Voluntary Shop Supervisor

Thursday 17 April 2025 10:30 am 10:30
Saturday 17 May 2025 11:30 am 11:30

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Location: Portsmouth Cathedral, Old Portsmouth, UK

Reports to: Visitor Experience Manager

Direct Reports: Shop Volunteers

Hours: Approximately 22 hours a week worked flexibly over shop opening times (currently Tuesday-Saturday 10am – 4pm and Sundays midday-4pm). Weekend hours will be required and some evening working is likely

Training: Safeguarding, UK GDPR, First Aid, Food Handling, Challenge 25, manual handling.

About Portsmouth Cathedral

Portsmouth Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Portsmouth, which covers south-east Hampshire, Portsea Island and the Isle of Wight. The focal point for many diocese-wide services and events, we host many diocesan events from confirmation services to the ordinations of new ministers. Worship in a variety of different styles is available throughout the year, from daily Holy Communion, to our informal family service #PompeySundays. We warmly welcome all through our doors, as a beacon and safe haven anchored in Jesus Christ. We are also the Parish Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, serving all who live in our geographical parish rather like any other smaller parish church.

Since humble beginnings in 1180, we have for centuries the Cathedral watched, listened and helped the people of Portsmouth navigate the passage of time. We have witnessed wars and peace, famous marriages, been bombed and rebuilt. The Cathedral reflects the constantly changing, growing and unfolding of the Christian faith, displaying a harmony of three distinct architectural styles which provide a source of light, warmth and space.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the team as we develop our events offer alongside our core mission and head to our Centenary in 2027

Role Overview:

We are looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic Voluntary Shop Supervisor to oversee the daily operations at Portsmouth Cathedral’s shop. This role is vital in ensuring the smooth running of the shop, managing volunteers, and providing excellent customer service. The ideal candidate will have retail experience, strong organizational skills, a keen eye for detail, and the ability to work collaboratively with various team members. The Supervisor will form a key part of the team as we combine our shop and welcome area with a new heritage exhibition space, after receiving National Lottery Heritage Funding in 2024.

Key Responsibilities

· Receive and Check Deliveries: Ensure all deliveries are received accurately and checked for quality and quantity.

· Prepare products for sale: Printing and applying price labels.

· Set Up Displays: Create attractive and effective displays according to seasonal and promotional requirements.

· Provide Customer Service: Greeting customers and operate till as required.

· Liaise with the Visitor Experience Manager: Regularly discuss seasonal product lines, new product lines, and daily operational tasks.

· Day-to-day EPOS oversight: Ensure that the EPOS system (Square) is operational for day-to-day tasks.

· Oversee Online Orders: Handle online orders, ensuring timely, accurate processing and posting.

· Assist in Annual Stock Take: Participate in the annual stock take to ensure accurate inventory records.

· Manage Volunteers: Assist and ensure the opening and closing of the store. Manage the shop rota via the Cathedral’s CRM, ChurchSuite. Ensure the shop is clean and tidy, liaising with the vergers/cleaners as required. Assist in retail related training and refresher training.

· Liaise with Volunteer Coordinator: Communicate requirements for new volunteers and provide updates on current volunteers.

· Liaise with Vergers: Coordinate with Vergers regarding events or volunteer sickness/unavailability that may affect the shop’s opening and closing hours.

Stock and Equipment Management

• Manage event-related stock, including bar supplies, hospitality items, and other consumables.

• Maintain an inventory of equipment, ensuring all items are in good working order and ready for use.

• Assist in the general upkeep of event spaces, ensuring they are presentable and fit for purpose at all times.

Continuous Improvement

• Gather feedback from clients, attendees, and team members to inform improvements to event production processes.

• Contribute to post-event debriefs and evaluations.

Key-Relationships

The role will require relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, including but not limited to…

· Senior Management Team

· Line manager – Head of Marketing and Events

· Verger team

· Events Administration Assistant

· Administration Team

· Finance Team

· Volunteers

· External clients and partners

Person Specification

Essential Skills and Experience

· Strong organizational and multitasking skills.

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

· Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

· Experience in retail or a similar environment.

· Proficiency in using IT and EPOS systems and managing online orders.

· Flexibility to occasionally volunteer on weekends.

· Physical ability to move stock, including heavy boxes.

· Empathy with the beliefs and values of the Christian Faith and objectives of the Church of England

· Ability to act with tact and diplomacy working with and serving a diverse range of people

· Commitment to the highest standards of safeguarding, equal opportunities, and inclusivity.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Knowledge of licensing laws

• Familiarity with heritage or multi-use venues.

• Interest in working in a faith-based or cultural environment.

Safeguarding - The Cathedral takes the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults very seriously and practices Safer Recruitment for all roles (both paid and voluntary), enhanced DBS for specific roles and face-to-face or online training as required.   The Cathedral records and manages the checks and courses taken by staff and volunteers to ensure that DBS renewals take place and training is refreshed as required by each role. For this role safeguarding training will be required. This may change as government requirements change. This training will be arranged and paid for by the Cathedral for the successful candidates.

Data Protection - Ensuring that the Cathedral collects, stores, and deletes information in compliance with current data protection legislation and retention guidance is important to us and the sign of a healthy organisation. Staff and volunteers in certain roles will be required to complete GDPR on-line training to help ensure the Cathedral handles all personal and contractual data entrusted to it in a proper and legal manner. For this role GDPR training to an appropriate level will be required. This training will be arranged and paid for by the Cathedral for the successful candidate.