Senior Retail Manager - Flagship Site

Hours:    Up to 37.5 hours per week including regular Saturday working, scheduled Sundays and bank holiday cover  

Reports to: Commercial Retail Manager 

Salary:     c£32,000 dependent on experience 

Closing Date: 23rd July 2026 - We will be accepting applications and interviewing on a rolling basis and the vacancy may be withdrawn before the closing date if a suitable candidate is found.

We are looking for a commercial and creative Senior Retail Manager to take full management of our Aylesford flagship shop in Hall Road, our largest shop and a much-loved local destination for pre-loved fashion, furniture, homeware, books, electricals and those one-off treasures customers love to discover. 

This is a brilliant opportunity for someone who enjoys the pace and variety of large format retail, loves bringing people together and wants their commercial skills to make a real difference to local hospice care.  

About the Role 

To lead and deliver the overall performance of a flagship Heart of Kent Hospice retail site; a large format store that is materially bigger and more complex than a standard hospice shop and which represents a meaningful share of total retail income. 

The Senior Retail Manager is accountable for the sales, profitability, people, stock, premises and day-to-day operation of the site. The postholder leads a multi-layered team of paid colleagues and a large volunteer workforce and is personally accountable for delivering demanding income targets while maintaining excellent customer service, compliance and presentation standards. 

Reporting to the Commercial Retail Manager the postholder plays an important role in promoting the Heart of Kent Hospice brand within the local community and in delivering the hospice's retail strategy on the ground at site level. 

About You 

Essential Skills and Experience: 

• Significant retail management experience, with responsibility for delivering demanding sales and income targets at site level 

• Direct experience of running a large format, multi department or otherwise complex retail site or a demonstrable equivalent 

• Proven track record in visual merchandising and store presentation, able to demonstrate, with examples, how strong merchandising has driven sales, footfall and customer experience in previous roles 

• Creativity, able to design and run pop-up events, themed promotions and seasonal displays that drive footfall, basket size and one-off uplift in takings 

• Demonstrable customer service excellence, able to set, role model and uphold a high standard across a large team and to handle complaints, difficult interactions and escalations personally 

• An eye for quality and value; able to recognise high-value, branded, designer, vintage or specialist items from incoming donations and make sound judgements about where each item should sell 

• Experience leading a team that includes both paid colleagues and volunteers, including direct line management of paid staff, not only volunteers 

• Strong performance management capability, including managing under-performance, conduct and capability issues with the support of People Services 

• Strong commercial awareness and ability to make sound, evidence-based business decisions within delegated authority 

• Experience of analysing sales and performance data using EPOS, footfall and dashboard reporting and acting on what they show 

• Experience of managing budgets, cash handling and financial controls 

• Good understanding of Health and Safety responsibilities within a busy retail site 

• Excellent communication, organisational and leadership skills, including the ability to brief, train and motivate a large team 

Desirable: 

• Charity retail experience and working knowledge of Gift Aid.  

• Experience of furniture, homeware or large-format retail, including PAT testing, delivery arrangements and safety compliance.  

• Experience identifying items for e-commerce channels (eBay, Vinted, Depop or similar) and working in partnership with an e-commerce function.  

• Experience of recruiting and managing large volunteer teams.  

• Knowledge of the local community served by the site, and of the charity sector 

We are looking for someone who is: 

• Aligned with the hospice's mission, values and culture and motivated by the contribution retail makes to outstanding end-of-life care 

• Authentically lives the four hospice values: I own, I care, I learn, I improve and expects the same of the team 

• Leads by example and is visible on the shop floor 

• Creative and energetic; enjoys designing displays, events and customer experiences, with an eye for the unusual 

• Commercially focused while remaining customer and volunteer centred 

• Organised, resilient and adaptable in a busy, varied environment 

• Community-connected, willing to be the local face of Heart of Kent Hospice retail 

• Collaborative; works in genuine partnership with the line manager, commercial colleagues, the e-commerce function and Shop Manager peers across the estate 

All interested applicants must complete our online application form in full. For the full job description or to discuss the role before applying, please contact us at recruitment@hokh.co.uk or phone 01622 792200 ext 254.  

Interested in Joining Our Retail Team? 

As Heart of Kent Hospice continues to grow and develop its retail operation, we are always keen to hear from passionate and community minded people who would like to support our work. 

Whether you are an experienced Shop Manager, Assistant Shop Manager, or someone interested in volunteering within one of our shops, we would love to hear from you. 

If you would like an informal and confidential conversation about current or future opportunities, please contact recruitment@hokh.co.uk who will be happy to arrange a discussion. 

By joining our retail team, you'll play a vital role in raising the funds that help Heart of Kent Hospice provide outstanding care and support to patients and their families.