Retail Associate

USC Auxiliary Services, one of the largest divisions at The University of Southern California, is focused on making a difference for over 65,000 students, athletes, faculty, staff, and guests who visit our campuses each day.  Through our innovative services, our six central business units (USC Bookstores, USC Hospitality, USC Housing, USC Transportation, the USC Hotel and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum) collectively create the best USC experience for future leaders, scientists, filmmakers, engineers, and doctors alike. Auxiliary Services works tirelessly to welcome all visitors into the Trojan family. We are driven to succeed by our commitment to uphold our unifying values.

Being part of the Trojan Family means belonging to an amazing international community that reaches beyond cities, industries, and time. Owned and operated by USC, the USC Bookstores embrace talent, nurture skills, and support ambition! A thriving retail organization with nine physical locations, a booming online presence, and over $35 million in annual sales, USC Bookstores are dedicated to creating the Best USC Experience. The Best USC Experience means outstanding customer service, excellent products, and a great place to work!

We are seeking a Retail Associate to join our rapidly growing team.

The Opportunity:

Are you passionate about providing exceptional customer service? Are you driven to set and exceed high sales goals? Then we want you! As our Retail Associate, you will be a fountain of knowledge for our guests as they browse our spacious locations. With your friendly, helpful demeanor, you will help our team create the best USC experience for each guest that comes through our doors. We will depend on you to help us set, and surpass, all of the sales goals that meet our growing needs. Join us today!

This position requires regular travel throughout Southern California and some overnight travel within The United States. The position requires a flexible schedule that may include working any day of the week (Monday-Sunday shifts) aligned with retail hours, and late evenings.

The Accountabilities:

• Provide customer service to students, faculty, staff and external customers. Meet customer needs, offer options, resolve problems and follows up with customers. Ensure full customer satisfaction without unnecessarily referring customer to other staff members. Maintain friendly, helpful demeanor.

• Provide professional, knowledgeable, courteous customer service. Assist customers in locating merchandise, take special orders, answer questions, perform gift wrapping and/or other special services, communicates policies on returns and exchanges. Monitor for shoplifting. Resolve customer complaints and processes 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. Protect department against monetary losses by requiring appropriate identification for check cashing. Use appropriate verification procedures for credit card purchases.

• Keep sales floor neat, clean and fully-stocked. Shelve new stock, inform buyers of fast- and slow-selling stock, maintain thorough knowledge of inventory. Ensure merchandise is attractively displayed. Maintain cashiering desk/areas in a clean, organized fashion. Keeps cashiering area well-stocked with necessary supplies, such as shopping bags, credit card drafts, etc.

• Assist with answering incoming calls and directing them to the appropriate person or department.

• Make tags for damaged merchandise, delivers daily to designated area. Return misplaced merchandise to correct department daily.

• Comply with all university and department policies and procedures.

• In the absence of department manager, supervise student workers and/or Retail Associate Trainees. Assist department manager in training new staff

• Perform other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

• This role will require travel within Southern California. Must be willing to drive.**

The Qualifiers:

• 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. For more information please visit the policy website.

• In addition, the successful candidate must also demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC’s Unifying Values.

What We Prefer:

• Preferred Field of Expertise: USC Retail Associate Trainee Experience

The Trojan Family Rewards:

We pride ourselves in creating the BEST USC EXPERIENCE, and that begins with our employees! We offer a wide variety of benefits and programs that support our staff and their families. For more information please visit https://employees.usc.edu/benefits-perks.

This support advocates work-life balance and employee well-being. As members of the Trojan family, employees are connected by the traditions and history that make us proud to be Trojans!

The work culture thrives on mutual respect, trust, and synergy amongst all of its members.

USC has great minds that transform the world with their talents and research. Will you be one? Join us!

FIGHT ON!

The hourly rate for this position is $20.00. When determining an offer, the University of Southern California considers factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills, internal peer alignment, applicable laws, contractual requirements, grant funding, and market conditions.