About the job

Job summary

House of Commons

The House of Commons is a unique and exciting place to work right at the heart of the UK's thriving democratic system. 

Behind the scenes, the House of Commons Service is made up of more than 3,000 employees who support and facilitate the smooth day to day running of the House. They provide professional services to Members of Parliament, their staff, and the wider parliamentary community.

Introduction 

The House of Commons Retail Team is a dynamic and ambitious team with three gift shops across the Parliamentary Estate and an online shop with a warehouse in an offsite location.

Retail Services is part of the Customer Experience and Service Delivery team, with a remit of delivering an exceptional multichannel retail experience for Members and their staff, House staff, visitors to Parliament, and the public. This role is an exciting opportunity to join a creative and ambitious team in a non-traditional retail environment.

Job description

The purpose of this role is to lead the online shop’s fulfilment operation and manage customer service across the business area.

Please note: The role will be based primarily at the shop’s off-site warehouse facility in Acton, West London, though attendance is also required on the Parliamentary Estate in Westminster on a regular basis in order to oversee shop-floor operations when needed. This can include some Saturday working.

Some of the responsibilities for this role include:

• Ensure customer orders are dispatched quickly and efficiently whilst taking steps to keep errors, mispicks and breakages to a minimum.
• Monitor and report on product and packaging stock levels to minimise disruption to the workflow and prevent fulfilment bottlenecks.
• Work with the retail management team to maintain a web fulfilment rota and plan in additional resource for peak periods.
• Maintain the highest standards of customer service, responding to enquiries in a polite and professional manner and resolving issues promptly.

Person specification

To be successful in this role you will demonstrate:

• Experience working in a warehouse environment, picking, packing and dispatching customer orders, whilst using an ecommerce platform/inventory control system to manage fulfilment workflows and deliver ongoing customer service.
• Ability to work calmly under pressure, delegating tasks effectively and providing leadership, guidance and feedback for team members.
• Calm and confident dealing with customers by telephone and email (as well as in person), with experience handling calls and resolving challenging enquiries in a retail environment.
• Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to prioritise and focus on multiple and varied important tasks – often in distracting environments.
• Ability to work successfully within a team, whilst upholding the values of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,150, House of Commons contributes £7,870 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

• Application Form - If you would like to apply for this role, please submit an application providing evidence against criteria 1-5 in the Job Description. 

More information on the role and the full criteria can be found in the Job Description. 

Please note that most job offers will be made at the minimum of the salary range, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.