Retail Associate

About the Role

USC Auxiliary Services, through its USC Bookstores, is seeking a Retail Associate to join a rapidly growing team. This role focuses on providing exceptional customer service and driving sales, contributing to the "Best USC Experience."

Key Responsibilities

• Provide customer service to students, faculty, staff, and external customers, meeting their needs, offering options, resolving problems, and ensuring satisfaction.
• Offer professional, knowledgeable, and courteous customer service, assisting with locating merchandise, taking special orders, answering questions, and performing special services like gift wrapping.
• Communicate policies on returns and exchanges, monitor for shoplifting, and resolve customer complaints.
• Process merchandise returns, refunds, or exchanges.
• Perform all cashiering functions in accordance with department and university cash handling policies and procedures.
• Check price tags for alterations and protect against monetary losses by requiring appropriate identification for check cashing.
• Use appropriate verification procedures for credit card purchases.
• Keep the sales floor neat, clean, and fully-stocked, shelving new stock and informing buyers of stock performance.
• Maintain thorough knowledge of inventory and ensure merchandise is attractively displayed.
• Maintain cashiering desk/areas in a clean, organized fashion and ensure they are well-stocked with necessary supplies.
• Assist with answering incoming calls and directing them to the appropriate person or department.
• Make tags for damaged merchandise and deliver them to the designated area.
• Return misplaced merchandise to the correct department daily.
• Comply with all university and department policies and procedures.
• In the absence of the department manager, supervise student workers and/or Retail Associate Trainees.
• Assist the department manager in training new staff.
• Perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Requires regular travel throughout Southern California and some overnight travel within The United States.
• Requires a flexible schedule that may include working any day of the week (Monday-Sunday shifts) aligned with retail hours, and late evenings.
• Must be willing to drive for travel within Southern California.
• Experience with cashiering functions and cash handling policies.

Qualifications

• Minimum Education: High school or equivalent
• Minimum Experience: 6 - 12 months
• Minimum Field of Expertise: Retail Sales
• Valid CA driver's license required.
• Position will participate in the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Pull Notice System.
• A copy of DMV record will be required as a final condition of employment.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to USC’s Unifying Values.

Preferred Qualifications

• Preferred Field of Expertise: USC Retail Associate Trainee Experience