Retail Shop Manager at COPE Galway

COPE Galway; Galway; On-site; EUR 33,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Assistance Programme

Private counselling top-up

Pension scheme

Bike to Work Scheme

Christmas Savings Scheme

Study assistance

Hospital Saturday Fund

Staff discounts

Job summary

COPE Galway is seeking a Team Lead for the Newtownsmith charity shop in Galway. You will lead the shop floor, coordinate volunteers, drive merchandising and stock rotation, and oversee online selling and local campaigns.

The role requires a hands-on leader who can motivate volunteers and deliver a welcoming, commercially strong shop for donors, customers and clients. You will report to the Retail Manager, manage shop priorities, and promote a positive team culture while ensuring safety and

Qualifications

• Essential retail or customer-facing experience with supervisory responsibilities.
• Experience coordinating volunteers and teams.
• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills with clear direction.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day shop operations and maintain a welcoming, professional environment.
• Coordinate volunteer rotas and assign tasks to maximise shop priorities.
• Drive merchandising, displays, stock rotation and pricing for high-value stock.
• Manage online selling activities and social media content within COPE Galway guidelines.
• Provide reporting on volunteer capacity, shop performance and stock issues to the Retail Manager.
• Apply a person-centred, trauma-informed approach in interactions while upholding shop standards.

Skills

Volunteer supervision

Customer service

Team leadership

Merchandising

Social media

Organisational skills

Tools

POS systems

Email

Spreadsheets

Job description

About COPE Galway

COPE Galway is a local charity providing essential social services in Galway. We respond to the needs of people experiencing homelessness, women and children subjected to domestic abuse, and we support older people towards healthy, independent ageing. Our vision is for a community where every person is safe, connected and has the opportunity to thrive. COPE Galway is deeply woven into the Galway community. Our mission is built on community spirit and the belief that together, we can make a positive difference for people during challenging times in their lives.

The Opportunity

COPE Galway is seeking an Team Lead to support the day-to-day running and development of our Newtownsmith charity shop. This is a hands on, visible shop floor leadership role with particular responsibility for volunteers, merchandising, stock rotation, customer experience, online selling and the delivery of sales and promotional activity. Reporting to the Retail Manager, the postholder will help create a welcoming, well-organised and commercially strong shop where staff and volunteers know what is expected of them, feel valued and supported, and have a genuine sense of belonging within COPE Galway. We are looking for someone who is confident working directly with people and particularly strong at organising, motivating and developing volunteers. They should be able to coordinate a large and varied volunteer team, give people clear direction, match people to meaningful roles and help create a positive team environment. The role also needs someone with a strong retail and merchandising eye, someone who understands product presentation, windows, displays, stock rotation and what is likely to sell. They should be comfortable using social media, online selling and digital content as part of a modern charity retail operation and interested in finding practical ways to improve sales, promote the shop and make the best possible use of donated stock. The Newtownsmith Team Lead will take ownership of routine shop floor issues and agreed areas of work, while knowing when something needs to be referred to the Retail Manager. They will be organised, practical and able to manage multiple priorities in a busy and changing environment. Newtownsmith is also a community facing space and regularly welcomes people who use COPE Galway services and others who may be experiencing trauma or disadvantage. The postholder must therefore bring a person-centred, strengths-based and trauma-informed approach to their work, combining warmth and respect with clear expectations, professional boundaries and consistent shop standards.

Main Responsibilities

Day-to-Day Shop Leadership

Support the effective day-to-day running of the Newtownsmith shop and act as a visible, practical lead on the shop floor. Coordinate daily priorities across the shop floor and make routine operational decisions within agreed procedures. Help maintain a welcoming, organised and professional environment for customers, donors, volunteers, clients and visitors. Implement retail policies, procedures and SOPs in the shop and raise gaps, recurring problems or improvement ideas with the Retail Manager. Complete routine safety and operational checks and report incidents, hazards, safeguarding concerns or significant customer/staff issues promptly.

Volunteer Leadership and Team Experience

Take a lead role in the day-to-day coordination, support and supervision of the Newtownsmith volunteer team. Coordinate volunteer rotas and daily allocation of volunteers across shop-floor sales, customer service, stock, merchandising and marketing/content activity according to skills and shop priorities. Support volunteer recruitment, induction, training and ongoing communication in coordination with the Retail Manager and Volunteer team. Create a positive and inclusive volunteer experience where people feel welcomed, valued, useful and part of COPE Galway. Build volunteer confidence and capability by giving clear direction, feedback and support and by matching people to appropriate tasks. Address routine volunteer issues constructively and upscale conduct, safeguarding, persistent attendance or other significant concerns to the Retail Manager. Support staff on the shop floor and contribute to a healthy team culture; formal staff performance or disciplinary matters remain with the Retail Manager.

Sales, Merchandising and Stock

Drive strong shop-floor standards and customer service with a clear focus on achieving sales targets and making the best use of donated stock. Lead visual merchandising, window displays and feature areas, ensuring the shop feels fresh, well presented and commercially appealing. Coordinate regular stock rotation across clothing, homewares, furniture and other shop-floor categories so space is used effectively and slow-moving stock is identified quickly. Work with stockroom and logistics colleagues to ensure suitable stock reaches the floor promptly and that furniture and larger items are presented, priced and moved efficiently. Support consistent pricing and identify high-value, vintage, specialist or unusual items that may require research, premium display or online selling. Monitor shop-floor stock needs and communicate gaps, excess stock and category opportunities to the Retail Manager.

Online Selling, Marketing and Campaigns

Manage agreed day-to-day online selling activity, including identifying suitable items, photography, preparing listings, responding to routine enquiries and coordinating fulfilment. Coordinate retail social media and content activity for Newtownsmith within COPE Galway brand and communications guidelines, using content to promote stock, campaigns, donations and shop activity. Recruit, organise and support volunteers involved in photography, content, online listings and other marketing activity. Plan and deliver agreed seasonal campaigns, displays and promotional activity, including the Wedding Room, university/pop-up activity and other retail initiatives as assigned. Use Customer feedback, sales patterns and shop-floor experience to suggest practical marketing, merchandising and income opportunities to the Retail Manager.

Reporting and Working with the Retail Manager

Provide the Retail Manager with accurate and timely information on volunteer capacity, shop-floor performance, stock issues, customer feedback, online activity and operational concerns. Maintain the records and information needed to support weekly and monthly retail reporting. Work within agreed budgets, ordering arrangements and approval limits, referring purchasing or expenditure decisions to the Retail Manager where required. Take ownership of agreed actions and projects and keep the Retail Manager informed of progress, barriers and support needed. Work collaboratively with colleagues in St Augustine Street, Stockroom/Logistics, Communications, Fundraising, Volunteer Services and other COPE Galway teams as required.

Approach to People and COPE Galway Services

Use a person-centred, strengths-based and trauma-informed approach in interactions with customers, donors, volunteers, clients and visitors. Treat people with dignity and respect while maintaining clear operational boundaries and responding appropriately to difficult, challenging or unsafe situations. Support the shop to remain an inclusive community facing space while protecting the safety, wellbeing and effective operation of the retail team.

Skills and Experience

Essential

Essential Retail, charity retail, hospitality or other relevant customer-facing experience, with experience taking responsibility for day-to-day operations or team coordination. Experience supervising, coordinating or leading volunteers, staff or community groups. Strong customer service and interpersonal skills with the ability to give clear direction and handle routine difficult situations. Strong visual merchandising and shop-floor presentation skills. Practical experience of social media content, digital promotion and/or online selling. Good organisation, rota coordination and record-keeping skills. Commercial awareness and an ability to recognise saleable, high-value or unusual stock. Ability to implement procedures consistently and work safely within agreed systems. A person-centred, strengths-based and trauma-informed approach to working with people. Comfortable using email, spreadsheets, point-of-sale systems and online platforms.

Desirable

Desirable Full, clean driving licence. Charity retail, nonprofit or social enterprise experience. Experience working with a large or diverse volunteer team. Experience with product photography, online marketplaces or e-commerce listings. Experience planning seasonal campaigns, events, pop-ups or visual displays. Experience with furniture, high-value, vintage or specialist donated stock.

Key Terms and Conditions of Employment

24 days annual leave (not including bank holidays). Employee Assistance Programme and up to €240 for paid private counselling. Trauma Informed Practice training. Learning and development opportunities. Pension scheme. Bike to Work Scheme. Christmas Savings Scheme. Subsidised study assistance. Access to Hospital Saturday Fund. Staff discounts with selected local businesses.

Key Terms

Contract- Fixed Term Contract -2 Years Scale- Cope Galway Point 2- Clerical IV Grade Salary- €37,022.43 Hours- 37 hours per week Location- COPE Galway Charity Shop, Newtownsmith, Galway City Method of pay: Monthly via bank transfer