Church Thrift Shop & Volunteer Coordinator(s) P/T

St. Stephen’s Thrift Shop’s mission is providing the Woodlawn community and surrounding neighborhoods with quality, affordable shopping options, reducing waste through thoughtful reuse, and supporting the mission and works of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. The Shop has been a resource in the neighborhood since the 1990s, and operates primarily with volunteer help. The Church was founded in Woodlawn in 1897 and is part of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.

We are currently hiring two (2) part-time people for the Thrift Shop & Volunteer Coordinator role. The Thrift Shop & Volunteer Coordinator’s key purpose is to be an effective in-house manager responsible for the overall operation of the Thrift Shop, and to effectively collaborate with Church leadership and each other on growing and managing our Volunteer Program, which is expanding to include other projects outside of the Thrift Shop, such as a Community Garden.

Primary Duties

• Responsible for the creation of daily/monthly work plans to ensure that sales revenue and operational goals of the store are met, utilizing staff and volunteer resources appropriately. Ensure that the Shop always has 2 or more people scheduled during operating hours, covering all functions.
• Responsible for recruiting, interviewing, hiring, on-boarding, supervision and cultivation of different types of volunteers with differing interests and abilities.
• Volunteer administration work may initially be done via spreadsheets, shared online documents, and online/offline calendaring, but our intention is to implement a Volunteer Management platform immediately for daily operations, and to use volunteer job matching platforms in addition to in-shop and local advertising to attract more volunteers.
• Ensure volunteers understand and comply with Thrift Shop standards, organizational goals and direction; including coaching as necessary. Encourage teamwork and foster creativity. Recognize talent and show appreciation for volunteers.
• Quickly learn and improve upon Square POS, including expansion to start an online store to sell higher value items. Develop and manage relationships with appraisers.
• Formulate a pricing strategy in alignment with the second hand market and by reviewing product sales reports and analyzing sales trends for approval by Church leadership. Conduct promotions and timely markdowns to include themed events and seasonally appropriate sales and/or promotions.
• Ensuring the Shop (sales rooms and private work/storage spaces) and outside grounds are clean and very well organized, and that all organizational deadlines and directives are met.
• Understand and fully implement a customer service program, showcasing exemplary customer/donor service, including but not limited to greeting, saying thank you, explaining policies clearly and politely to the customers and donors.
• Perform all other duties as directed by Church leadership.

Other Functions

• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending training meetings/sessions and through independent study. Document/update policies and procedures manual.
• Deposit cash proceeds at local Chase bank, or turn over to Church leadership for deposit. Record cash donations, and manage petty cash receipts.
• Participate in marketing strategy, messaging, and generating social media content.
• Represent St. Stephen’s at periodic neighborhood events, such as Meet Me on McLean street fair, and by holding volunteer appreciation, recruiting and organizing events.
• Coordinate gift in kind donations of clothing and home goods with Rural & Migrant Ministries program and other churches.
• Ability to adapt to the changing needs of St. Stephen’s and to successfully execute new initiatives.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or the equivalent, College degree preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years prior work experience. Retail experience, nonprofit work experience, volunteer experience or experience in managing a team are preferred.
• Required to take training workshops in Volunteer Management.
• Computer literate with excellent communication skills (both verbal and written), interpersonal and team-oriented skills.
• Generally have a welcoming, patient, and positive demeanor.
• Self-starting, self-motivating, solutions-oriented mindset · Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail. Punctual and accountable.
• Ability to make decisions under pressure, flexibility to course correct as necessary.
• Fluent in English, Bi-lingual person a plus. Interest in interior design, antiques, jewelry, and/or fashion is a plus.

Physical Demands/ Working Environment

• Must be able to stand for long periods of time, and to lift boxes up to 40 pounds.
• Frequently required to kneel, climb stairs, step stools, walk and kneel.
• Responsible for paying attention to potential safety hazards, keeping shop security cameras charged and monitoring periodically.
• Frequently communicates (exchanges information, converse with, expresses oneself) with other staff, volunteers, vendors, Church leadership, and the community at large.
• Occasionally manage difficult patrons with firm grace.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

St. Stephen’s is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, marital or civil partnership/union status, familial or caregiver status, alienage or citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, military or veteran status, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, unemployment status, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Expected Hours, Pay Rate, and How to Apply

This is a flexible time commitment of 15-30 hours per week needed to start ASAP. The pay rate is $20/hr. The majority of work will be performed on-site at the Thrift Shop and the adjacent Church campus (Rectory, front & back yards, the Church), with 1-3 hours a week of computer work like scheduling and phone calls to volunteers that may be done from your home. The shop is currently open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but it is our intent to quickly expand operating hours to 4 or more days a week (likely Fridays and Sundays) with the addition of staff and more trained volunteers.

Ideal candidates might be: a parent who wants a part-time role; a recent retiree who wants to be physically active and social while adding to their income; working artists, musicians, or entrepreneurs; or a graduate / college student who would like a part-time job and values the chance to work with volunteers.