Bookshop Manager

The Children's Society; Calverton CP; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 36 days

Enhanced parental leave

Pension match up to 8%

Free counselling

Skills development

Paid volunteering time

Job summary

The Children’s Society is seeking a confident and motivated Shop Manager for the Calverton Bookshop in Nottingham. You will lead a diverse team of volunteers and an Assistant Shop Manager to deliver outstanding customer service, maximise income, and engage with the local community.

In this charity retail role, you’ll drive sales, manage stock, and support the team’s development while upholding safeguarding and organisational policies.

Qualifications

• Retail or similar people management experience.
• Book and Media Knowledge.
• Understanding of online selling such as eBay.
• Commercial awareness to drive and deliver sales.
• Positivity and resilience.
• Demonstrable experience of successfully leading, developing and motivating a team.
• Experience of managing to an income and expenditure budget.
• Good IT skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead a group of diverse volunteers and an Assistant Shop Manager to deliver excellent customer service.
• Drive income for the Calverton Bookshop through community engagement and sales.
• Develop and widen skills of the team and volunteers.

Skills

Retail management

Book knowledge

Online selling

Commercial awareness

Positivity

Team leadership

Budget management

IT skills

Driving licence

Volunteer management

Charity retail sector

Job description

• 36 days’ annual leave, 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

Permanent

37 hours/week (5 days out of 7)

£25,760 per annum

Location: Calverton, Nottingham

• 36 days’ annual leave, 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 Calverton Bookshop, Leading & supporting, a team to deliver excellent customer service, community engagement, and income generation.

We’re looking for a confident and motivated individual with the ability to drive income. You will be expected to lead a group of diverse volunteers and an Assistant Shop Manager

Key Skills and Competencies:

• Retail or similar people management experience
• Book and Media Knowledge
• Understanding of online selling such as eBay
• Commercial awareness to drive and deliver sales
• Positivity and resilience
• Demonstrable experience of successfully leading, developing and motivating a team
• Experience of managing to an income and expenditure budget
• Good IT skills

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

• Managing Stock/Merchandising
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle
• Experience of managing a team of volunteers
• Experience of the charity retail sector

Closing date: Midnight on Monday 7th September 2026

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.