Customer Sales Advisor

About Talking Hens

Talking Hens is a family-run, award-winning retail business that specialises in friendly, backyard laying hens plus a range of poultry products and our own high-grade chicken feed. We're based on a 15-acre farm in Merricks, just over an hour from Melbourne, and we're proud of our sustainability focus — locally made, recyclable and high-quality materials wherever possible. Join a team that's fun, practical and community-minded, where the work is hands-on and every day is a little different.

The role — why it's great

You'll be the friendly face of Talking Hens on the farm: welcoming customers, giving practical, expert advice about keeping hens, and helping keep our shop and displays looking gorgeous. This is a brilliant role if you enjoy sales and advising people, enjoy animals, are comfortable doing physical tasks and want a job with real variety and purpose. We'll give you full product and hen-handling training — you don't need to arrive as an expert.

Candidates must hold permanent residency status to be considered for this position.

Applicants must be 21 years of age or older to handle chickens in this role.

What you'll do (day-to-day)

• Greet customers, answer questions and provide tailored advice about hens, feed and coop care.
• Handle, collect and prepare hens for customers safely and calmly.
• Operate our POS system (Square) and complete sales transactions accurately.
• Merchandise and refresh displays so the shop looks welcoming and tidy.
• Make up and label products (e.g. feed bags, starter bundles), and help load purchases into customer vehicles.
• Keep store, warehouse and hen enclosures clean and well organised.
• Spot low stock and assist with simple stock control tasks.
• Help with opening/closing, putting out signage and occasional farm-yard tasks.

About you — what we're looking for

• Comfortable working with animals - in this case, chickens.
• Very strong customer service skills — an excellent listener who gives friendly, practical advice.
• Strong sales skills with proven experience in a retail sales environment.
• Physically fit: able to safely lift 20 kg feed bags and handle physical tasks.
• Honest, dependable and happy to work independently or as part of a small team.
• Good attention to detail and pride in merchandising and presentation.
• Minimum 2 years' retail sales experience.
• Experience using POS systems is helpful — we'll train you in our processes.
• Current Victorian driver's licence.
• Weekend availability is essential (our busiest days).
• Fluent English (written and verbal).

Nice to have: previous experience caring for poultry, e-commerce, and management.

We'll give you

• Full on-the-job training in hen handling, product knowledge and sales processes.
• A friendly, inclusive team and a genuinely different workplace — part farm, part shop.
• Employee discount on our products.
• The chance to build skills in animal care, retail and customer education — great for someone who wants meaningful work.
• A supportive environment where sustainability and high standards matter.

Practical details & dress code

• Casual role with weekend shifts - flexibility is important.
• Must be able to lift 20kg feed bags repeatedly throughout the day.
• Must hold a current Victorian driver's licence.
• Talking Hens will provide a clean work shirt to wear while on shift; hair must be tied back if shoulder-length, and closed-toe shoes are required. We ask that visible tattoos and facial piercings be managed in keeping with a family-facing retail environment. (We're happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments.)

How to apply

Please apply via Seek with your CV and a short cover letter (2–3 lines) telling us: what you retail, and why you'd enjoy working in our farm shop. Alternatively, you can email your application to or call for an informal chat.

Closing date: Applications reviewed as they arrive — we'll close the ad once we find the right person, so please apply soon.

A fair go for everyone

We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Talking Hens is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from people of diverse ages, cultures and life experiences.

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