Job Description
Contents
Introductory Letter 3
About Emmaus 4
About Emmaus Hastings & Rother 5
Job Description 6
Person Specification 7
Terms of Employment 8
Application Process 8
Safeguarding and Right of Work in the UK 8
How we store and use your personal information 9
Dear Applicant
Thank you for showing an interest in working for Emmaus Hastings & Rother. We are looking for a Logistics and Retail Assistant to join our team.
This post is responsible for supporting the day to day running of the Emmaus Hastings & Rother social enterprise.
If you are flexible and able to work in a fast changing environment alongside people with complex needs and have a positive “can do” attitude we would love to hear from you. You will be joining a friendly and enthusiastic team who are passionate about what they do and a charity at an exciting point of its development.
To apply please send your CV together with a supporting statement showing how you meet the personal specification, and the completed additional details form by the closing date of 7 May 2023. Interviews will take place on 15 May.
If you would like to arrange an informal discussion about the role, please email [email protected]
Zach Hurst
Community Manager – Emmaus Hastings & Rother
About Emmaus
Our vision: A world in which everyone has a home and a sense of belonging
Emmaus is a homelessness charity with a difference. We don’t just give people a bed for the night; we offer a home, meaningful work and a sense of belonging.
For many people who have experienced homelessness, losing their self-esteem can be the most damaging part of their experience. Being on your own, with no support around you, can be soul destroying, leaving you feeling worthless.
Finding your way out of that situation isn’t easy, particularly when the only options available are temporary fixes, offering a bed for the night but little to occupy your days.
Emmaus is different because it provides a home for as long as someone needs it, in an Emmaus community. This gives people the opportunity to take stock of their lives, deal with any issues they might have, and often re-establish relationships with loved ones.
“Companion” is the name given to those who live in an Emmaus community and work in the social enterprise, where they support themselves and one another. There are currently over 800 companions living at 30 Emmaus communities across the UK.
Rather than relying on benefits, Emmaus uses social enterprise to generate revenue that pays for companions' home, food and upkeep, as well as providing a small weekly allowance. This is key to restoring feelings of self-worth, showing companions that their actions make a real difference, both to their own life, and the lives of others.
How it works
Unlike a lot of provision for homeless people, Emmaus communities offer a home for as long as someone needs it. This includes a room of their own, food, clothing and a small weekly allowance.
In return, we ask
- that companions work for 40 hours per week, or give as much time as they are able, in the community's social enterprise;
- that they behave in a respectful way towards one another;
- that no alcohol or illegal drugs are used on the premises;
- that they sign off all benefits, with the exception of housing benefit.
About Emmaus Hastings & Rother
The group that became Emmaus Hastings & Rother was formed in 2005 with the support of the existing Emmaus Brighton & Hove community. In 2009 we purchased our site on the northern edge of Hastings and opened our social enterprise business, based on the Emmaus model for the collection, refurbishment and resale of donated furniture and household goods. Originally run by volunteers, the business is now run by staff, companions and volunteers and includes a second shop in Bexhill. With a turnover approaching £300k pa, as well as providing work for our companions, the business is the basis for the community’s target of financial self-sufficiency.
Planning consent for development of the site, including construction of the accommodation for a 23-member community was obtained ahead of purchase. We opened the first phase of the accommodation block, housing nine companions and a staff flat, in July 2011 making Hastings & Rother the 21st Emmaus Community in the UK. A year later we added six more rooms taking capacity to 15 and in the summer of 2014 opened the third phase, adding the final eight rooms to bring the community to its design size of 23. In 2021 we celebrated our tenth anniversary as a community.
During the lockdown periods of recent years, community members invested time into renovating and updating the site. Experience at other communities and through the lockdowns point to an expansion of online sales and increased recovery of gift-aid on donated furniture & other goods as areas with the potential for significant growth, but at Whitworth Road we also have the unique opportunity that will come with the opening of the much-delayed Queensway Gateway road, which will convert us from being hidden at the end of a cul-de-sac to being on a busy traffic route.
Job Description
Job title: Logistics and Retail Assistant
Reports to: Business Manager
Location: Hastings
Date: March 2023
Hours of work
37.5 hours Tuesday – Saturday (12-month fixed term contract)
Overall Purpose of the Job
Working in the Retail Operations Team, to proactively support all business operations across the social enterprise. This role will involve driving and retail support. To work alongside, supervise and instruct Emmaus companions and volunteers in compliance with our Emmaus ethos, mission, strategic aims, organisational objectives and policies.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- In conjunction with the Retail Operations Team, plan and manage the charity’s delivery vehicles on a daily basis.
- Driving company vehicles - 3.5 tonne Luton type box vans with tail lifts – to collect and deliver donated household goods and furniture.
- Manoeuvre, lift and carry furniture and other goods to and from vehicles and in and out of homes and the shops.
- Co-ordinate and supervise team of companions/volunteers involved in collection and delivery or disposal.
- To provide support and cover for collection/delivery phone enquiries
- To provide shop till cover when required
- To assist with the processing and co-ordination of general incoming donations
- To ensure the appropriate standards of cleanliness are maintained throughout the retail areas
- Oversee our online retail presence via our Ebay shop
- To carry out any reasonable duties needed to assist and support the community and business operations, including holiday/sickness cover across the organisation.
Person Specification: Logistics and Retail Support Assistant
Essential
Desirable
Experience
- Valid clean Manual Driving License with at least 2 years driving and authorisation for 3.5 tonne vans - Over 25 (for driving insurance purposes)
- Safe vehicle operations
- Working with others as part of a team
- Supervision and training of others
- Customer care/service
- Retail Experience
- Charity retail experience
- Working with vulnerable people or people with challenging behaviour
- Delivery Driver
- Stock management
- Gift Aid processes
Knowledge and Commitment
- Demonstration of a belief in and, the ability to adopt and work within the Emmaus principles
- Understanding of the retail environment
- Manual Handling
- Map reading/navigation
- Retail and trading law
- Health and Safety: fire safety, first aid,
- Homelessness issues
Education / Professional Certification
- Good general level of education, at least to GCSE standard or equivalent
Skills
- Effective verbal and written communication
- Effective listening
- Ability to stay calm and cope under extreme pressure
- Ability to prioritise workload, balancing competing demands
- Effective organisation and time management
- Computer/email/internet/Ebay skills
Personal Characteristics
- A belief in the potential of each individual and an understanding of the importance of community in helping an individual to achieve their potential
- Effective team player, with the ability to lead, work and delegate
- Ability to engage, inspire and motivate others
- Enthusiastic and self-motivated
- Able to welcome people with no prejudice
- Flexible and adaptable approach in a fast changing environment where each day is different
- Willing to learn and acquire new skills through training and development
- Take the initiative and not wait for things to happen.
- Speak to people in a positive way, to make sure messages are easily understood and people are valued and respected.
- To lead by example by demonstrating appropriate behaviours, values and culture
- Ability to maintain professional boundaries.
Terms and Conditions of Employment
- Salary in the region of £20,000 depending on experience.
- Working Hours – 37.5 hours per week
- Annual Leave – 25 days per annum plus public holidays
- Pension – Stakeholder pension.
- Employee Assistance – a 24/7 employee assistance scheme is available.
To Apply
To apply please send a covering letter or email together with your CV and a one-page explanation of how you meet the personal specification, and the completed additional details form to Zach Hurst by the closing date of 7 May 2023.
Applications may be sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Zach Hurst, Community Manager, Emmaus Hastings & Rother, 2 Whitworth Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN37 7PZ.
Those shortlisted will be invited to interviews to be held on Monday 15 May 2023.
Safeguarding and Right of Work in the UK
The role will involve working with companions and in the community, and therefore the role will need to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check carried out. This is to check criminal records and that the person is not barred from working with ‘adults at risk’. Some companions can be classed as adults at risk. An adult at risk is anyone that has one or more of the following:
- Does not understand certain decisions or transactions
- Are unaware of their rights or how to complain
- Have communication difficulties
- Have limited life experiences
- Are socially isolated
- Have low self esteem
- Are dependent on others for their basic needs
The additional details form is needed to check any previous convictions. After interviews, the successful candidate will need to provide evidence of right to work in the UK and complete a DBS check.
How we store and use your personal information
Your CV and other information will be stored in a password protected folder throughout the recruitment process. It will be stored for six months, to enable equality monitoring and also to enable us to contact you in the future should any other suitable posts become available. However, if at any time you wish us to delete your information, then please do not hesitate to contact us and it will be destroyed.
Only your CV will be passed to other members of the interview panel but before it is provided, the following personal details will be removed:
- Name
- Address
- Age
- Marital Status
This is to protect your personal information but also to enable us to shortlist ‘blind’, so that we are fair and equitable and to encourage a diverse workforce.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: From £20,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Schedule:
Ability to commute/relocate:
- TN377PZ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Retail: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 07/05/2023
Apply
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