Thrift Store Associate - Burnet

APA! BACKGROUND:

Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is one of Austin’s most dynamic and best-loved nonprofits. The organization is the leader in the no-kill movement nationally and is considered a national thought leader in animal welfare. APA! locally rescues, treats, and adopts out 10,000 homeless dogs and cats each year, providing the safety net for Austin’s most at-risk shelter pets, which helps Austin to be a no-kill city, while also assisting other communities in saving homeless animals.

The organization is distinguished by the scrappiness of its grassroots, non-traditional, community-based animal rescue work.

The organization continues to innovate best practices to save lives and teaches its renowned lifesaving model through American Pets Alive!, APA!’s national division. In 2020, AmPA! began the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) project, a collaborative movement of more than 10,000 animal welfare professionals working in nearly 1,900 organizations. HASS is the first-of-its-kind collective of shelters and animal welfare professionals coming together to build community-focused animal services that better meet the needs of people and pets by keeping human-animal families together and keeping pets unnecessarily out of shelters.

APA! Thrift began in May 2017 with its 1st thrift store location on Burnet Rd, and we now operate 5 stores in the Austin area! Our stores are boutique-style, selling high-quality new and gently used items for low prices. All net proceeds directly support the innovative lifesaving programs of Austin Pets Alive!, a 501(c)(3) animal welfare organization. APA!’s Thrift Store Associate consistently delivers strong sales and service results.

The Thrift Store Associate will ensure that the store is properly staffed, team members are on task, and shelves are clean, organized, and well-stocked. The Thrift Store Associate is responsible for managing their daily responsibilities, maintaining clear priorities, and delivering consistent, high-quality work that aligns with APA!’s values and goals. This is a part-time, non-exempt (hourly) position. Shifts may vary depending on the needs of the organization and may include evenings and weekends.

The Thrift Store Associate reports to the Thrift Store Manager.

The Thrift Store Associate plays a key role in advancing the goals of APA!’s Thrift Store Department. This position contributes directly to APA!’s mission to increase the live release rate across Texas by supporting a sustainable, inclusive, and high-impact model for thrift store operations.

APA! is a volunteer-powered organization, so every staff member is expected to work alongside and support volunteers. The Thrift Store Associate collaborates closely with volunteers to complete day-to-day tasks, helps create a positive and inclusive environment, and actively contributes to a culture of shared effort and mutual respect.

This position may involve shift flexibility, weekend hours, and responsiveness during times of high need.

Every individual at APA! is responsible for working in collaboration with volunteers; making sure volunteers are recruited, trained and feel impactful through their efforts at APA!. A core part of this role is creating a welcoming and empowering experience for volunteers, including assisting with onboarding, training, and volunteer engagement as part of the day-to-day workflow.

• Actively contribute to a volunteer-powered culture by partnering with volunteers during every shift and helping create an inclusive, welcoming environment
• Work alongside volunteers to complete daily tasks, ensuring the work is shared and collaborative—not siloed
• Support the recruitment and onboarding process by welcoming new volunteers and helping them get oriented to the program
• Help retain volunteers by offering encouragement, guidance, and feedback during shared work
• Contribute to a positive culture by recognizing volunteer contributions through appreciation, gratitude, and shoutouts
• Help set volunteers up for success by clearly explaining tasks, providing hands‑on guidance, and offering in‑the‑moment support
• Supports the front of house…