Retail Supervisor

Job Title: Retail Supervisor

Location: Based at Alresford but requiring travel to Ropley and Alton - on site working required.

Salary: £27,500 (pro-rata) per year

Job Type: Part-time flexible hours equating to 22.5 hours a week. There will be an expectation of onsite working during key events including Bank Holidays and evenings.

The Watercress Line is Hampshire’s heritage railway that preserves the experience and skills of railway engineering and operations and explains how railways changed society through the story of our Line. It operates between Alton and Alresford in Hampshire and was opened as a heritage line in 1977.

We are now looking to recruit a Retail Supervisor. In this role, you will coordinate the retail function at the Watercress Line and maximise revenue while delivering a relevant and attractive range of products appropriate to seasonality and audience.

As our Retail Supervisor, your role and responsibilities will be:

Volunteer coordination:

§ Recruit, train and coordinate volunteer teams delivering regular retail support.

Front of House:

• Ensure the highest levels of presentation across the retail outlets with all products correctly priced and placed.

Product development:

• Develop and deliver a range of merchandise appropriate to the Watercress Line audiences and respond to changes in the Locomotive fleet with up-to-date products.

Product pricing and visual merchandising:

• To agree margin levels and pricing strategies with the Commercial Manager and merchandising and creating displays for the product ranges.

Stock management:

• Order and receive goods into the shop and organising the distribution of stock across the railway outlets.
• Regularly review stock levels and product movement for maximum revenue.

Skills and Experience Requirements:

• Experienced in a supervisory position within the independent sector
• Computer literate with knowledge of EPOS and MS Office
• Strong numerical and organisational skills
• You will need to be independent and collaborative, working as part of a small paid team and a large, dedicated volunteer base.
• You will have an eye for detail and a flair for training.
• You will be willing to get ‘stuck in’ with the teams, supporting them at peak times throughout the year.
• A background in hobby, leisure or heritage retail would be an advantage.

About Us:

We are a heritage steam railway operated by award-winning volunteers and supported by paid staff, bringing smiles to faces through the beautiful Hampshire countryside for 50 years.

We are traditional but innovative; respectful but challenging; slow-moving but fast-paced; friendly, intergenerational, real world and hands-on. We deliver social value to our volunteers and visitors; economic value to our region; and cultural value to the nation in the preservation of memories and skills of the last generation of steam.

Managed by Mid-Hants Railway Ltd, a company that holds the authority to operate the line and owns the land. It is supported by the Watercress Line Heritage Railway Trust, a charity. Both the company and the charity own assets that work on the railway, along with a wide range of partners. There is a membership of 3500 Watercress Line members who participate in the governance of the charity; and 3500 shareholders of MHR Ltd. The Trust Board appoints the Directors of MHR Ltd.

The Watercress Line is a not-for-profit organisation funded predominantly from its train operating revenues, with funds raised from individuals, legacies, and grants.

Benefits:

• Network Rail Staff Leisure Travel discount card after 1 years’ service.
• Discounts for railway events, catering and retail
• Employee Assistance Programme for free personal, legal, emotional and financial advice and support.

Holidays:

• 28 days including bank holiday allowance (or pro rata)

Candidates with experience of: Retail Manager, Assistant Retail Manager, Shop Manager, Store Supervisor, Store Manager, Retail Operations Supervisor, Retail Team Leader, Retail Coordinator, Merchandise Manager, Merchandising Supervisor, Stock Control Supervisor, Stock Manager, Retail Sales Supervisor, may also be considered for this role.