Seasonal Weekend Retail Assistant

Job Title: Weekend Retail Assistant

Responsible to: Retail Sales Manager

Works closely with: Stockroom Team

Visual Merchandisers

Buying Team

About Snape Maltings and Britten Pears Arts

Overlooking the Alde estuary, Snape Maltings is home to our world-famous concert hall and music facilities; it is also a popular visitor destination with independent shops, cafes, a restaurant, event venues and art galleries. The site is now largely owned by Britten Pears Arts, a Music & Arts based charity.

Snape Maltings Trading Limited (SMTL) is the commercial arm to Britten Pears Arts. All of the profits that we make through sales at Snape Maltings contribute towards supporting our charitable work in Artist Development, our year-round Performance Programme, Music in the Community and Creative Health and our Living Heritage Museum and Archive at The Red House. Aswell as the support received from SMTL, Britten Pears Arts is also supported though fundraising, public funding, ticket sales and royalties from works by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears.

Our mission at Britten Pears Arts is to use Music, Arts & Heritage to transform people’s lives for the better, to bring communities together and effect positive social change. We continue to follow in the footsteps of our founders Britten and Pears, inspired by their goal to make the arts useful and available to all. At our two internationally recognised cultural destinations, Snape Maltings and The Red House, we create vibrant, uplifting and life-enhancing experiences for visitors, customers and audiences alike. We deliver this vision through our remarkable people and brilliant inclusive teams, working together with a sense of purpose.

Our retail Brand Values guide everything that we do: Quality – we provide high quality products across a range different price points; we are Customer Lead – we take time to understand our customers and to build loyalty; we are Authentic to our unique Suffolk location, natural environment and history; we are Enterprising and Open – always looking for ways to improve, adapt and embrace new and different opportunities

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The Role

Based at Snape Maltings, this role is part of the overall retail team, working with all colleagues to ensure that customers have a positive experience when they visit Snape Maltings.

A Retail Assistant at Snape is expected to have a good awareness of the main activities on site and to act as an ambassador for the brand. The role is not limited to working in a particular area of the salesfloor and may also involve helping with deliveries and working with visual merchandising as required.

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Specific Responsibilities:

Customer service:

• Understand all customer-related policies and procedures, be able to explain them clearly to customers and staff.
• Prioritise customer service at all times, be aware of customers seeking advice and be proactive in offering them assistance.
• When the shop is quiet, circulate and engage with customers.
• Respond positively to queries and complaints at all times, if necessary, refer them to an Assistant Retail Sales Manager or the Retail Sales Manager.
• Respond quickly and accurately to customer requests.
• Be aware of other activities on site to be able to respond to visitors’ enquiries.

Till Procedures:

• Complete daily count of till float.
• Complete cashing up and ensure correct till transactions/procedures are followed.
• Report any discrepancies immediately to the immediate manager.

Product Knowledge:

• Have good awareness of the store layout including the location of merchandise, promotional areas and new lines.
• Be able to guide customers to any area of the store.
• Be able to give customers accurate information about products, or be able to find out information quickly, including information about other businesses on site not least SMTL’s own businesses (catering, holidays).
• Take personal responsibility for keeping up to date with new lines, seasonal stock and promotions.
• Be able to make appropriate recommendations and product options to customers.

Merchandising:

• Complete daily stock checks and replenish stock levels as necessary.
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• Keep the salesfloor and till areas clean, safe and rubbish-free at all times.
• Recycle and dispose of packaging.
• Complete end of day “recovery” ready for the following day’s trading.

Stock Control and Accuracy:

• Record all damaged/broken stock accurately.
• Miscellaneous sales – ensure that data is corrected.
• Assist with regular and ad-hoc stock takes and counting.
• Work with stockroom during quieter periods of trading, helping to price up / label stock at till points ready for them to merchandised onto the shop floor.

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Health & Safety:

• Know and understand all of the company’s Health & Safety procedures and policies, adhere to them at all times.
• Co-operate with the management team to ensure that all areas are safe places to occupy – report any hazards, incidents, accidents or near-misses as soon as they are known.

Security:

• Be vigilant at all times e.g.: for potential theft, breaches of security.
• Report any suspicious behavio<ins cite="mailto:Rebecca%20Geoghegan" datetime="2025-08-15T09:21">u</ins>r to an Assistant Retail Sales Manager or Retail Sales Manager.
• Follow the company’s security procedures at all times.

Teamwork:

• Be flexible – willing and able to work in area of the store including the stockroom.
• Support and collaborate with colleagues where they need assistance.
• Represent the brand positively and professionally at all times.
• Be aware of what else is happening on site to be able to inform and guide visitors.
• Help to train and guide new and less experienced colleagues - set an example to others. Make a positive contribution to the success of the team.
• Attend meetings and training sessions as required.
• Follow the dress code and maintain a smart appearance.

Key Performance Measures:

• Customer comments/feedback.
• Accuracy on tills.
• Efficiency of service.
• Completion of tasks allocated.
• Attendance & timekeeping

Undertake other tasks which are commensurate with and in the spirit of this job description.