Retail Assistant - Parkstone

Marie Curie; Poole; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 17,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Employer pension (7.5% matched)

Bike loan

CPD opportunities

Industry-leading training

Wellbeing support

Bereavement benefits

Blue Light Card

Eye care subsidy

Job summary

Marie Curie is seeking a Retail Assistant to join our compassionate charity shop team in Poole. You will help maximise sales, maintain display standards and ensure stock is well presented while upholding charity pricing guidelines.

You will engage customers, coach volunteers and staff, and play a key role in community engagement to drive donations and repeat visits. The role requires initiative, reliability and a customer-first approach.

Qualifications

• Retail experience, preferably in fashion/clothing.
• Cash handling and sales records procedures.
• Strong interpersonal and customer-first communication.
• Able to work independently and in a team.
• Good organisational skills and workload prioritisation.
• Knowledge of health and safety in retail.
• Experience in managing and motivating volunteers desirable.

Responsibilities

• Assist Retail Manager by maintaining displays, stock rotation and pricing.
• Process donated goods in line with standards and charity pricing.
• Maximise Gift Aid income and manage bought-in goods display.
• Engage customers and coach volunteers and staff to promote add-ons and loyalty sign-ups.
• Engage with the community to drive repeat custom and volunteering.
• Manage volunteers and ensure adherence to Marie Curie procedures.
• In manager's absence, oversee overall store management and operations.

Skills

Retail experience

Cash handling

Interpersonal skills

Teamwork

Organisational skills

Health & safety

Volunteer management (desirable)

Job description

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end-of-life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end-of-life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering community nursing and hospice care across the country. Our retail stores play a vital part in helping us achieve our mission by bringing in significant revenue generation, building awareness and engaging local communities.

Join our team and be part of a dynamic retail environment where your can-do attitude makes a real difference. We're looking for courageous individuals who take initiative, considerate team players who put customers first and trustworthy colleagues who take pride in what they do. If you thrive in a collaborative workplace and enjoy helping people, we'd love to hear from you.

As a Retail Assistant, you will join an incredible team and support them to encourage sales, provide excellent customer service, and uphold the highest standards of stock presentation and store cleanliness.

Job Description

You will be responsible for:

• Assisting the Retail Manager in maximising sales by maintaining high standards of display and layout, ensuring proper stock rotation, and securing realistic pricing on donated items.
• Ensuring donated goods are processed according to set standards and timeframes, and that pricing is in line with charity guidelines.
• Maximising Gift Aid income and oversee the proper display and administration of bought-in goods, ensuring minimal stock loss.
• Customer engagement and leading by coaching volunteers and staff to have great conversations with every customer on" Rounding up" their purchase, making an "add donation" for our charity and signing up for our loyalty scheme.
• Engaging with the community to drive repeat custom, stock donation, volunteer recruitment and community involvement.
• Managing volunteers and ensuring all staff and volunteers are following Marie Curie procedures and guidelines.
• In the absence of the Retail Manager, taking responsibility for the overall management and operation of the store.

Key Criteria

• Previous retail experience, preferably in fashion/clothing.
• Experience of cash handling and financial management procedures (including completion of sales records).
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a customer-first attitude and the ability to communicate with tact and discretion,
• Ability to work well both independently and as part of a team.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to prioritise workload, balancing competing demands.
• Understanding of health and safety procedures in a retail environment.
• Experience in managing and motivating volunteers is desirable.

Hours per week: This is a variable hours role

Closing date:16th November. We are reviewing applications as they are received, so we encourage you to apply early.

In this role you will have sole responsibility for the running of the store, which will involve lone working. Due to this, we are unable to recruit anyone for this role who is under the age of 18.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave (exclusive of Bank Holidays)
• Marie Curie Group Personal Pension Scheme (we will match your contribution up to 7.5%)
• Loan schemes for bikes; computers and season tickets
• Continuous professional development opportunities
• Industry-leading training programmes
• Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programmes
• Enhanced bereavement, family friendly and sickness benefits
• Access to Blue Light Card membership
• Subsidised Eye Care

At Marie Curie, our values are central to everything we do. They guide how we care for people, how we work together, and how we make decisions every day. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe for everyone — staff and volunteers alike — supportive, inclusive and rewarding. We take stringent steps to ensure that anyone who joins our organisation are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. We actively consider our impact on the planet, embedding sustainability into everyday decisions to create a lasting, positive difference for the individuals we care for and the world we share.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to thrive and fulfil their potential. Marie Curie is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, recognising both the social justice imperative and the strength a diverse workforce brings. We actively encourage applications from people of all cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. If you require any support, please contact us at [e-mail].

Every application we receive is personally reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team, and in return, we ask that your application authentically reflects you — your experience, perspective and voice.