Wild and Woolly is an award winning yarn shop in the heart of east London’s knitting community. Six years since opening in 2014, the business has become one of the country’s leading specialist retailers of natural fibre yarns from small producers across the UK and Europe. In normal times it hosts a full schedule of classes and knitting events. The business is guided by an ethos of expert, honest and friendly service for everyone.

We are now looking to grow the business by expanding the team with a new part-time staff member to help with running the shop and its online operations. Initially offered as a temporary contract, the plan is to make this a permanent position within 3 months. Tasks will be varied to include all aspects of running the business from managing systems to organising the shop, to providing knitting support and serving customers on the shop floor. If you like the idea of working for a small business where you can participate in its growth and development, if you love knitting and are concerned about the materials you work with, if you enjoy helping people with their projects, read on..

The Job

Your responsibilities will include:

• fulfilling online sales: packing orders, managing stock control, organising stock
• communicating with customers: responding to requests for knitting and pattern support, yarn advice and queries about purchases 
• shop floor assistance: serving customers with appropriate supplies, using the till system, restocking the shop shelves. 
• business support: contributing to growing the business by participating in discussions about new products, marketing ideas and events.

The Person

• You pay attention to small details: you can turn customer orders into beautifully packed parcels with contents carefully checked against order details.
• You have previous experience working with online systems to manage orders, invoices and stock control.
• You are good at mastering unfamiliar systems quickly, and able to problem solve when things don’t go as planned.
• You are systematic in how you approach tasks and implement their solutions.
• You work efficiently and energetically without being careless. You have a good head for heights and don’t mind climbing the shop ladder to fetch stock.
• You have excellent communication skills and are able to talk through options with customers when issues arise with their orders, both in writing and in person in a friendly way.
• You enjoy being with people, specifically knitters :o), helping them work out their project requirements and finding appropriate supplies.
• You are a confident knitter, familiar with using Ravelry to find patterns, and other platforms to find knitting solutions.
• You keep abreast of patterns, designers and trends in the knitting community, and understand how to differentiate between yarns for different purposes.
• You are interested in the provenance of the wool you knit with, and care about the way it is produced.

The Terms

Hours: This is a part-time 0.5 or 0.6 job (20-24 hours per week). Days and hours are flexible but when COVID restrictions are lifted, will include 2 Saturdays per month.

Location: Clapton, London E5

Salary: Salary is based on a pro rated full time annual salary of £22,880

Annual Leave and sick pay: Holiday allowance is based on a pro rated full time allowance of 25 days per year, and statutory sick pay is provided.

The process

Please send a CV and covering letter explaining any relevant previous experience.