnerships and Events, to ensure that all opportunities for retail are maximized and supported.
• Presenting to customers and supporters a positive image of Willow through excellent retail practices
• Helping to ensure that sales and gift-aid opportunities are maximized, creating greater profits to fuel the charity
• Being part of the new shop roll-out team
• Being available to reasonably support and deputise in other retail functions, as required. Attending all meetings necessary to promote and improve the running and efficiency of the retail department

General Responsibilities

• To ensure all duties are carried out in such a way that support Willow’s equality and diversity policies.
• To promote a health and safety culture within the workplace, observing all health and safety rules and procedures and attend training courses as required
• To ensure that essential information of a sensitive or personal nature is not disclosed to or discussed with inappropriate persons.
• To ensure all information is maintained in accordance with GDPR
• To manage personal resources and own personal development
• To undertake other duties, commensurate with the post as required

This job description serves to illustrate the type and scope of the duties currently required for the above post and to provide an indication of the required level of responsibility. It is not a comprehensive or exclusive list and duties may be varied from time to time, they will not however change the general character of the job or the level of responsibility entailed.

Travel Requirements

• To visit shops in the Willow network on a regular basis, to attend meetings at HO, to attend Shop Managers’ Meetings and training sessions as required

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Knowledge

• Good understanding of retail operations
• Good understanding of management and motivation of staff and volunteers
• Good understanding of the financial key performance indicators
• Good understanding of stock procurement and management
• Understanding of trends and best practice in charity retail
• Good understanding of retail gift aid and related processes
• Ability to plan, prioritize and organize
• Good understanding of health and safety and trading standards
• An affinity with Willow’s objectives and activities

Key Skills

• Accurate, conscientious and self motivated

• Ability to work on own and use initiative to make decisions
• Good communication skills at all levels
• Good understanding of marketing and promotions
• Creative e.g. visual merchandising, marketing

• Ability to motivate, engage and develop teams to deliver results
• Good business acumen
• Good understanding of finance – profit drivers; cost control etc.

Experience and qualifications

• GCSE Maths and English or equivalent literacy and numeracy skills
• Experience of working within the retail sector
• Experience of managing a team in a retail or charity sector
• Understanding of health and safety and trading standards

Personal Attributes

• Self starter – high energy levels
• Positive and Enthusiastic
• Resourceful
• Strong professionally – credible with integrity
• Good Listener – will challenge constructively and respond well to feedback

Other

• Mobility – the job entails frequent and extensive travel
• Working knowledge of Retail, H.R and Health and Safety legislation
• Must be able to use MS Office applications – Word, Outlook, and Excel to a competent standard
• Some Saturday and Sunday working is required

How to apply

Please send a CV and covering letter to jo.tredgett@willowfoundation.org.uk

Closing date 10 November 2023