Please note this vacancy is only open to current G.U. Heritage Retail Ltd and University of Glasgow employees.

Job Purpose

Inspiring, coaching and supporting colleagues and communities to co-operate for a fairer world.

Proactively growing co-op by developing yourself, each other, store standards and commercial success measures. Cooperate with customers to be clear on service promise delivery and across Co-op to do what matters most in delivering our store purpose. Advocating the Co-op ways of being and Co-op behaviours to build an inclusive culture and bring to life our point of difference in creating a community of co-operators.

Main duties and Responsibilities

Ensure store is safe, legal and operational

Validating all safe and legal checks and rectify if needed

Proactively planning operational/customer and financial measures to align with budget/measures to maximize opportunities

Finding new solutions to commercially grow the store

Empowering Team Leaders to build confidence to be accountable for the store in your absence

Recruit team members and manage Employee Relation processes (absence, disciplinary & grievances etc.)

Speaking up about operational insight and themes to influence future focussed change

Friendly & thoughtful service

Being proud we’re different, advocating the Co-op difference to members, customer and the community

Coaching our service promises, to help colleagues put our customers first

Always being on hand to help - understanding all trading operational requirements of the store and of customer and colleague needs throughout the trading day.

Supporting with unexpected situations e.g. out of hours call outs

Ensuring the store is customer ready at all times during the day.

Empowering your team to use their best judgement with service and respond to queries

Providing our customers a great shopping experience daily by making things easier and saving them time

Ensuring best practice and procedures are adopted by colleagues to protect our customers and our brand reputation

Co-operating for a fairer world

Understanding your stores part in the Co-op strategic community vision and responding to local needs

Championing Co-op by seeking opportunities from colleagues, customers or members to co-operate for a fairer world

Collaborating with your Member Pioneer on the development and where relevant the delivery of our Co-op Community Plan

Forging relationships/networks with your local community

Being a role model, building excitement and purpose in the team to understand how to get involved in their local community

Embrace change

Focusing on personal growth to understand opportunities for self- development

Delivering successful transformation

Enthusiastically leading our change activities

Engaging your teams to seamlessly deliver and embed new ways of working

Speaking up and encouraging the team to provide open and honest feedback on the effectiveness of change activities

Being future focussed in using industry/local market insight to drive continuous improvement

Engaging with everyone to succeed together

Enabling an inclusive culture so everyone can speak up and their views are considered making all colleagues feel respected and valued

Forging strong relationships with colleagues in store and collaborates with surrounding Store Managers and other Co-op businesses and functions

Adapting your communication style to meet the needs of the colleague or situation to reach a desired outcome i.e. coaching, challenging, engaging

Passionately develops your teams capabilities by regular training

Developing your teams through regular and structured performance conversations to stretch their potential which enables a talent plan for the store.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills & Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential:

A1 Knowing your key partnerships with customer and community stakeholders.

A2 Knowledge of legal compliance and store standards i.e. cash management, stock control.

A3 Understand how to inspire, engage and lead others to improved performance.

A4 Understanding and analysing commercial documents.

A5 Knowledge of People management procedures i.e. employee relations, recruitment, training.

Skills

Essential:

C1 Coaching others to enable development and deliver sustainable change.

C2 Inspirational communicator with an ability to use various methods.

C3 Proactively plans and organises for both routine and change activities.

C4 Critical thinking and decision making to be able to problem solve in the moment, and for the future.

C5 Ability to deal with multiple activities at the same time and prioritising where necessary.

C6 Holds the keys for the stores whilst understanding and supporting the needs of colleagues and customers throughout the trading day.

Experience

Essential:

E1 Experience of working in a fast-paced customer service environment.

E2 Experience of interpreting success measures and develops a plan for remedial action.

E3 Experience of leading and developing a team.

E4 Experience of developing new relationships and builds on existing relationship to develop trust and a mutual respect.

Terms & Conditions

Salary will be £34,650 - £42,350.

This post is open ended (permanent) and full time (35 hours p/w). Flexibility will be required as shifts pattern will be varied covering operational hours 06.00 – 22.00, 5 over 7 days.

Closing date: 6 April 2026

GU Heritage Retail Ltd is a subsidiary company wholly owned by the University of Glasgow and provides retail services alongside branded and bespoke products to customers from across the University and beyond. The GUHRL team runs the University Shop, the Hunterian Shop, the University's Online Shop, and supplies University departments with branded merchandise.