Blue Cross isn't just a workplace — it's a community with a shared passion for animals and a commitment to making a difference. Here, you'll find a supportive and inclusive environment where your skills are valued, your ideas are heard, and your contributions are celebrated.
With opportunities for growth and development, competitive benefits, and a team dedicated to our mission, Blue Cross offers more than just a job—it offers a chance to be part of something meaningful and rewarding.
As our Shop Manager, you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of our Wilmslow store, driving sales, fostering community connections, and ensuring your shop runs smoothly.
Here's what you'll be doing:
1. Inspiring and motivating your wonderful team of volunteers, providing guidance and support to ensure everyone shines.
2. Creating a welcoming atmosphere for customers, delivering exceptional service and representing Blue Cross with pride.
3. Working towards sales targets and maximising profits.
4. Building strong community ties.
5. Keeping things running smoothly with efficient paperwork, accurate data management, and adherence to retail standards.
6. Maintaining optimal stock levels, ensuring our shelves are always full of treasures for our customers.
7. Prioritising the safety of our team and customers, following all health and safety protocols with care and diligence.
Your normal working pattern will change each week, subject to the needs of the business and the levels of staff and volunteers available to work and will involve a significant element of weekend working.
Due to the nature of the role this may involve some lone working and you will need to be willing to provide support and work at other shops as required.
About you
You'll have previous experience in retail management and able to offer effective support and leadership to your team. As a motivating manager and adept team builder, you'll harness the potential of your staff, working closely with the Assistant Shop Manager to ensure robust management for the shop and its team.
Your exceptional interpersonal skills will enable you to communicate effectively with a diverse range of individuals, including your team and customers. With a flexible, positive attitude, creative ingenuity, and a drive to succeed, you'll thrive in this role.
8. Retail management experience
9. Commercial awareness to deliver sales
10. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong external relationships
11. Good IT skills and a basic understanding of finance
12. Good people and time management skills
13. Ability to work on own initiative and to make business decisions as required
14. Excellent customer service skills
15. Able to interpret sales data and set action plans accordingly
16. Strong eye for detail and ensuring highest standards of presentation are achieved
17. Good organisational skills with the ability to plan and prioritise workload for yourself and the shop team
18. The ability to demonstrate, understanding and apply our Blue Cross values
Although not essential, it would be great if you had:
19. Full driving licence
20. Experience of working with volunteers
21. Experience of fundraising
Blue Cross benefits
Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make a difference that we do today.
In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can.
We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.
Our generous benefits package includes:
22. 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)
23. Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
24. Free access to GP via MetLife - 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family
25. Free physiotherapy advice and face to face intervention
26. Health cash plan
27. Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme
28. Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
29. Claim for professional fees
30. Life assurance
31. 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance
32. Enhanced family friendly policies
33. Recognition scheme
34. Annual volunteer days
35. Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers
36. Personal development programme