Overview

Who are we? Founded in 2020, Get Thrifty is UBC's only thrift and consignment store. Located next to the AMS Nest in the basement of the Life Building, Get Thrifty is dedicated to providing high-quality yet affordable secondhand clothing to the UBC community and serving as a local creative hub focused on slow and sustainable fashion. Get Thrifty is one of the only student-run initiatives of its kind in Canada—blending environmental sustainability with fashion, entrepreneurship, and community-building on campus.

Position Overview Get Thrifty is seeking part-time individuals to join our dynamic team as store staff to assist in a wide range of duties for the thrift store operations. The store staff will gain valuable experience in customer service, store operations, retail management, and more with the possibility of promotion to store manager. This position offers an excellent opportunity to individuals with a professional or personal interest in sustainability and/or retail management in a fast-paced setting as well as to further develop interpersonal communication and volunteer coordination skills while directly supporting UBC’s cyclical economy and volunteer force. This position also offers a great opportunity to expand one’s professional network through partnerships and collaborations with on/off-campus organizations and/or companies.

Get Thrifty’s History

Since the non-profit organization Project Imagine Association’s inception in 2017, student volunteers have banded together to address environmental issues through the lens of design and community building. The organization is entirely volunteer-run and made up of individuals with experience including, but not limited to, design, project management, business, and more. Originally launched as a mobile thrift pop-up, Get Thrifty is the first and largest project Project Imagine has run. In March 2019, an AMS (Alma Mater Society) referendum was run to establish a permanent thrift store on campus funded in part by receiving a few cents from every student. The referendum passed overwhelmingly with almost 8,000 supporting votes. As a result, nearly $60,000 of annual funding was awarded to fund the thrift store until the store is deemed “self-sustainable” by the AMS in consultation with Project Imagine Association. After successful negotiations with the AMS led to the allocation of a dedicated space for a permanent storefront in the basement of the UBC Life Building (Room 0014), initial renovations were completed in early 2020. Then, starting in the fall of 2022, Get Thrifty undertook a $250,000 renovation plan to expand its retail space and provide critically needed back-of-house space to better support our growing operations and customer base. Since officially opening in September 2023, Get Thrifty has continued to serve the UBC community during the academic periods.

Position Details

Duration, Hours and Wage Duration: Term 1 (September-December) with possibility of casual/on call in Term 2 (January-April) Hours: 8-12 hrs/week during core store shift hours (Monday to Friday) Wage: $18.40/hour

Responsibilities Specific duties for this position include but are not limited to: Be available in-store during designated hours to help ensure loss prevention, assist customers and conduct sales transactions Contribute to store’s financial growth through driving sales, managing expenses, and participation in promotional activities Execute flawless store visual presentation by maintaining visual and store housekeeping standards Manage and write up the Google Business Profile and store promotional sales Ensure the regular cleaning and maintenance of the storefront, backroom office and storage (sweeping, dusting, watering the plants, etc.) Attend all necessary training sessions led by the Store Manager(s) Assist in coordinating item pick-ups and drop-offs while ensuring quality curation and operations Assist in managing Get Thrifty’s consignment program by uploading, tagging, and stocking items Curate and ensure the quality of inventory maintains a high standard (clothes, accessories, books, etc.) Regularly work with vendors such as local businesses and student groups to showcase their items in exchange for a portion of sales Assist in enforcing Get Thrifty’s vendor and consignment program policies by organizing and managing items and inventory Assist in business planning and strategizing revenue growth

Skills/Knowledge A candidate must possess the following skills/knowledge to be successful in this position: Ability to stay diligent and focused for a long period of time while retaining a high level of attention to detail Ability to work well with others in a team-based environment Maintain a high level of responsibility and accountability for assigned tasks Diligent troubleshooting and an eye for detail Ability to work quickly and to organize and keep track of work completed Comfortable with problem-solving, learning by doing, and asking questions Ability to provide a high level of customer service Strong and professional oral and written communication skills Ability to work both independently and collaboratively

Qualifications Proficiency and experience with any POS system (i.e. Shopify) is an asset Past customer service, consignment, and/or styling work experience is an asset Previous experience in a retail environment is preferred Any experience with plant care is a plus

To Apply

Please fill out application form and upload the following documents: One page cover letter named Store_Staff_Firstname_Lastname_cover_letter One to two page resume named Store_Staff_Firstname_Lastname_cover_resume

Application Form: https://forms.gle/EcUS828CsfYrvwjN6

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM on August 9th.

Note: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews will begin immediately. We encourage early submissions as the posting will close once a successful candidate is selected.