This is the day in the life of Jennifer, Head of Retail at Dove House.
Hello, my name is Jennifer Rowan and I joined Dove House: 2nd April 2024 as their Head of Retail
I made the transition over to Charity Retail from Luxury Menswear Retail around six years ago and haven’t looked back. I have always admired the incredible services Dove House Hospice offer having grown up just outside of Hull. I find it amazing how much money the shops raise for the hospice and how that money can help those in our community who may be going through some of the most difficult of times. I love ALL our shops and I am a regular Dove House shop customer. The retail staff are so friendly and welcoming and create a wonderful shopping experience for our customers (me included!)
I first visited the hospice a few years ago when I was working with a different organisation. The hospice has such a welcoming feeling to it and the staff and volunteers are so friendly and willing to help with anything. I remember thinking after that visit ‘I would love to one day work for Dove House’
What makes Dove House so special is undoubtably the incredible staff and volunteers!
Working as part of the Retail Team is truly exciting and no two days are ever the same. I feel proud to lead such a passionate team who consistently go above and beyond to raise funds for those in our community.
I love hearing how the money raised in retail has helped those in need. Hearing about the services that the hospice can offer, such as the Child Bereavement Group, due to the money raised in the shops, is brilliant and it motivates the whole team. I also love stories of how the shops have helped people in our community. Half an hour in our shop can be the piece of normality for someone going through a difficult time. Our retail staff create welcoming environments for our community, and we have such a loyal customer base.
Working in Charity Retail can be very fast paced, with no two days the same, which is one of the reasons I love my job! I have to constantly think on my feet and adapt to challenges along the way. As Head of Retail, I will often work with the Retail Area Managers to see how we can support our team to increase income for the hospice. That may be ensuring the right donations are going to the right location, organising a special sale or pop-up event, ensuring our shops look as good as possible and our customers have the best experience when shopping with us.
I love how my role allows me to collaborate with all departments across the hospice and I often work closely with Marketing, Fundraising, Facilities, People & Development & Finance.
Launching our first new concept shop, The Market by Dove House Hospice and having Chiedu Oraka at our opening is one of my biggest achievements so far. The day was a huge success, and it was so wonderful to see the queue of shoppers lining up all the way down the road!
Hosting my first Retail Away Day and getting the whole team together and leading such a passionate and hardworking team closely follow behind.
I hope to continue to build on the fantastic success of Dove House Retail long into the future and increase the income for Dove House Hospice as much as I can.