Sales Assistant - Petaholics Ltd - Snodland

COMPANY: PETAHOLICS LTD
POSITION: PET STORE ASSISTANT

Job Description
The primary responsibilities of the pet shop assistant are to maintain our outstanding customer service, to generate sales, to care for and maintain in good health our large livestock collection, as well as supporting the other staff and management team.

Our pet shop assistants are the ‘face’ of our customer-first philosophy and essential in delivering the best customer experience possible, as well as being the sole carers of our extensive animal collection.

Our animals include the usual ‘small furries’ but also exotic mammals, reptiles, birds, insects and arachnids, so you must be at least comfortable with these animals but full training will be given with regards to their care and handling.

This is a position that requires you to be physically fit as it will involve unloading sack deliveries and carrying heavy packages, such as flat-packed cages and vivariums, and you will on your feet for most of the day.

Main Responsibilities:
Your duties include, but are not limited to:

• A high attention to detail is required to tend effectively and efficiently to the needs of all our livestock (feeding, cleaning, health checks, capturing and handling)
• Continually improving our animal standards by researching effective enrichment and advancing nutritional data
• Documenting these duties where required (monitoring health, UV light emittance, vivarium temperatures etc.) and updating and maintaining the purchase and sales register in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.
• Communicating with and establishing relationships with our customers (generating sales, dealing with queries and complaints, arranging deliveries and ordering of stock, message handling) with an emphasis on service excellence and customer satisfaction.
• Organising stock (buying, selling, stock rotation, ordering)
• Maintaining a clean and safe working environment for all staff and customers
• To undertake any relevant training to ensure that you are up to date with any new products, advice, handling, sale and husbandry of any new stock or livestock.
• Once you have been trained to a sufficient standard, you may also be required to organise, supervise, train and document work experience students from local colleges and schools.
• You may also assist with our ‘Close Encounters’ animal-handling shows if you have been trained appropriately and wish to do so.
• You may also be required to assist in the picking, collection, loading and delivery of stock from our main suppliers.

Experience and Skills:

• A good work ethic, reliability and flexibility
• A passionate interest in all animals and an enthusiasm to learn more about them
• Previous retail sales experience is preferred but not required
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Strong interpersonal skills to build rapport with customers
• Basic math skills for handling cash transactions accurately
• Cash handling experience preferred but not required
• Organizational skills to maintain a tidy sales floor and manage deliveries and stock
• Time management skills to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
• An ability to motivate other team members
• An ability to work under pressure

Hours:
This is a full-time position (40 hours / 5 days / week) and includes weekend work on a rota-basis, and is therefore not compatible with college or university courses. Hours worked are usually 9am to 5.00-5.30pm and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.

Salary:
The starting wage is the minimum wage for your age group (please check this on the gov.uk website) but will increase following the probationary period as training is completed and successful.

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Employee discount
• Store discount
• The opportunity to work with and learn about a very wide range of animals and their care
• Health & Safety Training that will add value to your CV and work safety

Trial:
If you are successful at our interview stage, you will be invited to carry out a two-day trial with us to experience the many different responsibilities of this position, including cash handling, customer service and retail skills as well as handling our wide range of livestock under supervision and guidance. The trial enables both you and us to assess your aptitude for this role, and is invaluable in successful candidate selection.

Please ensure that your cover note / reply and CV are tailored for a position within the animal-sales industry.