Assistant Shop Manager

The Children's Society; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 13,000 - 15,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

36 days annual leave pro rata

Enhanced maternity/paternity leave

8% pension match

Free counselling service

Volunteer time (2 days/yr)

Job summary

The Children’s Society is recruiting for an Assistant Shop Manager at our Mill Road shop in Cambridge. This part-time role (21 hours/week) involves leading volunteers, delivering excellent customer service, and supporting income generation under the Shop Manager.

Shifts include Sundays, with a friendly team and opportunities to develop skills within the charity retail sector. Salary is £14,018.92 per annum, with benefits and a pro-rata approach to annual leave; the role is embedded in a

Qualifications

• Retail or similar supervisory experience.
• Excellent people and customer service skills.
• Experience of cash handling and basic understanding of budgets.
• Confidence, positivity and resilience in managing the shop and acting in the Shop Manager's absence.
• Understanding of the charity retail sector is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of volunteers to deliver excellent customer service and income generation.
• Work alongside the Shop Manager and cover shifts, including Sundays.
• Inspire and empower volunteers and contribute to shop improvements.
• Engage with the community and support safeguarding commitments.

Skills

Retail supervisory experience

People and customer service skills

Cash handling & budget basics

Confidence and resilience

Understanding charity retail sector

Job description

Part time 21 hours per week, over 7 days to include Sundays

£14,018.92 per annum

Location: Mill Road Cambridge

Benefits include but not limited to:

• 36 days’ annual leave (pro rata for part time roles), inclusive of flexible bank holidays, increasing with length of service


• Enhanced maternity/paternity leave


• We match up to 8% pension


• Free counselling service


• Opportunities to develop and widen your skills


• 2 days of paid volunteering time per annum to support another part of the organisation

About us:

The Children’s Society has been helping children and young people in this country for over 140 years. We deliver essential local services that provide safe, trusted support to children and young people during times of significant need.

We run over 100 retail shops covering the whole of the UK – every one of these shops play a vital role in our mission to providing support to children and young adults. Every day we’re changing the lives of children in this country for the better – and with your help, tomorrow we can be there for even more.

About the role:

This role sits within our Retail Domain, which transforms donated goods into vital income to support young people across the UK. You’ll play a key part in our Mill Road shop, to work alongside the Shop Manager to lead a team of volunteers to deliver excellent customer service, community engagement, and income generation. As part of this role, you will be required to follow a shift which will include Sundays.

We’re looking for a friendly and positive Assistant Shop Manager who loves working with people and has the ability to lead in the Shop Manager's absence. The ability to inspire and empower people around them is also an attribute we value. We also welcome ideas to drive improvements that strengthen the shop’s performance and community impact.

Key Skills and Competencies:

The required skills and competencies for this role are:

• Retail or similar supervisory experience,


• Excellent people and customer service skills


• Experience of cash handling and basic understanding of performing to income and expenditure budgets


• Confidence, positivity and resilience in managing the shop and making decisions in the absence of the Shop Manager

It would also be an advantage if you have any of the following skills and competencies:

• Understanding of the charity retail sector

Interviews: Date to be confirmed

The Children’s Society is committed to safeguarding and protection of the children and young people we work with. As such, our safer recruitment process includes a Basic or Enhanced DBS check, 2 years of references, and additional vetting checks relevant to the role. We have a comprehensive range of policies and procedures in place to promote safeguarding and safer working practices across all areas of our organisation. In support of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, shortlisting is carried out on an anonymised basis. Personal details are hidden from the shortlisting panel, and candidates are referenced by a candidate number only. As part of this process, we ask that your CV is anonymised before submission - this means removing personal information such as your name, contact details, age, and any other identifying details.

AI tools can support your application but only when used appropriately. You’re welcome to use them to improve clarity, structure, and research. However, overuse or misuse (e.g. inventing experience or using AI during assessments) may lead to rejection at any stage. We want to hear the real you - authenticity matters