Job description

- Use your people skills and life experience to create safe, welcoming in-store experiences
- Earn $31.21 per hour + 15% superannuation + salary packaging benefits
- Newly created role offering both part-time and full-time opportunities

Bring your customer service experience, sound judgement and compassion to Vinnies, helping create positive, welcoming and safe store experiences for everyone.

About the Role

As a Customer Engagement Officer, you’ll be a visible, approachable presence in our Vinnies shop, meeting, greeting and assisting customers and donors from a diverse range of backgrounds.

A key part of the role is reading situations well and responding with calm, confident and respectful communication. You’ll use sound judgement to manage challenging behaviours, de-escalate conflict, set appropriate boundaries and support staff in difficult situations. Through proactive engagement and strong situational awareness, you’ll contribute to workplace safety, risk management and theft prevention while maintaining positive customer interactions and supporting the shop’s retail goals.

Working closely with the Retail Centre Manager, employees and volunteers, you’ll build rapport, provide information about donations and Vinnies services, and help create a safe, inclusive and respectful environment. You’ll also support day-to-day retail activities, including assisting customers at the registers, preparing stock for the shop floor, maintaining displays and helping keep the store welcoming and well presented.

We have both part-time and full-time opportunities available, with shifts worked across weekdays.

About You

You bring maturity, resilience and genuine compassion, together with the confidence to engage respectfully with people from all walks of life. You remain calm under pressure, communicate exceptionally well in difficult or sensitive situations, and work collaboratively to support a safe, welcoming environment.

To succeed in this role, you will bring:





Experience in front-of-house, customer-facing or community engagement roles, with solid customer service skills and confidence meeting, greeting and assisting a diverse range of people.

Life experience and maturity gained through working across different industries or environments.

The ability to read situations well, exercise sound judgement, manage challenging behaviours and de-escalate conflict.

- Exceptional communication skills, particularly in difficult or sensitive situations, and the ability to build rapport with people of all ages, backgrounds and life experiences.
- A positive, approachable and friendly manner, genuine compassion and a desire to help others.
- Experience contributing to workplace safety and supporting staff in challenging situations, together with an understanding of Work Health and Safety requirements and risk management principles.
- Awareness of the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness, disadvantage or social isolation.
- High energy and resilience, with the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and remain calm, confident and professional under pressure.
- Strong personal presence and the confidence to set appropriate boundaries while maintaining respectful customer interactions.
- A commitment to Vinnies’ mission, values and community-focused culture.
- Retail experience would be highly regarded but is not essential.

Successful applicants will be required to complete a National Police Check and hold or obtain, a Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) Card and a First Aid Certificate upon commencement.

What we offer

At Vinnies,



we value our employees and are committed to supporting our people with a comprehensive range of benefits to enhance work-life balance and overall wellbeing. You can look forward to:

- Enterprise Agreement Classification Retail Level 2 – $31.21 per hour plus 15% superannuation
- Boost your take-home pay with salary packaging of up to $15,900 per FBT year, plus an additional Meals and Entertainment package of up to $2,650 per FBT year
- Access to our Employee Assistance Program to support your health and wellbeing
- Ongoing training, learning opportunities, and career progression pathways

Want to Know More?

For detailed role information, please contact Isla Bindon-Howell, Area Manager via [email protected] using the subject line: Customer Engagement Officer – Braddon enquiry via EthicalJobs or 0407 959 359 (during business hours).

For general recruitment enquiries, contact our team at [email protected].

To apply, please click 'Apply Now' to submit your resume and cover letter outlining your suitability.

The position description can be downloaded here (also attached below).

Applications Close: 11:30pm, on the closing date.

Please note shortlisted applicants may be contacted prior to the closing date.

Safeguarding Commitment: In its work, Vinnies Canberra Goulburn is committed to the safeguarding and protecting of children and vulnerable people. We work to prevent all forms of abuse and protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults, making sure they are treated with dignity and care. Our full safeguarding commitment statement is available Safeguarding | Vinnies

St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to engaging a diverse workforce. The Society strongly encourages applications from people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, people with disability, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

📌 Customer Engagement Officer – Braddon (Canberra)
🏢 St Vincent de Paul Society (Canberra/Goulburn)
📍 Canberra