Join to apply for the Shop & Operations Manager role at Merry-go-round Glasgow
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Join to apply for the Shop & Operations Manager role at Merry-go-round Glasgow
Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week across 5 days Monday to Sunday
Duration: Fixed term 12 months
Location: Merry-go-round Shop (32/26 Nithsdale Road) & Merry-go-round Hub (Shawlands)
Reporting to: General Manager
Benefits: Merry-go-round offers a contributory pension scheme,
a company sick pay scheme, rewards and discounts platform, free silent disco
equipment hire, 4 additional public holidays and a day off for your birthday.
Closing date isWednesday 6th August at 5pm.
Please only submit applications (CVandcover letter explaining how you meet the necessary criteria) to:shop@merrygoroundglasgow.co.uk
About Us
Merry-go-round Glasgow is a social enterprise and charity in the Southside.We support local families with high quality, low cost children’s goods and through inclusive events and workshops.We have a boutique style charity shop in Strathbungo selling everything baby, run an events programme, and also work with over 120 agencies across the city to provide free packs of goods to families in need.We have a staff team of 14 and are an inclusive and supportive employer.
As the winners of the Environmental Social Enterprise award in Scotland and the UK we are a highly ambitious, supportive and inclusive organisation creating huge local impact. Our aim is simple: to be Glasgow’s go-to for parents and visiting families alike.
The Role
We are looking for an experienced and value-led person for the role of Shop & Operations Manager; someone ready to lead our teams at both our boutique charity shop and busy sorting and processing hub in Shawlands. This is a key leadership role, crucial to shaping the culture, strategy, and operational excellence of Merry-go-round. You’ll be leading a team in delivering ambitious social and environmental impact—through every customer interaction, stock decision, and community programme.
This role combines hands-on retail leadership with operational oversight of stock, team coordination and programme delivery. The post holder will ensure our shop offers a welcoming and friendly customer experience while managing the efficient processing of donations and driving strong sales performance. Our shop sells everything for maternity and baby from 0-5 years, with over 19000 customers a year, so experience in a busy retail & warehouse setting is vital. The role is also responsible for running our Carousel programme- which distributes around 90 packs every month to families across Glasgow using items processed in our sorting hub, alongside managing Glasgow City Council Pre-Loved clothing service in line with ApparelXChange and managing ongoing stock partnerships with local agencies.
This is a varied and dynamic role that requires excellent organisational skills, a proactive mindset, and the ability to lead with both confidence and care. It is pivotal to Merry-go-round’s success and includes a wide variety of tasks including stock management, merchandising, sales projections and reporting, displaying excellent customer service and supporting our dedicated team.The post holder will be very organised, self-motivated, able to drive their own workload, able to work independently and with enthusiasm to succeed.You will have excellent interpersonal skills, and be able to communicate effectively with customers and the rest of the team.We record and plan everything online, so being tech savvy is a must, as well as having experience of retail on social media. Prior experience in both retail and team management is essential.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Team Development
* Lead with empathy & ambition - supporting our team of staff & volunteers to deliver excellence.
* Deliver training and mentoring to develop team skills and confidence.
* Build a positive and inclusive team culture where staff and volunteers feel valued and motivated.
* Review H&S policies and procedures regularly.
* Ensure quality, cleanliness and high standards at all times and to instill this ethos in all staff and volunteers.
* Help to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Merry-go-round through contributing towards development plans and identifying opportunities for growth.
* Be an excellent team member by:
* being committed, reliable, friendly and motivated
* working on own initiative and driving own workload to an agreed set of targets and goals
* working and liaising effectively with the existing staff team and volunteers
* beingcommitted to learning and on-going training
* being committed to Merry-go-round aims and values
Retail & Customer Experience
* Oversee that our team is trained in the day-to-day running of the shop including opening/cashing up, weekly banking and shop floor supervision.
* Ensure a welcoming, friendly and easy to shop environment that aligns with our values and customer needs.
* Lead on merchandising, promotional planning and visual presentation to maximise income.
* Plan and coordinate all sales events and promotions.
* Project, monitor and report monthly on agreed key performance indicators including sales income, footfall and customer satisfaction to the General Manager.
* Maintain our Revolve certification by upholding high standards in quality, safety, and customer care.
* Ensure safe working practices in line with H&S and Risk Assessment requirements at all times.
Operations & Stock Management
* Manage the activity of our sorting hub ensuring all donations are processed to Revolve standards and prepared for shop, online and Carousel programme use.
* Maintain an efficient, organised stock system with clear digital records and accurate forecasting.
* Plan for promotions and stock changes in advance and communicate plans with the shop & stock processing team to ensure the shop is fully stocked.
* Identify responsible routes for surplus stock in line with our environmental values.
* Regularly review and develop operational procedures to drive efficiency and excellence.
* Ensure programme targets and outcomes are met, reporting on OKRs & strategy targets.
* Support our events coordinator, and oversee the events in the shop.
* Run our Carousel Programme, managing partner agency relationships, referrals and organising pack fulfillment.
* Work with the Volunteer Coordinator to develop roles and opportunities for volunteers across our shop & hub.
What we are looking for:
Experience/Knowledge
* Retail/charity retail experience.
* Sales planning, store merchandising and stock rotation.
* Operational experience in stock processing or warehouse/sorting environments.
* Managing a team, motivating and supporting staff.
* Tech savvy – ability to use online planning tools, use excel and maintain digital records.
* Understanding of and compliance with risk assessment and health and safety standards.
* Knowledge of products relating to babies and children’s equipment.
* An understanding of social enterprise.
* Passion for maximizing profitability and meeting targets.
* Experience of supervising and mentoring volunteers.
* Experience working in or understanding of social enterprise models.
* Experience with Revolve standards or similar reuse/retail quality frameworks.
* Experience of retailing baby and children’s equipment.
* Window dressing.
Skills & Attributes
* Strong leadership skills.
* Ability to motivate others through clear communication and collaborative problem-solving.
* Excellent organisational and planning skills.
* Detail oriented with a big picture perspective.
* Ability to relate well to a diverse range of customers.
* Ability to react to the business needs.
* A team player, able to engage effectively with all others and have the ability to inspire enthusiasm in others.
* An artistic flare and an eye for creative displays.
* Committed, motivated & reliable.
* Committed to learning, on-going training and shared success.
* A flexible approach, and open to changing working patterns if necessary.
* Enthusiastic and interested in learning, training and improving.
* An interest in re-use/recycling and waste minimisation.
Leadership & Impact
* Strengthen Merry-go-round’s reputation as a sector leader in community-driven sustainability.
* Build capacity across the team through mentoring, systems development, and inclusive practices.
* Champion our values and drive continuous improvement in how we deliver service and manage resources.
Seniority level
* Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
* Employment type
Full-time
Job function
* Job function
Management and Manufacturing
* Industries
Retail
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