Retail Sales Assistant

Rzss; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

34 days annual leave

Discount in retail/catering

Healthcare plan

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Employer contributory pension

Staff membership for park access

Job summary

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is hiring a Retail Assistant to deliver a first-class visitor experience at Highland Wildlife Park and Edinburgh Zoo. You will work with our retail team to sell and upsell products, manage tills, and keep displays welcoming and well stocked.

You will engage with guests, answer questions about animals and site news, and help maintain a safe, clean retail environment. Previous retail experience and a friendly, professional approach are essential.

Qualifications

• Good achievement in standard grades (English and Maths) or equivalent.
• Accurate numerical reasoning and attention to detail.
• Empathetic customer engagement with upsell opportunities.
• Experience working in retail activities.

Responsibilities

• Operate retail systems to sell and upsell products.
• Provide first-class customer service in a welcoming environment.
• Maintain front of house areas, replenish stock, and merchandize as directed.
• Count money, operate tills, and ensure security of stock.
• Assist with reception of goods and stocktaking.

Skills

Customer care

Upselling

Numerical reasoning

Communication

Retail experience

Education

Standard grades including English and Mathematics

Tools

Cash till

POS system

Job description

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is a wildlife conservation charity with a bold vision: a world where nature is protected, valued and loved. Our 2030 strategy includes three ambitious pledges: to reverse the decline of 50 species; to create deeper connections with nature for more than one million people; and to enable more than 100 communities to better connect with nature.

The role

Providing a first-class sales and customer service experience to all visitors at RZSS Highland Wildlife Park and by providing information and assistance and ensuring an environment that is engaging and well maintained.

Some of the things you’ll do:

• Operate retail systems efficiently and effectively to both sell and upsell products.
• Provide first-class customer service by maintaining a positive, welcoming environment, proactive and helpful attitude to all visitors, always meeting or exceeding our Customer Service Standards
• Ensure all front of house areas and other RZSS retail outlets are maintained to the highest standard, ensuring stocks are regularly replenished, all areas are clean and clear, all products are displayed and merchandised as directed.
• Assist with the receipt of goods procedures in accordance with company instructions.
• Operate the tills efficiently and assist with the counting and recording of monies to agreed standards.
• Assist with the security of all stock, including the safe keeping of keys as required.
• Undertake stocktaking duties as required.
• Help maintain effective store security through vigilance, reporting any suspected incidents to management.
• Use sales data to ensure optimal product placement within the shop and communicate your findings with the wider team.
• Optimise displays to showcase products, attract customers and maximise product sales and turnover
• Respond to unexpected situations (for example, minor customer complaints)in a professional manner and seek advice and support from your line manager when required ensuring you keep up to date with RZSS and site-specific news and information by checking e-mails, notice boards, team briefs and information displayed in the staff room, to answer visitor enquiries effectively (including providing information on to visitors on our animal news/updates).
• Support with the induction of newly appointed Retail Assistants (Band A) to the role, acting as a mentor.
• Act as a public facing representative of RZSS in accordance with our core values.
• Occasionally aid in other operational areas including events, information desk and admissions as required.

Please see the role profile for further information on what the role involves and essential/desirable criteria.

What we’re looking for:

• Good achievement in standard grades (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics.
• Accurate numerical reasoning skills and attention to detail.
• Engaging customers empathetically to link or upsell our products.
• Use of electronic cash till.
• Providing first-class customer care and service, including dealing with customer queries.
• Previous work in a range of retail activities.

Please see the role profile for further information on what the role involves and essential/desirable criteria.

What you’ll get in return:

• Starting full time salary of £24,804 or £25,329 (offer based on experience) with future salary progression up to £25,859 per annum - based on 37.5 hours per week (variable part time hours also available)
• Various hours available - please indicate preference when applying (may require some evening/ weekend working on occasion)
• 34 days annual leave (full time will be prorated for part time hours)
• Discount in both retail/catering
• Access to a healthcare plan
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), that provide 24-hour counselling and support, including health, legal, finance, wellbeing and family advice
• Employer contributory pension scheme
• You will receive a staff membership which will give you (and family/friends) free (and discounted) entry to both the Highland Wildlife Park and Edinburgh Zoo as well as a number of other Zoo’s across the UK.

If this role excites you and aligns with your career aspirations.

This role is subject to standard pre-employment checks, including the candidate’s right to work in the UK and Basic Disclosure check.

Please note that shortlisting of applications and interviews for this position will take place while the advert is live. The advert will close once a successful candidate has been found.

Interested candidates are therefore encouraged to submit applications, as soon as possible.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is an equal opportunities employer. Our policy is to recruit a diverse workforce following the guidelines of the Equality Act 2010.

Please see the role profile for further information on what the role involves and essential/desirable criteria.

We offer a range of great benefits which you can read about here .

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