Retail Customer Assistant - Retail & Cafe at Sunderland Royal Hospital - Part Time - 16 hours

Royal Voluntary Service; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading charity organization is seeking a Retail Customer Assistant at Sunderland Royal Hospital. This part-time role involves providing exceptional customer service in retail environments, maintaining standards, and engaging with a passionate team. Ideal candidates will possess strong communication skills and a can-do attitude. The position offers a salary of £12.43 per hour along with comprehensive benefits and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

26 days’ holiday (pro rata)

Company sick pay

Pension scheme

Employee assistance programme

Training opportunities

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a retail or cafe environment is preferred.
• Ability to adapt communication for diverse customers.
• Willingness to undertake training and professional development.

Responsibilities

• Provide friendly, efficient service to customers.
• Maintain cleanliness and comply with hygiene standards.
• Engage with volunteers for effective teamwork.

Skills

Customer service

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Proficiency in literacy and numeracy

Tools

EPOS/till systems

Job description

Overview

Royal Voluntary Service has an opportunity available for a Retail Customer Assistant to join our team at Sunderland Royal Hospital, Sunderland, SR4 7TP. This is a part-time, permanent role with a salary of £12.43 per hour (FTE £22,638 per annum).

Role

Working alongside a friendly team of employees and volunteers, you will participate in the day-to-day running of our busy retail sites at Sunderland Royal Hospital. The hospital cafes, shops and trolleys are part of the fabric of the NHS and a real asset in their own right.

Responsibilities

• Providing friendly, helpful and efficient service at all times
• Welcoming customers, informing them about specials or new products, answering questions and accepting orders and payments
• Operating the till and cashing up
• Maintaining a high level of cleanliness complying with Health and Safety and food hygiene standards and ensuring all areas of the site remain tidy
• Ensuring that all stock and displays are replenished regularly and ordering supplies if required

Hours: 16 per week (flexible across 7 days, comprising 4 x 4-hour shifts). Our retail sites are open on weekends and bank holidays. There may also be opportunities for paid overtime in busy periods or to cover absence.

What you’ll bring

Working in a hospital requires a special kind of customer service. Your ability to communicate with a variety of people in a friendly and cheerful way will make a real difference to someone’s day. The key is to adapt your approach to each person to ensure their needs are met.

Job Requirements

• Previous experience in a retail or cafe environment would be an advantage, but training will be given — just make sure you have a positive attitude and can-do mindset along with a willingness to work and we’ll teach you the rest
• The ability to deliver outstanding customer service
• Excellent communications skills
• Demonstrates a high level of organisational skills
• Familiarity with email and internet is required
• A flexible approach towards working hours
• Enjoying working within a passionate team of employees and volunteers, as well as working on your own on occasions
• Can demonstrate a proficient level of literacy and numeracy
• Knowledge of EPOS / till systems would be advantageous
• Knowledge and experience of general administrative processes
• A willingness to undertake training and continuing professional development

Job Responsibilities

• To ensure the effective operation of the retail outlets in maintaining outstanding store standards, whilst providing friendly, helpful, and excellent customer service to all customers, maximising a great shopping experience
• Welcoming customers, informing them about specials or new products, answering questions and accepting orders and payments
• Preparing hot and cold drinks (Café)
• Serving freshly made food such as cake, sandwiches, and pastries (Café)
• Operating the till and undertake cash reconciliation as required
• To receive incoming deliveries, distribute, maintain, and date rotate stock as appropriate. Assist in the accurate completion of regular stock checks
• Engage with volunteers to direct & lead by example to ensure they have a great volunteer experience
• Maintaining a high level of cleanliness complying with Health and Safety and food hygiene standards and ensuring all areas of the site remain tidy
• This role may involve pushing loaded trolleys of stock for long distances

Delivery and Excellence

Delivers Objectives, Quality Orientation, Team Working, Service Delivery Focused, Following Directions, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Benefits

• Salary of £12.43 per hour (FTE £22,638 per annum)
• 26 days’ holiday (pro rata) plus paid statutory Bank Holidays (pro rata)
• Ten weeks’ company sick pay following successful completion of probation
• A great pension scheme
• 2 x Salary Death in Service Benefit, subject to qualification
• Enhanced Family Leave schemes
• Employee benefits package with access to discounts and cashback online
• 24-hour doctor line, financial support with dental/optical and other therapies
• Free and confidential employee assistance programme with up to six face-to-face counselling sessions
• Extensive online and on-the-job training to ensure you will succeed in your role
• Opportunities to discuss flexible working
• Opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career
• Chance to make a positive, lasting impact

If you feel you have the skills and experience to become our Retail Customer Assistant please click ‘apply’ today. The closing date is 9 October 2025, but we reserve the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received. This role may be called Retail Assistant, Shop Assistant, Café Assistant, Store Assistant, Retail Sales Assistant, or Customer Service Assistant by other organisations. This description contains EDI commitment information; for details visit the Royal Voluntary Service website.