Assistant Shop Manager (Gosforth)

Endless pre-loved items. A talented team. One clear purpose.  

Retail Assistant Manager

£13.25 - £15.46 plus benefits

Reports to: Shop manager

Department: Trading

Contract: Permanent

Working hours: Part time 22.5 hours per week

Location: Gosforth Shop

Closing date: 12th April 2026 23:55 This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications are received or once a suitable candidate is found

Interview date: w/c 13/4/2026 (this may change)

• The internal title for this role is Assistant Shop Manager.
  
  
  

Please note: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That’s why we’re looking for someone talented, someone who shares our vision, someone like you.

We’re looking for a motivated assistant shop manager to join Cancer Research UK’s trading team. You’ll be acting as an ambassador for Cancer Research UK, supporting the shop manager and your team to maximise income through people, resources and stock.

You’ll also be surrounded by people who are as dedicated to beating cancer as you are.  

What will I be doing?

• Supporting the shop manager to guide, inspire and engage a diverse team of paid staff and volunteers.
• Support the commercial running of the store including display and merchandising, stock management, maintaining shop standards, store layout, sales and income. 
• Leading by example and providing excellent customer and supporter service.  
• Work alongside the shop manager to achieve targets for donated stock, cash, gift aid, average selling price, sell through and stock processing.

Creating relationships with your local community and Cancer Research UK colleagues.  

Supporting the shop manager in the organisation and delivery of creative fundraising events for your store to achieve fundraising targets.  

Maintaining compliance with health and safety, safeguarding, security, administration and HR policies.

Deputising for the shop manager in their absence.

There will be a varied amount of manual handling and physical activity required within the day-to-day duties of the role.

What are you looking for?

• A working knowledge of what makes great customer service.
• Experience of working in a lively and vibrant environment.
• Adaptability in changing situations, including being able to work effectively independently.    
• Commercial awareness.
• The ability to create relationships and communicate well.
• Flexibility, our retail teams cover the needs of their stores by working on a rota basis. Whilst a level of flexibility is needed to meet the needs of the business, we don’t forget that you have a life outside of work too.      
  
  
  

[Download the full role profile]

What will I gain?

We make sure you are supported by a generous salary and benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools, policies and processes to enable you to do your job well.

Our benefits package includes a substantial retirement plan, a generous and flexible leave allowance, discounts on anything from travel to technology, gym membership, and much more.

Our retail teams also have access to confidential wellbeing support from the Retail Trust.

For the full job description and more information about working with us please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk

How do I apply?

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won’t be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly and objectively.

Owing to the nature of this position, any offer of employment for this role will be subject to a satisfactory basic DBS check.

For more information on this career opportunity please visit our website or contact us at recruitment@cancer.org.uk.  

For more updates on our work and careers, follow us on: Linked In, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.

We want to see every candidate performing at their best throughout the job application process, interview process and whilst at work. We therefore ask you to inform us of any concerns you have or any adjustments you might need to enable this to happen. Please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk or 0

20 3469 8400 as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.