Head of Retail

Job Title: Head of Retail
Salary band range: 35, 37,39
Hours: 37.5 hrs
Department: Income Generation, Marketing and Communications
Location: St Michaels Hospice, Bartestree, Hereford
Reports to: Income Generation, Marketing and Communications Director
Responsible for: 4 Senior Retail Managers, 50 plus salaried staff and in excess of 400 volunteers, subject to change as retail portfolio grows.
Financial Responsibilities: Income target more than £6m with Expenditure more than £3m, which will grow as new stores are added to the portfolio.

Job Purpose

To develop and deliver the organisation’s Retail Strategy, focusing on maximising net contribution through empowering staff and volunteers, delivering excellence in customer service, and improving sales and minimising costs.

Responsibility Areas

• With support from the Income Generation, Marketing and Communications Director develop the Hospice’s Retail Strategy to promote growth in Retail trading. Identify and lead the delivery of new concepts, shops, platforms and other areas of opportunity, including identifying new sites and preparing appropriate business plans.
• Produce robust income and expenditure forecasts to meet or exceed net income targets and profit margins.
• Develop and deliver innovative, achievable and effective annual operational plans that meet Hospice strategic objectives.
• Set key metrics and KPIs and produce regular management reports to measure performance against plan and budget.
• To be responsible for the security of hospice assets across the retail portfolio eg computer equipment and mobile phones.
• To put practices and procedures in place for the prevention of theft and fraud.
• Working with the Marketing and Communications team, design and implement an effective Retail marketing strategy.

Leadership and Management

• Lead and direct a team of retail specialists to implement operational plans to ensure agreed objectives and financial targets are met and highest standards of the Hospice brand.
• Contribute to and share experience with the Hospice leadership team using expertise to improve the operational management of the Hospice.
• Maintain familiarity and understanding of the latest developments and trends in charity retail.
• Work with the Fundraising team to implement any new initiatives or campaigns in shops, such as single lottery tickets.
• Manage paid staff- setting and reviewing objectives, appraising, and considering professional development.
• Develop an annual training plan to be delivered across retail staff and volunteers, including ensuring all mandatory training is completed across the team.
• Responsible for the recruitment of paid staff and volunteers, including all associated processes including interviews and inductions with support from the People team.
• Responsible for managing annual leave and absence through the relevant HRIS software.
• Conduct disciplinary procedures as required.
• Responsible for ensuring retail staff and volunteers adhere to hospice policies and procedures.
• Initiate regular Manager meetings alongside Area Managers and Senior Retail Team.
• Contribute to organisational effectiveness through positive team-working, adhering to and modelling the St Michael’s Hospice values within the team and externally to supporters / customers.

Financial & Risk Management
Health & Safety:

• Oversee and monitor all risk assessments including Fire, Health and Safety and manual handling, seeking advice and support from the Head of Facilities.
• Responsible for representing the department at Hospice Health and Safety meetings.
• Ensure the Head of Facilities is supported in managing fire and security contracts with approved companies.
• Responsible for investigating all retail accident/incident forms (through Vantage system) and subsequent RIDDOR reporting
• Work with the Head of Facilities to ensure procedures are in place so that all retail properties are in a good state of repair and adhere to the conditions of a property’s lease for decoration and repairs. Thus, reducing the risk of dilapidation claims for the Hospice and ensuring safe working conditions.
• Implement the risk management policy and procedure to deal with any potential issues.
• Develop, implement and manage the necessary practices, systems and controls to ensure the operational and financial compliance necessary to deliver the expected retail income and expenditure budgets against agreed targets.
• Accountable for control of the retail salary budget, including bank staff.
• Accountable for the Gift Aid process and subsequent HMRC claim.
• Work closely with the Finance Directorate to ensure accuracy of all records
• To undertake research and analyse retail data to identify potential improvements, including customer service and alterations for space management.
• Manage retail complaints or concerns, implementing appropriate learning.
• Investigate any reported hospice safeguarding issues within the retail department and escalate correct procedure.

Retail and Trading

• EPOS- Manage and oversee the EPOS back-office system ensuring that the data is optimised for excellence in shop performance. Empowering managers to analyse data for improvements in their shops.
• Identify and optimise promotional and visual merchandising opportunities, ensuring these are co -ordinated with wider hospice promotions and campaigns.
• Conduct market research and analysis to contribute to business plans on commercial opportunities (expansion, business development etc.)
• Manage supplier relationships to ensure high service levels and optimum terms and conditions.
• Ensure that key performance indicators are identified and disseminated to managers. These can include customer service, sales per visitor, margins, stock control, and shrinkage are met and that appropriate resources, systems, policies and processes are in place whilst ensuring compliance with regulation and best practice.
• Develop and grow online trading operations to maximise activity on various selling platforms optimising this growing income stream.
• Develop and maintain all retail trading policies and procedures.
• Research and market new goods, including Christmas cards to ensure a positive income stream.
• Work with managers to incorporate initiatives to ensure quality stock, including Donate Don’t Dump days with companies and collection days in the community.
• Work with the Whitestone General Manager to ensure a centralised distribution system and programme of Upcycling is in place.
• Develop an annual plan of activity for selling goods in the community eg through festivals and high footfall events.
• Develop an in store/online sales and promotional programme that maximises sales opportunities through seasonality.

Catering

• Oversee all catering objectives within coffee shop and activities including EHO regulations at relevant retail sites.
• Monitor the budgetary control of catering products and stock, to ensure that profit margins are kept viable.

Property Portfolio

• To identify and view potential new sites with the IGMC Director
• For any recommendations, prepare business plans for the Board showing income and expenditure considering shop fittings, recruitment and opening plans
• Ensure project plans are in place and executed for any new or expanding sites
• Support planning applications as required
• Lead on the opening of new stores or expansions within the retail portfolio
• Manage a database of existing leases, including taking responsibility for lease breaks. Negotiate renewal and new leases and ensure surveys and schedules of conditions are completed.
• For new leases or purchases the Income Generation, Marketing and Communications Director will support and allocate tasks accordingly.
• Responsible for ensuring the overall maintenance budget of retail sites, including working with the Head of Facilities and/or obtaining quotes from suppliers to minimise.
• Maximise use of corporate volunteers for appropriate projects.
• Manage and monitor the implementation of refurbishment programmes throughout retail sites and commission works as required.
• Liaise with Hospice Maintenance team or contractors, negotiate and manage ongoing maintenance programme.
• Responsible for investigating all property related insurance incidents and documenting claims.

Legislative Compliance

• Responsible for compliance with current Health and Safety legislation throughout all retail sites.
• Responsible for compliance with Trading Standards across retail sites.
• Ensure all activities comply with the Fundraising Regulator Code of Practice and GDPR.
• Responsible for the management of Retail Gift Aid procedures adhering to HMRC regulations.
• Responsible for compliance with Environmental Health requirements at retail catering outlets.
• Responsible for all shops adhering to current COSHH regulations.
• Responsible for producing and keeping an up-to-date Retail Operations Manual
• Ensure that all online trading activity complies with current online legislation. Recycling and Waste
• Ensure that safe waste management procedures are adhered to.
• Manage waste contracts and council tip permits and meet with third parties to develop relationships.
• Manage all aspects of recycling including textile contracts, book recycling and mobile phone and stamp recycling.
• Proactively look to develop new initiatives to reduce waste going to landfill.

Fleet & Logistics

• To be a primary point of contact with Logistics partner, Boxmove, ensuring that collections and deliveries are carried out in a timely manner.
• Analyse ‘back office’ function of Boxmove technology to maximise profitability and determine return on investment of furniture collections.
• Work with Boxmove to look for efficiencies in the service and ways to improve customer service.

1) Person Specification
Specialist knowledge and/or experience

Essential- substantial experience of:

• Successfully developing and implementing a multi-million pound Retail strategic and operational plan that delivers a profitable, diverse and dynamic retail portfolio.
• Budget setting and management; reporting on income and expenditure at Senior/Board level.
• Opening new stores and/or delivery of expansions/refits.
• Experience of managing a sizeable portfolio of diverse and large (10,000 sq ft plus) retail sites
• Introducing initiatives to increase footfall and drive conversion to sales
• Managing and leading large teams in line with organisational culture and values across multiple sites
• Working at a senior management level
• Microsoft Office package and CRM databases
• EPOS systems.

Desirable- experience in:

• Degree or relevant management/leadership qualification
• Online trading
• Logistics and distribution
• Securing new sites and reviewing leases.
• Working with and inspiring volunteers

2) Skills and behaviours

• Leadership- Motivates and empowers others in order to reach organisational goals.
• Planning and organising- Organises and schedules events, activities and resources. Sets up and monitors timescales and plans.
• Quality orientation- Shows awareness of goals and standards. Follows through to ensure that quality and productivity standards are met.
• Commercial awareness- Understands and applies commercial and financial principles. Views issues in terms of costs, profits, markets and added value.
• Creativity and innovation- Creates new and imaginative approaches to work-related issues. Identifies fresh approaches and shows a willingness to question traditional assumptions.
• Strategic- Demonstrates a broad-based view of issues, events and activities and a perception of their longer-term impact or wider implications.
• Interpersonal sensitivity- Interacts with others in a sensitive and effective way. Respects and works well with others.
• Resilience- Maintains effective work behaviour in the face of set-backs or pressure. Remains calm, stable and in control of themselves.
• Personal motivation- Commits self to work hard towards goals. Shows enthusiasm and career commitment.

3) Special conditions

• Office based conditions with high level of keyboard activity.
• Regular travel across Herefordshire and the borders to all retail sites.
• Occasional travel to other hospices, charities or conferences within the country.
• Occasional weekend or evening work, with the willingness to be on-call.
• Be in possession of a full UK driving licence, be over 21 and have held a full licence for 12 months

Our Values
“What matters to you is what’s important to us”

To ensure we deliver upon this every day, we empower people to work collaboratively to reach the best possible decisions, realise them in the best possible way and at the best possible time.

We value:
Knowledge, judgment, and kindness in reaching the best possible decisions

Courage, integrity, and passion in realising those decisions in the best possible way

Honesty, empathy, and determination in doing so at the best possible time.

Living our values influences the way we behave. The way we behave informs the way we do things. The way we do things is the St Michael’s way.

St Michael’s Hospice A registered charity: number 511179
Registered Office: St Michael’s Hospice, Bartestree, Hereford HR1 4HA

Equal Opportunities Statement
At St Michael’s Hospice we are committed to an equal opportunities approach in everything we do. This means that we seek to ensure anyone connected with St Michael’s, from patients and families through to donors, supporters, volunteers and staff are treated fairly, appropriately and with dignity and respect.

October 2025