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Replenishment/Stock Control Assistant

Do you want to become a Replenishment/Stock Control Assistant? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

Job Description - Print Page

A stock control/replenishment assistant works in a supermarket or other large store and refills gaps on shelves as customers buy the goods. Assistants:

• walk round the aisles taking note of which goods need replacing
• remove goods that are past their sell-by date from the shelves
• load up a trolley in the stockroom with replacement goods
• stack the shelves and display areas.

They may also have to take part in stock checking and ordering procedures, keep their department clean and tidy, know where to direct customers with problems, and work on the checkouts if the store is very busy.

When checking stock they may use a battery hand terminal (BHT) which scans the bar-code on each item and records it for checking against the computer.

Salaries for assistants are from around £8,000 to £15,000 a year.

They normally work 39 hours a week on a shift basis, including weekends. Overtime, flexible hours and part-time working are usually available. Assistants have to walk and stand for hours at a time, so it is important to wear comfortable shoes. They may need to lift and carry items of stock, as well as climb up ladders.

A stock control/replenishment assistant needs to:

• have good communication skills and a friendly, polite manner
  
• work well as part of a team
• have plenty of stamina
• have an interest in people and the retail environment.

The retail industry employs around 2.9 million people in the UK. They may work in several types of store, ranging from smaller shops to well-known supermarkets and hypermarkets. There are many vacancies, especially for part-time work.

There are no minimum qualifications for entry, although some employers may ask for at least two GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3). Some companies set entry tests in basic maths and English.

Stock control/replenishment assistants usually train on the job, working alongside experienced colleagues. There may also be trial periods on tills, stock control, ordering and customer advice, where the trainee is monitored and supported by an experienced assistant.

Stock control/replenishment assistants may study towards NVQs/SVQs in Retail Operations at Levels 2 and 3.

Promotion to a sales assistant role may be possible, particularly in larger organisations that are committed to staff training.

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