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Current vacancies
Part-Time Retail Assistant
Location: Imperial Pets, Oakwood Farm, Parkgate Road, Chester
Contract: Temporary, fixed-term 6-month contract with potential for extension
Hours: Minimum 16 hours per week, with additional hours potentially available
Pay: 10p per hour above the applicable National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage for your age
Start date: Before 24 October 2026
About the vacancy
We are looking for a reliable, highly organised and customer-focused Part-Time Retail Assistant to join Imperial Pets.
Our current team member, Megan, is taking five months away to travel, with her last working day on 24 October. We hope to welcome Megan back following her travels, so this position is initially being offered on a six-month fixed-term basis.
The successful applicant will need to start before Megan leaves to allow sufficient time for training and a thorough handover.
There may be an opportunity for the role to continue beyond the initial six-month term. However, this cannot be guaranteed and will depend on staffing requirements, the needs of the business and the retail economic climate at that time.
About Imperial Pets
Imperial Pets is an independent holistic pet store specialising in raw and natural feeding, pet nutrition, natural healthcare, supplements, treats and accessories.
This is not a typical retail assistant position. As a small independent business, every member of the team plays an important role in the day-to-day running of the shop.
The position is varied and hands-on. Alongside serving customers, you will learn about our extensive product ranges and pet nutrition, organise subscription and online orders, manage stock and deliveries, and help ensure the shop runs efficiently.
Two qualities are particularly important to us: exceptional customer service and meticulous attention to detail.
Exceptional customer service
Providing exceptional customer service is our highest priority.
Our customers trust us with something incredibly important to them – the health and wellbeing of their pets. We expect every customer to be treated with kindness, patience and respect, regardless of whether they are making a large purchase, asking a simple question or coming to us because they are worried about their pet.
We want our customers to receive the same standard of care and understanding that you would hope to receive if it were your own pet you were concerned about.
You will not be expected to know all the answers. Training will be provided, and there are appropriate limits to the advice we can give. What is essential is a genuine willingness to listen, understand what a customer needs and do everything reasonably possible to help them.
Excellent communication skills are therefore essential.
Communication with our customers takes place in person, over the telephone and in relation to online and subscription orders. You must be confident speaking to customers on the phone and able to communicate clearly, politely and professionally.
Organisation and attention to detail
Meticulous attention to detail is essential for this position.
A particularly important part of the role is managing and organising our customer subscription orders.
We have customers who rely on us to have specific products ready for them at the correct time. Subscription orders need to be carefully prepared, checked and kept extremely well organised.
Accuracy matters throughout the role, from preparing customer orders and receiving deliveries to stock management and updating information on our systems.
If organisation and attention to detail are not amongst your strengths, this is unlikely to be the right position for you.
Key responsibilities
Your duties will include:
- Providing exceptional customer service at all times
- Listening to customers and helping with questions or concerns relating to their pets
- Communicating with customers face-to-face, by telephone and regarding online and subscription orders
- Learning about raw feeding, pet nutrition, supplements and natural healthcare
- Developing a good working knowledge of our food and product ranges
- Managing, organising and preparing customer subscription orders
- Picking and preparing online and customer orders accurately
- Operating our till and EPOS system and processing payments
- Receiving, checking and putting away stock deliveries
- Carrying out regular stock checks and helping to maintain accurate stock levels
- Stock rotation and date checking
- Restocking freezers and shelves
- Defrosting and cleaning freezers when required
- Maintaining a clean, tidy and well-organised shop
- General duties associated with the day-to-day running of an independent pet store
The role can be physically demanding. We receive substantial deliveries of frozen raw food, so applicants must be comfortable with regular lifting and moving of boxes of stock.
Computer and social media skills
Good computer literacy is required for this role.
As the position develops, there may also be opportunities for additional hours working from home. These may include:
- Updating products and stock information on our website
- Creating and scheduling social media content
- Other basic online or administrative duties
Applicants should therefore be confident using computers and have experience and confidence using social media.
Access to your own computer at home is not an immediate requirement. However, this would be necessary if home-working duties are added to your role in the future.
The person we are looking for
We are looking for someone who is:
- Kind, patient and respectful towards customers
- Passionate about providing exceptional customer service
- A confident and effective communicator
- Polite and confident speaking to customers on the telephone
- Meticulous, with excellent attention to detail
- Highly organised and able to manage multiple tasks
- Reliable, trustworthy and dependable
- Friendly and approachable
- Able to work independently and use their own initiative
- Computer literate and comfortable learning new systems
- Confident and experienced using social media
- Willing and able to learn about our products, pet nutrition and natural pet care
- Physically able to lift and move boxes of stock
- Flexible regarding working hours when reasonably required
- Able to drive and have access to their own car
Previous experience in pet retail, animal care, veterinary work, customer service or a similar environment would be advantageous, but is not essential for the right person.
You do not need to have existing knowledge of raw feeding or pet nutrition. Training will be provided. A genuine interest in animals, their health and wellbeing, and a willingness to learn are much more important.
Once fully trained, there will be periods when you are responsible for running the shop independently. Reliability, trustworthiness and the ability to use your own initiative are therefore essential.
Working hours
This position guarantees a minimum of 16 hours per week, with the possibility of additional hours when required.
Initial training period
During your initial training period, you will work alongside us during our existing shop opening hours.
This does not mean you will be expected to work all of the hours shown below.
Your 16 working hours will be selected from within these days and times, allowing you to work alongside us while completing your training:
Tuesday: 9:30am–2:00pm
Wednesday: 9:30am–4:00pm
Thursday: 11:00am–4:00pm
Friday: 11:00am–4:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am–4:00pm
The exact combination of days and hours during the training period will be agreed with the successful applicant.
Hours following training
Once you are fully trained and confident working independently, we intend to extend the shop's opening hours.
Your expected regular hours will then be:
Monday: 10:00am–4:00pm – 6 hours
Tuesday: 2:00pm–4:00pm – 2 hours
Thursday: 9:30am–11:30am – 2 hours
Friday: 9:30am–11:30am – 2 hours
Sunday: 10:00am–2:00pm – 4 hours
Total regular hours: 16 hours per week
Additional Saturday hours may occasionally be available or required, particularly during busy periods and when we hold titre-testing clinics.
Some flexibility will be necessary. Working days or hours may occasionally need to change to provide holiday or other cover, and shift changes may sometimes be required.
Flexibility around deliveries
Because we are an independent retailer receiving deliveries from a number of suppliers, there are occasions when circumstances are outside our control.
For example, a stock delivery may arrive later than scheduled. On these occasions, you may be required to remain at work beyond your normal finishing time until the delivery has arrived and the stock has been safely dealt with.
This is not an everyday occurrence, but applicants should understand that the role requires a degree of flexibility rather than always having a guaranteed finish time.
Any additional time worked will be paid.
Contract
This position is offered on a six-month fixed-term contract, with a guaranteed minimum of 16 hours per week.
The vacancy has arisen because Megan will be travelling for five months and is expected to return to Imperial Pets afterwards.
Applicants should therefore apply on the understanding that this is initially a temporary position and continued employment beyond the six-month term cannot be guaranteed.
However, there may be an opportunity for the successful applicant to remain with Imperial Pets after the initial contract.
Any extension will depend on our staffing requirements following Megan's return, the needs and performance of the business, and the economic conditions affecting the retail sector at that time.
Pay
The hourly rate will be 10p above the National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage applicable to the successful applicant's age.
Application process
To apply, please email your CV to:
Please include a brief introduction and details of your current availability.
Applicants who meet the initial requirements will then be sent an application questionnaire to complete. This forms part of our recruitment process and will help us understand more about your experience, availability and suitability for the position.
Shortlisted candidates may subsequently be invited to interview and may also be asked to complete a short, supervised practical assessment as part of the selection process.
Before applying
Please make sure you have read the full vacancy information above, particularly the working hours, flexibility requirements and requirement to drive and have access to your own car.
The successful candidate will need to be available to start before 24 October 2026 to allow sufficient time for training and handover.
Applications via social media messages will not be accepted. Please apply by email with your CV.