Shop Manager

Blue Cross UK; Wilmslow; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday allowance

Wellbeing support

GP access

Health cash plan

Employee assistance programme

Pension scheme

CPD support

Life assurance

Pet insurance discount

Family friendly policies

Volunteer days

Retail discounts

Job summary

Blue Cross UK in Wilmslow is recruiting a Shop Manager for our charity store, leading a friendly team and driving sales and donations. You will recruit volunteers, train staff, and work with the Area Manager to hit income targets while keeping costs under control.

You’ll champion Gift Aid, manage stock and merchandising, ensure excellent customer service, and foster community connections that support our mission. The role is full-time, 35 hours per week, with a varied pattern as needed.

Qualifications

• Essential qualifications include retail management experience, commercial awareness to deliver sales, strong interpersonal and customer service skills, good IT skills including finance basics, and effective people management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate staff and volunteers in the shop.
• Recruit new volunteers and ensure training and confidence in roles.
• Plan income targets with the Area Manager and manage costs.

Skills

Retail management experience

Commercial awareness

Interpersonal skills

IT skills

People management

Customer service skills

Job description

Application Deadline:

22 September 2026

Department:

Fundraising, Comms & Engagement

Location:

Wilmslow

Compensation:

£25,000 / year

Contract:

Permanent, full time (35 hours over 5 days p/week)

Salary:

Circa £25,000 p/annum

Location:

Wilmslose, SK9 1DU

Closing date:

Tuesday 22 September 2026

Charity shops are the in-place to shop and in 2026 and we want you to join us at our store in Wilmslow! By joining our team, you will be working within the local community and keeping people and their pets at the heart of everything that we do.

More About The Role

As Shop Manager, you’ll be the driving force behind our friendly and committed team. You’ll lead and motivate staff and volunteers, recruit new people to the shop and make sure everyone feels trained and confident in their roles. Working closely with your Assistant Manager, you’ll keep communication clear and create a positive, energetic environment for the whole team.

You’ll take ownership of sales and profit, working with your Area Manager to plan income targets and keep costs under control. You’ll champion Gift Aid, ensure accurate pricing and bring creative ideas to in-store fundraising so the shop continues to grow.

Stock will be a big focus, encouraging local donations, keeping displays fresh, maintaining high merchandising standards and making sure the shop is always clean and inviting. You’ll also oversee new goods, stocktakes and day-to-day processes that keep everything running smoothly.

Above all, you’ll set the tone for outstanding customer service. You’ll create a warm, welcoming atmosphere, deal with any issues calmly and build strong community connections that help increase donations. As an ambassador for Blue Cross, you’ll represent our values with confidence and care.

Our shop is open Monday to Saturday from 09:00 till 17:00 and your normal working pattern may change each week, subject to the needs of the business.

About You

Essential qualifications, skills, and experience:

• Retail management experience
• Commercial awareness to deliver sales
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong external relationships.
• Good IT skills and a basic understanding of finance
• Good people management skills
• Excellent customer service skills

It would also be great if you had:

• Full driving licence
• Experience of working with volunteers

Blue Cross Benefits

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.

Our generous benefits package includes:

• Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
• Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family
• Health cash plan
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
• Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.
• Life assurance
• 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Recognition scheme
• Annual volunteer days
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.