Online Sales and Auction Specialist - Full-time

Compensation: $18/hr 

Benefits:
We have three comprehensive healthcare plans to choose from based on your priorities and budget. Housing Works covers most of the plan; you pay a portion, based on your salary. Staff begins accruing PTO immediately for a total of up to 30 days earned in the first year. We offer employees an educational benefit. This money is available for tuition loan reimbursement, tuition costs, and text books.

Overview:

The Online Sales and Auction Specialist is responsible for ensuring online customer service meets Housing Works brand guidelines, thereby ensuring maximum revenue and repeat customers to our site. This position is also responsible for curating items to post on our website to include Thrift Shop Auction Windows and Specialty Auctions. This position will work with the auction team, store teams and administrative team to ensure that auction sales meet the planned budget. This individual will split their time working between our 9 Thrift Shops, Bookstore and PDC.

Responsibilities:

Primary:

• Drive sales and profitability via online auctions.
• Oversee all auction installations and de-installations, ensuring all auction windows are visually appealing and within brand standards.
• Effectively curate and theme auctions for maximum revenue.
• Ensure auction items are evaluated properly, ensuring appropriate research is done and online descriptions accurately and appropriately describe the item/product.
• Ensure that all online inquiries, phone inquiries and customer service issues are responded to within our corporate brand standards and customer service policies and procedures.
• Ensure data integrity in all sales and shipping records of auction items.
• Procure and post online auctions to include donations from Thrift Shops, Bookstore, and In-Kind.
• Collect and prepare in store auction items, and online only auction items items for shipping.
• Manage accounts with FedEx, PayPal, and ShipRush.
• Establish and maintain relationships with store management teams to ensure compliance with auction policies and procedures.
• Maintain auction windows as needed, including painting, minor repair and cleaning.
• Abide by auction policies and procedures for Loss Prevention and organization.

Secondary:

• Work with administrative team on special events and promotions, offering both visual merchandising and product knowledge support.
• Participate in major events and fundraisers.
• Ability to work with cross functional partners effectively.
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge through independent study and/or by attending training seminars.
• To understand and fully implement Housing Works’ customer service program, showcasing exemplary internal and external customer service.
• Preserve positive work-atmosphere by communicating with coworkers, volunteers, supervisors and customers/donors cordially and effectively.

Requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent, some college preferred
• Knowledge of antique/modern furniture, collectibles, books, and vintage/designer clothing, strong working knowledge of the second hand internet industry
• Visual display experience, creative visual merchandising skills
• Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written), interpersonal and team-oriented skills
• Excellent customer service skills, both internal and external
• Self-starting, self motivating mindset, ability to work independently with little supervision
• Ability to train and motivate volunteers and trainees
• Strong organizational and follow up skills, manages time wisely

Job candidates should be aware that scammers may pose as employers and create fake job postings in order to extract personal information from individuals for financial gain. Housing Works will never ask job candidates for personal information, such as social security numbers or bank account details, over the phone. If you suspect that a job posting may be fake or wish to confirm that a job posting from Housing Works is genuine, please contact us at recruitment@housingworks.org

Housing Works was founded in 1990; With a long-term commitment to AIDS advocacy. Housing Works established New York State’s first harm reduction-based, OASAS-licensed outpatient drug treatment program. Other services include Health Home care management, behavioral health, and syringe exchange programs. A pioneer in the social entrepreneurship movement, Housing Works operates 10 high-end thrift shops in Manhattan and Brooklyn and a much-loved Bookstore Cafe in Soho. For more information, visit www.housingworks.org

Housing Works fights for funding and legislation to ensure that all people living with HIV/AIDS have access to quality housing, healthcare, HIV prevention, and treatment, among other lifesaving services.

Housing Works provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements. Housing Works complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. Housing Works also does not request prior salary information during the hiring process. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

This position is included in a bargaining unit of Housing Works’ New York City employees represented by a labor union known as the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (“RWDSU”). Accordingly, the RWDSU has the exclusive right to bargain over the terms and conditions of employment related to this position and this position may become covered by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement (a “CBA”) between Housing Works and the RWDSU