Job Description

Borders Pet Rescue is a long-established local animal welfare charity based in the Scottish Borders. We care for animals in need and find them suitable loving new homes.

Our two charity shops, in Galashiels and Kelso play a key part in helping to fund the day-to-day operating costs of the Rescue Centre at Earlston. They provide a focal point for the communities they serve, helping to promote the charity and our vital work. The ambition is for our shops to generate significantly more commercial income to support future plans for our Rescue Centre.

Our Charity Sales Assistants are at the heart of ensuring BPR shops are successful and contribute as much as they can to improve the lives of animals in need. Sales Assistants provide customers with a positive experience, keep stock levels replenished throughout the day, and generate sales.

Our shops are an important part of the local community selling clothes, CD's, DVD's, furniture, books, pictures, electrical goods, and many other items to support its business. Working alongside the Manager and volunteers, the Sales Assistant is vital to ensuring the success of the shop by providing customers with a positive experience, keeping stock levels replenished throughout the day to support the continual generation of sales. With a focus on delivering an excellent customer service and maximising sales and revenues you will have good numeracy, verbal, and written communication skills. A physically demanding role, but in return it is a satisfying and rewarding opportunity to improve the lives of animals in need.

Key Responsibilities

Providing customers with a positive experience: greeting customers, assisting with queries, sharing the story and promoting the work of Borders Pet Rescue. Sorting and managing donations and using stock knowledge to assist customers. Keeping stock levels replenished throughout the day. Supporting the generation of sales, which may include contributing to online sales developments. Maximising sales and revenues as guided by the Manager and Assistant Manager. Ensuring a clean, safe and welcoming shop environment, including measures for the health and safety of our customers and team members, including Covid compliance. Making sales transactions for cash and card payments, in accordance with procedures. Occasional shop and store opening and closing. Being aware of, and complying with, all BPR policies including relevant health & safety requirements.

The Person

You will enjoy working with people and be?comfortable in using your initiative while knowing when to seek the guidance of others. Honest, reliable, adaptable with a positive attitude. You may have an interest in gaining retail experience and /or working with volunteers. And of course, you will have a genuine concern for animal welfare?and enthusiasm for the work of the charity. The role can be physically demanding, but in return it is a satisfying and rewarding opportunity

Essential Experience and Skills

Experience of working with other people to achieve a shared goal. Honesty and Integrity in all aspects of the role including handling cash and valuable donations of stock. An interest in presenting goods attractively with attention to detail regarding visibility, categories and pricing. An organised approach which can be used to categorise donations. A passion for giving pre-loved items a new use, and able to ensure that items are of a good quality for sale. Washing and cleaning as appropriate. Clear communication skills and confidence to welcome and advise customers, and to recognise when to give a customer the space to browse. Written and numerical skills to maintain records e.g. stock records, process cash payments. IT skills including use of internet for online sales and experience of using Microsoft Word and Excel. Able to lift and carry boxes/bags of donations safely and to stand/bend/stretch in order to prepare and display donations.

Desirable Skills

Experience in charity/retail activities and achieving sales Experience of window dressing and/or product displays Experience of working with volunteers and/or vulnerable people Experience of successfully achieving sales in a retail environment.
Job Types: Part-time, Temporary
Contract length: 12 weeks

Pay: 12.22 per hour

Expected hours: 12 per week

Work Location: In person