Customer Service Assistant - May 2026
WORKING HERE
Each year, we recruit friendly, motivated Sussex and BSMS students to join our student staff team as Customer Service Assistants across Falmer Bar, Union Shop and the Co-operative Store.
Working with us is not like working anywhere else. Our team regularly tell us that the best parts of the job are the people they work with, the supportive atmosphere, and the flexibility the role offers around student life. Our commercial services are genuinely student-led, with elected Full-time Officers on our Company Board, student staff representatives in every outlet, and managers who operate an open-door policy.
These roles are a great opportunity to build confidence, develop transferable skills, gain customer service experience, and meet new people while studying. Whether you already have work experience or this is your first job, we provide training and support to help you settle into the role.
As a Customer Service Assistant in Falmer Bar, you can expect a fast-paced and social role where no two shifts are the same. You might be taking customer orders, serving food, making coffees, preparing drinks, and learning how to pour pints, with full training provided. You will also help with the day-to-day running of the venue by clearing tables, restocking, and carrying out toilet checks. It is very much a team effort, and everyone pitches in to help keep the venue running smoothly. There is also the chance to work some of the biggest and most exciting events of the year, including Freshers’ in September and other major student events on campus.
As a Customer Service Assistant in our retail outlets, including the Co-operative Store and Union Shop, the role is about much more than stocking shelves. You will be helping customers, working on tills, replenishing stock, receiving deliveries, and helping to keep the shop tidy, welcoming and well presented. You may also help customers choose University of Sussex clothing and merchandise, and support with pop-up merchandise shops at key events such as graduation. It is a great way to build communication skills and experience in a busy customer-facing environment.
Whether you are looking for bar work, retail experience, or a flexible job around your studies, this is a chance to learn new skills, meet new people, and be part of a student-led organisation at the heart of campus.
You can read the full Job Description here
INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY
We are committed to maintaining a diverse workforce because we know how important it is to have staff, decision makers and collaborators with varied lived experiences and backgrounds that reflect the range of needs in our diverse student community.
We particularly encourage applications from mature students, postgraduate students and international students, people with an ethnic minority background, people who have a Chinese background, people with a disability, people with dependents, and people who identify as LGBTQ+. Staff at The Students' Union will also have the opportunity to join our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Staff Network.
We also anonymise applications before shortlisting and give staff conducting interviews Unconscious Bias Training. You don’t need shop, bar or student advice experience to work here, though this will be factored into the selection process.
Please be aware that all our bar staff are required to serve alcohol and so if your faith prohibits you from selling alcohol you may prefer to select shop work only as your preferences when completing the application form as we will not be able to sustain work for bar staff that do not sell alcohol.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications open on the website at 11am on Wednesday 1 April 2026 and close at 11pm (BST) on Wednesday 22 April 2026.
As part of the application, you will be asked to answer one short question: “Describe what qualities, skills and/or experience you have that would make you good at this job.”
Your answer must be no more than 1,000 characters, including spaces. We will also ask for some basic information about you.
After applications close, we will review all applications and shortlist candidates. If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to attend an in-person Selection Event on campus.
---
The Selection Event is designed to help us get to know you a bit better. It will include:
pre-interview task where we will ask you to draw your perfect customer service assistant and then present them at an interview
a small group task where you will work with others to prepare a short presentation
The tasks are designed to be straightforward and to give you a chance to show us how you communicate, work with others, and approach new situations.
Please note that Selection Events will take place on campus, in person only.
We will also offer one Selection Event specifically for international students. If you are an international student and would feel more comfortable attending this session, you will be able to choose it. We understand that applying for jobs in a new country can feel unfamiliar, and this session is intended to provide a welcoming environment alongside other students who may be in a similar position.
---
We will be recruiting a number of students to work across our outlets. If you are offered a role, Right to Work checks, inductions and training will take place on the following dates:
- Falmer Bar
Right to Work Checks, Induction and Training Afternoon
Wednesday 2 September 2026, 10am to 5pm
- Retail – Co-op and Union Shop
Right to Work Checks and Induction
Wednesday 2 September 2026, 2pm to no later than 5pm
When applying, please have your calendar ready so you can tell us your availability for both Selection Events and induction. Applicants who are available for more than one Selection Event may have more flexibility when we are allocating spaces.
Please also note that attendance at the in-person induction is a condition of employment. If you do not attend your induction, we will unfortunately need to withdraw your job offer.
If you have any problems applying, please contact sarthak.p@sussexstudent.com
RATE OF PAY
You will be paid £15.07 per hour (made up of £13.45 basic wage + £1.62 holiday pay). Pay is calculated this way because our students often have other work in vacation time. They tell us that they prefer an enhanced hourly amount rather than separate holiday pay.
HOURS OF WORK
Working hours are over a 7 day period and will include early mornings, late evenings, and weekends. We form rotas around fixed academic commitments which at Sussex often vary from week to week! Staff let us know their academic commitments for a 2-4 week period, and we make up a rota based on this information. As we build shifts around fixed academic commitments, our student staff need to offer as much availability around studies as possible to support this working relationship
CONTRACTS
We offer flexible hour contracts:
Customer Service Assistants in our shops (Union Shop and Co-op) commit to working 9-12 hours per week during term time (in which we include: teaching periods, arrival weekend, welcome week / freshers’ period) and 5-9 hours per week during inter-semester weeks and revision weeks / private study periods, and during all assessment periods.
Customer Service Assistants in our venues (Falmer Bar and Room 76) commit to working 9-12 hours per week during term time only.
Please note that the above fixed number of hours are not a limit and there may be scope for taking on extra hours for some weeks. There will also be the option to work fewer hours in any given week if agreed in advance with the line manager. We do not guarantee any hours during scheduled University vacation periods.
OUR STAFF
Our staff are the face of the Union, and as such they need to work effectively and considerately within their team to create a friendly and professional experience for students using our services. You would be great at one of these roles if you have the following abilities and approach to your role:
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
All times are based on British Summer Time (BST)
- Applications Open: 1st April 2026
- Applications close: 22nd April 2026 at 11pm.
- Invitations to shortlisted applicants: 24th April 2026.
- Deadline to book an interview slot: 29th April 2026 at 3pm (Please note: IF YOU HAVEN’T CHOSEN A SLOT BY THIS TIME, YOUR INVITATION WILL BE WITHDRAWN.)
---
SELECTION EVENT
Tuesday 5 May 2026
10am to 11:35am – open to all applicants
12pm to 1:35pm – international students only
2pm to 3:35pm – open to all applicants
---
- Successful applicants will be informed: Friday 8 May 2026
- Unsuccessful applicants will be informed: Monday 11 May 2026
---
RIGHT TO WORK CHECKS AND INDUCTION DATES
- Falmer Bar
Right to Work Checks, Induction and Training Afternoon
Wednesday 2 September 2026, 10am to 5pm
- Retail – Co-op and Union Shop
Right to Work Checks and Induction
Wednesday 2 September 2026, 2pm to no later than 5pm
Applications that are not submitted/delayed will not be considered.
PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES
All our Duty Managers have been promoted from a Customer Assistant role, and these starting positions therefore offer great developmental opportunities for someone who can demonstrate further skills. We also recruit for other positions each year, with many outlet staff going on to successfully apply for one of our graduate positions or permanent positions within the wider Students’ Union.
Do sign up for our vacancy notification service to hear about vacancies as and when they arise.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
If you have difficulty filling in the phone number section of our application form because you currently have an international phone number, please just enter eleven zeros
We really welcome applications from international students for all of our student vacancies.
Due to legal regulations we have to ensure that everyone is eligible to work in the UK and this would be done by checking your visa, and/or by us taking a copy of an original passport (and/or other appropriate identification), on or before your first day of work. You may also be limited in the number of hours you would be allowed to work.
Find out more information about applying to work in the UK
In any case, we would encourage all international students to apply for a job in one of our friendly outlets to give yourself the chance of being selected, and we would look to see the appropriate identification on or before your first day of work.
GETTING PAID
To get paid you’d need to provide us with proof of your national insurance number as soon as possible after accepting a job offer. To make this process quicker we ask that those without a national insurance number apply for one now/as early as possible as these can take some time to arrive. International students will be able to apply as soon as they arrive in the UK. You can find out more about applying for a national insurance number, or recovering a lost national insurance number here.
If you need support in applying for a National Insurance Number you may find that Sussex University's International Support Team can help: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/international-students/international-student-support
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
After a long day of studying on a really intensive course, it feels nice to be doing something where you’re on your feet, rather than returning to the work which I had done before in a law firm. Having said that, as a Duty Manager I am additionally trusted with tasks such as opening up the shop and doing banking, as well as managing staff! Working at the shop has also really helped me build up commercial awareness which was something we are asked to do on my academic course. It’s a really friendly place to work, not bossing people about but working as a team, and I have never done anything like that before; it will really add to my CV. - Ashley, Postgraduate, Union Shop Assistant, then Duty Manager, then HR Administrator
The thing I’ve always enjoyed about working for the Union is that everyone is really friendly and working together to support lots of students from a variety of backgrounds at different points in their lives. As a staff member I had the opportunity to recruit future colleagues and I don’t think many places would let you do that! Having the opportunity to specialise within this environment was great - I became responsible for setting up equipment for live music events, and by doing so I developed technical skills which were relevant and really useful to my music degree - Ed, BA Music Graduate, Bar Assistant, then Digital Engagement Coordinator (Graduate Scheme)
STAFF BENEFITS
MORE INFORMATION
To find out more about working for the Students' Union go to: