JOB TITLE: ASSISTANT MANAGER, THRIFT BOUTIQUE

Reports to: Thrift Boutique Manager
FLSA Status: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
Location: Normal Heights, San Diego
Compensation: $20 an hour
Schedule: Tuesday – Saturday (T–Th 9:30am–5pm, F/S 10am–6pm); hours may change seasonally
About Home Start: Home Start, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing child abuse and strengthening families throughout San Diego County. Our Thrift Boutique and Bright Futures Candles social enterprises support this mission by offering workforce development opportunities.
Job Summary: The Assistant Manager, Thrift Boutique plays a key support role in the successful day-to-day operations of the Home Start Thrift Boutique and Bright Futures Candles social enterprise. This position helps maintain a welcoming, organized, and mission-aligned retail environment while coordinating production, inventory, and order fulfillment for the candle line. The Assistant Manager also helps implement monthly merchandising, marketing, and sales initiatives. This position supports transitional-age youth in job readiness by providing direct supervision, mentoring, and skill development aligned with Home Start’s Workforce Development program.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Visual merchandising and/or craftbased product experience.
• Familiarity with candle making or smallscale product production.
• Experience working in a traumainformed environment or with systeminvolved youth.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in retail, social enterprise, or nonprofit operations.
• Excellent organizational, time management, and communication skills.
• Ability to lead and train individuals with diverse backgrounds, including transitionalage youth.
• Experience with POS systems (e.g., Square, Shopify) and basic digital tools (Excel, Microsoft).
• This role requires prolonged standing, lifting up to 30 lbs, and the ability to work in a fastpaced retail and production environment. May occasionally require weekend or evening hours for special events. Commitment to Home Start’s mission and values.

Thrift Boutique Operations (Approx. 70%)

• Assist the Boutique Manager with daily store operations, including opening/closing, register management, and customer service.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and visually appealing store environment.
• Supervise and train program participants and volunteers in job readiness tasks such as sorting, pricing, stocking, and customer service.
• Support donation processing and enforce quality standards for resale.
• Help plan and implement monthly promotions, sales, and community events.
• Lead ordering and inventory management for store maintenance supplies (e.g., cleaning products), retail bags, tags, and stickers.
• Ensure compliance with store policies, safety procedures, and cash handling protocols.

Bright Futures Candles (Approx. 30%)

• Oversee production schedule and ensure highquality candle output.
• Lead candle supply ordering and maintain uptodate inventory using purchase orders (POs).
• Fulfill retail and wholesale orders on time; maintain accurate packing, labeling, and shipping standards.
• Support local outreach events, popup markets, and donor engagement opportunities.
• Train and supervise program participants and volunteers in all aspects of candle production, labeling, and order fulfillment. Coordinate with Development and Fiscal teams as needed for marketing and reporting.