Retail Award — Classification Levels

You are new to retail (generally less than 3 months). You perform basic retail duties under supervision while learning the role.

• Serving customers and processing sales at the register under supervision
• Handling cash and EFTPOS transactions under supervision
• Basic product presentation — ticketing, facing, restocking shelves
• Gift-wrapping and basic packaging
• Cleaning and maintaining the store and work areas
• Receiving and putting away stock under direction
• Performing stockroom duties under supervision

You have at least 3 months of retail experience and can perform your duties competently with limited supervision.

• Independently serving customers and handling all types of transactions
• Operating point-of-sale systems and handling cash independently
• Some product knowledge to assist customers with purchasing decisions
• Basic visual merchandising and stock presentation
• Stocktaking and stock replenishment
• Lay-by, lay-away, and basic customer service functions
• Assisting with the opening and closing of the store

You have specialist product knowledge or perform more complex retail duties. You may deal with a technical product range or perform stockroom management tasks.

• Advising customers on products requiring specialist knowledge (e.g. electronics, hardware, pharmacy items)
• Operating and maintaining specialist equipment
• Stockroom management — receiving, checking, and processing deliveries
• Handling customer complaints and returns independently
• Conducting stocktakes and maintaining inventory records
• Mentoring or assisting newer staff in their duties
• Handling complex cash-office procedures

You perform higher-level specialist functions, provide significant customer service, and may have some supervisory or coordination responsibilities.

• Advanced specialist product knowledge — advising on complex purchases
• Training and guiding junior employees in the workplace
• Handling all types of customer service issues independently
• Complex visual merchandising and display planning
• Assisting with performance monitoring of junior staff
• Complex stock control functions including shrinkage monitoring

You have supervisory duties — you may be a key holder or leading hand, responsible for the store or department when the manager is absent.

• Supervising staff on shift or in a section
• Opening and/or closing the store as a key holder
• Delegating tasks and overseeing workloads
• Handling staff issues and escalated customer complaints
• Assisting with stock ordering and inventory management
• Training and inducting new employees
• Cash reconciliation and banking procedures

You are a department head or section supervisor with responsibility for ordering, rostering, and managing a team.

• Managing a department or section of the store
• Responsibility for stock ordering and management within your department
• Preparing rosters and managing team hours
• Performance management of staff in your department
• Setting and maintaining visual merchandising standards
• Reporting on department performance to management

You manage a department with full accountability for staffing, operations, and performance.

• Full responsibility for a department including budget and targets
• Hiring, managing, and developing department staff
• Complex stock management, ordering, and shrinkage control
• Reporting to store management on departmental KPIs
• Implementing store-wide retail strategies in your department
• Managing relationships with suppliers and service providers

You hold the highest award classification — typically responsible for multiple departments or have significant store-wide management responsibilities.

• Managing multiple departments or having store-wide operations responsibility
• Senior management duties covering staffing, operations, and compliance
• Strategic planning at the store or department level
• Significant financial accountability (budgets, targets, reporting)
• Complex employee relations and people management
• Liaison with head office on store performance and operations