Retail Associate

Location: Portage, MI
Pay: $14.00 per hour
Job Type: Full-time
Schedule: 40 hours per week, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as scheduled
Benefits: Accrued sick and vacation time, holiday pay, and health benefits after 90 days.

About the Role

At The Salvation Army Thrift Store, your work helps turn donations into funding for programs that support people in our community. We are looking for a friendly, dependable Retail Associate to provide great customer service, keep the store organized, process donations, accept donations, and help create a welcoming shopping experience for customers and donors.

What You’ll Do

• Maintain a friendly, professional demeanor with customers, donors, co-workers, leadership, and field personnel.
• Provide excellent customer service on the sales floor, at the donation area, and during all assigned store activities.
• Operate the Point-of-Sale system accurately, complete sales transactions, manage assigned cash drawer, and follow Salvation Army cash handling policies.
• Implement store opening and closing procedures as assigned.
• Assist donors with donations, provide receipts, collect required donor information, track donations according to center policy, and courteously communicate when items cannot be accepted.
• Sort, process, hang, tag, price, and prepare donated merchandise according to store production goals and assigned timelines.
• Identify and set aside items for eCommerce sales as assigned.
• Stock, straighten, clean, organize, and maintain the sales floor, work areas, donation area, and storage areas to support a safe and positive customer and donor experience. Move priced merchandise to the sales floor, display areas, stock areas, or designated shipping locations as assigned.
• Assist with receiving, loading, unloading, sorting, and moving donations or merchandise, including Salvation Army trucks, as assigned.
• Complete bank runs and other assigned duties in accordance with Salvation Army policy.
• Follow all Salvation Army policies regarding merchandise handling, pricing, sales, donor service, safety, dress code, and workplace conduct.
• Must be available for a flexible schedule, including early shifts, late shifts, Saturdays, some holidays, and temporary assignments to other stores if the need arises.
• Other duties as assigned.

Training Provided

• Paid training on register and store procedures
• Ongoing coaching and support from store leadership
• Opportunity to build retail and customer service skills

Why Join Us

• Mission-driven work that supports programs in your community
• On-the-job training
• Team-oriented environment
• Employee Discount, Employee Assistance Program, and more!

Additional Information

What You Need

Required

• Ability to provide friendly customer service
• Ability to process donated merchandise
• Reliable attendance and punctuality
• Basic communication and teamwork skills
• Basic math and computer skills
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
• Ability to stand and walk for most of the shift
• Ability to bend, reach, and lift or move merchandise throughout the day
• High school diploma or currently pursuing

Preferred

• Previous retail, cashier, customer service, or thrift store experience
• Experience using a point-of-sale system

Physical Requirements

• Ability to regularly lift and move up to 50 pounds
• Occasionally lift and move up to 100 pounds
• Stand for extended periods
• Walk, reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, and crouch as needed
• Work in various weather conditions (outdoor exposure)

The Salvation Army is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates who are returning to work, U.S. Veterans, people with disabilities, people impacted by the justice system, and people without a college degree are encouraged to apply.