Shop Manager

The Children's Society; Greater London; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced maternity/paternity leave

Pension matching up to 8%

Free counselling service

Volunteer time (2 days per year)

Skills development opportunities

Job summary

The Children’s Society is seeking a Shop Manager for our Surbiton shop. You will lead a team, deliver outstanding customer service, engage with the local community, and drive shop income to support our nationwide charity work.

The role requires managing a team, volunteers, and budgets, with 37 hours per week including Sundays and Bank Holidays. Join a charity with a long-standing mission to help children and young people.

Qualifications

• Retail or similar people management experience.
• Commercial awareness to drive and deliver sales.
• Positivity and resilience in a retail environment.
• Demonstrable experience leading, developing and motivating a team.
• Experience of managing income and expenditure budgets.
• Good IT skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Surbiton shop team to deliver excellent customer service and community engagement.
• Drive shop income generation and contribute to profit improvements.

Skills

Retail people management

Commercial awareness

Positivity & resilience

Team leadership

Budget management

IT skills

Job description

Permanent

37 hours a week to include Sundays and Bank Holidays

£27,820.80 per annum

Location: Surbiton

• 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

Retail Advert

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 Surbiton shop, leading a team to deliver excellent customer service, community engagement, and income generation. As part of this role, you will be required to follow a shift of 37 hours per week.

We’re looking for a passionate and motivated Shop Manager with the ability to lead people, grow a volunteer team and drive shop profits, driving improvements that strengthen the shop’s performance and community impact.

Key Skills and Competencies:

• Retail or similar people management experience
• 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:

• 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 Friday 25th 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.