October 2012
Dear Applicant
Please indicate on the application formwhich of the positions below you are applying for:
- Full-timeRetail Sales Assistant.
- Flexible Retail Sales Assistant.
Please returnyour completed application form no later than 9.00am on Monday, 15 October 2012 as applications received after this date and time will not be considered.
Yours faithfully
Retail Department and Personnel Department.
National Portrait Gallery
Retail Sales Assistant
Purpose
To assist in maintaining the Gallery shops and providing a high level of customer service at all times. Excellent retail experience and superb sales skills, customer care, communication and organisational skills are essential for this role.
Main Duties
Shop floor 85%
- To serve customers politely, quickly and efficiently, providing advice and guidance where necessary, in order to maximise income to the Gallery.
- To provide a service to all visitors to the Gallery which enhances their enjoyment and increases the Gallery’s reputation as a visitor attraction.
- To operate the tills and credit card machines ensuring that all transactions are carried out accurately at all times.
- To count the money taken at the end of the day and complete till sheets quickly and accurately.
- To maintain the good appearance of the shop ensuring that it is always clean, tidy, well merchandised, and that the displays are attractive.
- To maintain stock and keep accurate stock records where necessary.
- To operate and promote the Print on Demand service
Other 15%
- To assist with the stock take at the end of the year, and at other times if also requiredincluding rolling stock checks.
- To undertake any other activities as are necessary for the smooth operation of the shops.
Although these are currently the main duties of this post, the Gallery’s management may at any time allocate other tasks, which are of a similar nature or level.
National Portrait Gallery
Retail Sales Assistant
Person Specification
Experience
- Previous work experience within a museum environment or with a quality retailer of similar merchandise.
- A commitment to working to high standards and providing the highest level of visitor/customer service.
Knowledge and Skills
- The aptitude to gain knowledge of the Gallery’s key subject areas.
- The post holder must have the following qualities: efficiency, initiative, flexibility, reliability and the ability to work under pressure.
- Good inter-personal skills are essential.
Other
- As highly visible representatives of the gallery, it is essential that our retail staff are polite, presentable and responsible individuals.
- An aptitude for display would be an advantage.
- An interest in portraits and portraiture.
National Portrait Gallery
Retail Sales Assistant
Details of the post are given below and in the attached job description. You should take care to show in your application how you can fulfil the requirements of the job.
Period of Appointment
The full-time positions are on a 2 year, fixed-term contract.
Hours
Full-time
The Gallery is open seven days a week, from 10.00 to 18.00 Saturday through to Wednesday and from 10.00 to 21.00 on Thursday and Friday. You are expected to work on a rota basis (see attached). Full-time gross hours average 40 per week over the period of the rota.
Flexible
As and when needed but applicants should generally be available to work any day of the week although weekend and evening hours are more usual.
Salary
Full-time
The salary for this post will be £18,238 per annum.
Flexible
£8.76 per hour (e.g. equivalent to £18,238 per annum).
Annual Leave
Full-time
The annual leave allowance for this post is25 days per annum.
Flexible
Annual leave is accrued according to the hours that you work based on the Gallery’s annual leave entitlement of 25 days per annum for full time employees (pro rata for part time employees).
Place of Work
Most of the work is based in the Gallery at St Martin’s Place, but all staff are required to work at other locations if necessary.
Equality
The Gallery believes in the employment and advancement of people solely on their ability to do the job required. When recruiting people, we will therefore disregard their gender, marital status, race, age, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, religion and sexual orientation. There will be no unfair discrimination on the basis of disability. If you would like to submit your application in a different format we are happy to allow this. Please contact us (telephone: 020 7306 0055 email: ) so that we may discuss suitable alternatives.
Pension
Full-time
Pension benefits are provided under the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS).
Flexible
You may contribute to a Stakeholder pension with Standard Life, subject to eligibility. Your employer will not make any contributions to this arrangement but your contributions may be made through payroll.
Probation and Trial Period
All appointments are subject to satisfactory employment and character references, security clearance and eligibility to work in the UK. There is a probationary period of 1 year for all permanent posts.
Full-time
The probationary period for this post is 1 year.
Data Protection Act
Information provided by you as part of your application will be used in the recruitment process. Any data about you will be held securely with access restricted to those involved in dealing with your application in the recruitment process. Once this process is completed the data relating to unsuccessful applicants will be stored for a maximum of 6 months and then destroyed. If you are the successful candidate, your application form will be retained and form the basis of your personnel record. Information provided by you on the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form will be used to monitor National Portrait Gallery’s equal opportunities policy and practices. By signing and submitting your completed application form you are giving your consent to your data being stored and processed (if you submit your application by e-mail and the application form is un-signed we will assume that consent by you is given) for the purpose of the recruitment process, equal opportunities monitoring and your personnel record if you are the successful candidate.
Season Tickets
Interest free loans are available for the purchase of a season ticket for travel to work, for the full-time positions only.
Please return your completed application form to:
Personnel at:
Or by post
Mrs Caroline Wynter
Head of Personnel
National Portrait Gallery
2 St Martin’s Place
London
WC2H 0HE
by 9.00am on Monday, 15 October, 2012.
We are expecting to hold interviews on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 October, 2012. Please indicate on the form if you will not be available on either of these days.
If you are delivering your application by hand, please take it to the reception desk at 39-45 Orange Street.
To ensure the best possible use of our limited resources we are unable to respond to every application. If you have not had a response to your application by 31 October 2012, please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.
We would like to thank you for your time and effort in returning your application.
Full time Rota
Week 1 / 0 / 8 / 8 / 11 / 0 / 8 / 8Week 2 / 8 / 0 / 8 / 11 / 8 / 0 / 0
Week 3 / 8 / 8 / 0 / 0 / 11 / 8 / 8
Week 4 / 8 / 0 / 8 / 8 / 11 / 0 / 0
Week 5 / 0 / 8 / 8 / 11 / 0 / 8 / 8
Week 6 / 8 / 8 / 0 / 8 / 11 / 0 / 0
Week 7 / 0 / 8 / 8 / 0 / 8 / 8 / 8
Average of 40 hours per week