Multisite Retail Butcher (With Chef/Foodie Training Pathway)
Locations: Knowle, Bentley Heath, and Balsall Common (Solihull area)
Hours: 42.5 hours, Full-time, 5 days per week (1 weekend day required)
Salary: £28,300 to £35,500 per annum (dependent on experience)
About the Role
We are looking for a friendly, dynamic Multisite Retail Butcher to support our exceptional teams across our local shops.
In this exciting, fast-paced role, you will be the ultimate retail anchor for our business. No two days will be the same. You will work five days a week, travelling between our three main sites in Knowle, Bentley Heath, and Balsall Common to provide essential cover and management support when our Store Managers are away, or to bolster our busy teams during peak times.
Are you a trained butcher, an experienced chef wanting better working hours, or a passionate foodie with a natural gift for customer service? We want to hear from you. While traditional butchery skills are highly valued, we are completely open to training and developing the right person. If you love food, have great knife skills from a kitchen, or simply love talking to customers about food prep and recipes, we will fully support your transition into our trade.
This is a premium, customer-facing role. Our shops pride themselves on outstanding service and high-quality local meats, meaning you will be the confident face of our counters: welcoming customers, offering cooking advice, and leading the team to keep standards immaculate.
Key ResponsibilitiesPrimary Responsibilities (Top Five)
- Managerial Cover and Store Leadership: Step in seamlessly to run daily operations, manage the local shop team, and keep standards high when a Store Manager is off or on holiday.
- Traditional Retail Butchery (or Preparation): Maintain immaculate standards of carcass breakdown, seam butchery, product preparation, and display presentation on the counter (full training provided on butchery gaps).
- Outstanding Customer Service: Serve customers warmly and professionally, offering expert knowledge on food prep, different cuts of meat, and recipe ideas.
- Stock Control and Waste Management: Closely monitor stock levels, manage wastage, drive retail sales, and ensure healthy gross profit margins are maintained across all three shops.
- Multi-Site Agility: Travel reliably between our Knowle, Bentley Heath, and Balsall Common shops as needed, adapting instantly to the unique pacing and customer base of each location.
Secondary Responsibilities (Secondary Five)
- Hygiene and Food Safety Compliance: Ensure absolute compliance with food safety regulations, HACCP procedures, temperature tracking, and general health and safety standards.
- Product Prep and Merchandising Assistance: Support the preparation and packing of kitchen products, pies, ready meals, and seasonal displays.
- Team Motivation and Support: Delegate work fairly, resolve minor staff queries, and maintain high performance and morale among small shop teams.
- Secure Admin and Cash Handling: Accurately process customer transactions, balance the tills, book in deliveries, and manage basic end-of-day cash reconciliation.
- Promotional Execution: Help drive seasonal campaigns, champion new products, and actively contribute ideas to boost shop floor profitability.
Working Hours
- Full-time role, 5 days per week.
- Typically around 42.5 hours per week including one weekend day.
- Exact days and rota will be discussed during the interview stage.
What We Are Looking For
- Craftsmanship or Strong Culinary Roots: You are either a skilled retail butcher, or an experienced chef / foodie looking to apply your cooking and knife skills to a rewarding retail career. We can provide full butchery training where required.
- Leadership Potential: Experience supervising a team, running a kitchen department, or managing a retail environment is highly desirable.
- Mobility and Flexibility: A full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle are essential to travel easily between Knowle, Bentley Heath, and Balsall Common.
- A Genuine People Person: You are confident, positive, and genuinely love interacting with customers on the shop floor.
- High Standards: Great attention to detail, pride in food presentation, and a positive "can do" attitude to support a small, close-knit business.
Perks and Benefits
- Generous 50% staff discount (up to £60/week on full-priced items)
- Free uniform
- 28 days paid holiday, including bank holidays
- Quarterly staff outings (such as bowling or our annual Christmas party)
- Additional loyalty holiday day added for every 5 years of service
- Your birthday off every year
- Christmas bonus (dependent on company performance)
- Free Wisdom wellness app subscription
Progression and Growth at Eric Lyons
We are a proudly growing, independent business and we truly value loyalty, hard work, and a willingness to learn. No matter what role you join us in, there is genuine opportunity to progress across the company for those who show commitment and drive.
Many team members who started in entry-level, chef, or trainee roles have grown into senior positions within a few years. A great example of this is Jack Carpenter, who originally joined our business as a Chef de Partie. Through continuous learning, dedication, and completing a management apprenticeship, Jack is now the General Manager of the entire company: all within just six years.
If you are someone who enjoys learning, takes pride in your work, and wants to build a long-term career, Eric Lyons offers real pathways into:
- Senior retail roles
- Store management
- Specialist food roles (deli, butchery, kitchen)
- Area support positions
- Leadership and management roles across the business
We invest in people who invest in us, and there is always room to grow if you have the ambition.
Ready to Apply?
We would love to hear from you.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £28,300.00-£35,500.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted or free food
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Store discount
Application question(s):
- What is your favourite food/meal?
- Are you a foodie?
Experience:
- Food handling: 1 year (preferred)
- Butchering: 1 year (preferred)
- Customer service: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: In person
