The Retail Sales Associate is responsible for processing textiles and wares, maintaining store and merchandise displays, and providing excellent customer service. The position requires operating the cash register, accepting and handling donations, and acting in a security/loss prevention capacity. The Retail Sales Associate will interact with customers, donors, clients, and employees and must maintain a positive and professional image.

Essential Functions:

1. Ability to operate equipment such as mouse, keyboard, computer, cell phone, and tablet.
2. Operate a pallet jack and trash compactor.
3. Unload, accept, sort and tag donations from donors.

Primary Responsibilities:

1. Support the mission and vision of Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan.
2. Perform work in a safe manner by observing all Goodwill safety policies and procedures.
3. Interact with all Goodwill team members, clients, and customers in a professional manner.
4. Respect the diversity of others, including but not limited to, those with cultural, ethnic, and gender differences, individuals experiencing homelessness, and persons with visible and non-visible disabilities.
5. Perform all day-to-day operational functions of the store, such as running the register, writing sold tickets and receipts, stocking shelves and tables, selling merchandise, rotating goods, assisting customers and donors, and accepting donations.
6. Be knowledgeable of Goodwill's full range of merchandise and pricing structures.
7. Set up advertising signs and displays to attract customers and promote sales.
8. Obtain merchandise requested by customers or receive merchandise selected by customers.
9. Provide excellent customer service by answering customer questions and assisting with merchandise.
10. Perform cashier duties, including sales transactions, payments, refunds, asking customers for a donation with 'round up' of their purchase, and end of day register processing.
11. Be accountable for proper register balances and for preventing unauthorized removal of merchandise from the store.
12. Wrap or bag merchandise for customers.
13. Transport purchased merchandise to specified vehicles for customers when needed.
14. Maintain a clean and orderly work area, including stocking, straightening, and cleaning the sales floor.
15. Remove empty hangers and outdated merchandise according to the rotation schedule.
16. Ensure fitting rooms are free of merchandise, removing clothes and re-hang as necessary.
17. Answer the telephone and provide announcements over the store paging system as needed.
18. Process and price textiles and wares within established timeframes and meet production goals set by Management.
19. Expedite merchandise to and from the sales floor.
20. Adhere to all agency policies and procedures.
21. Promote Goodwill in a positive way internally and externally.
22. Understand and comply with Goodwill's safety program and alert the supervisor of unsafe practices or situations.
23. Help train new staff and clients as directed by the supervisor.
24. Perform other duties as assigned by management.

Education, Licenses, Certifications and Experience: Retail experience is a plus.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

1. Ability to work effectively with diverse staff customers, community service volunteers, , and vendors.
2. Good verbal communication and organizational skills.
3. Excellent customer service skills.
4. Ability to work independently and be flexible in a multi-duty environment.
5. Ability to work within established guidelines.
6. Ability to operate a forklift is preferred.
7. Ability to receive and disperse cash accurately and perform basic math functions.
8. Fundamental ability to understand, accept, and work with people who have disabilities and/or other barriers to employment.
9. Positive, can-do attitude with a strong commitment to teamwork.
10. Ability to work rotating shifts, weekends, and holidays.

Physical Requirements:

While performing duties, is required to stand, walk, use hands, talk and/or hear. Reaches with hands and arms, balance, stoop, kneel, twist, turn, and crouch. Specific vision abilities required by job include color vision. Often lifts and/or moves up to 10 pounds; regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds; and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Work is repetitive in nature. May be required to stand for up to 8 hours during a shift.

Other:

Must have reliable means of transportation. Must be willing to work evenings, weekends, extended hours, and holidays.