Salary: £42,906 – £48,292 per annum (dep. on experience)
Location: ellenor, Coldharbour Lane, Northfleet, Kent, DA11 7HQ
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Sunday
Application deadline: 29 June 2026
Interviews: 6 July 2026
Are you an experienced Head of Retail looking for a development opportunity?
As Head of Retail, you will have a background in ecommerce operations and experience managing multiple sites. You will lead teams across various locations to optimize ecommerce operations and achieve strategic objectives and targets.
ellenor is a hospice charity in Gravesend providing palliative and end-of life care within the local community. At ellenor, we value inclusivity and focus on providing high-quality services with compassion and care.
We offer professional development opportunities and a comprehensive benefits package, including a pension scheme (with the option for NHSPension Scheme members to transfer their pension), an employeeassistance program, discount schemes, a generous annual leave
allowance, and much more.
- Work closely with the Director of Operations to develop and deliver the retail and ecommerce strategy, supporting the organisation’s wider objectives
- Plan, manage, and monitor the annual retail operating budget, taking corrective action where necessary to ensure income targets are achieved
- Monitor and evaluate the performance of retail operations, identifying opportunities for growth, efficiency, and improved customer experience
- Ensure all retail operations are delivered in line with ellenor’s policies, procedures, and strategic plan
- Oversee the successful operation of multiple charity shops and ecommerce platforms, ensuring strong financial performance and
excellent customer experience
- Support the development and expansion of the retail portfolio including shop acquisitions, shop-fitting, recruitment, and
successful shop openings
- Develop effective stock management, merchandising, and visual presentation standards across all retail outlets
- Ensure ecommerce platforms are optimised to maximise online sales and supporter engagement
- Oversee the day-to-day operations of the warehouse and distribution hub, ensuring efficient processing, storage, and distribution of donated goods and shop stock
- Ensure effective logistics between donation stations, warehouse, and retail shops, optimising stock flow and minimising waste
- Implement and maintain robust operational systems, controls, and compliance processes
- Oversee the management of donation stations (bins) across the local area, ensuring they are well maintained, monitored, and
generating high-quality donations
- Build strong relationships with local communities, businesses, and partners to promote donation initiatives and maximise contributions
- Ensure donation processes integrate integrate seamlessly with retail operations and fundraising strategies
- Manage budgets and monitor financial performance across all retail activities
- Analyse sales and donation data to identify trends, inform strategic decisions, and improve operational efficiency
- Drive Gift Aid income, ensuring processes are compliant and opportunities to maximise income are fully utilised
- Report regularly to senior leadership and trustees on performance, risks, and opportunities
- Lead, motivate, and develop a diverse team of staff and volunteers across multiple locations
- Foster a culture of empowerment, inclusivity, accountability, and high performance
- Ensure effective recruitment, training, and development plans are in place to support operational goals and business growth
- Champion health, safety, and safeguarding across all retail sites and operations
To succeed in this role you will need:
- Proven experience leading multi-site retail operations, ideally within the charity or voluntary sector
- Strong leadership skills with experience managing geographically dispersed teams and driving performance
- Experience overseeing warehouse and distribution operations, including logistics, stock management, and team leadership
- Experience managing ecommerce operations and online retail platforms
- A strong understanding of donation operations, including donation stations and volunteer-led processes
- Demonstrable experience managing budgets, analysing financial performance, and delivering income growth
- Excellent communication, relationship-building, and influencing skills
- Strong organisational and planning skills with the ability to prioritise workload and manage multiple projects
ellenor is not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.
