Position Description:
The Retail Merchandise Specialist supports the mission of the
Museum and guides the Shop to provide earned revenue for the museum. The
Reginald F. Lewis museum is seeking an individual with a strong retail acumen and a
strong vision to help expand our museum sales, both onsite and through e commerce.
The Retail Merchandise Specialist plays a key role in providing excellent customer
experience. The position is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the museum
shop including purchasing, merchandising, point of sale management, reconciliation,
inventory control, and the management of shop merchandise and sales training for
staff and volunteers.
Essential Duties:
● Responsible for all aspects of inventory, supplies, purchasing, and
merchandising both onsite and e-commerce.
● Oversees daily operations and sales reconciliation within POS systems,
tracking/deposits.
● Cultivates, trains, and supports volunteers and part-time staff to support the
museum shop’s revenue efforts.
● Prepares an annual budget, business plan, monitors sales trends, and tracks
monthly sales figures reporting to the Director of Operations.
● Compares the museum shop to the broader market and is knowledgeable
about other similar services, pricing, and customer development.
● Finds opportunities to collaborate with like-minded museums and regional
organizations.
● Works with marketing and IVEE personnel to establish appropriate brand
promotions, advertising, print, web, and social media material.
● Maintains excellent relationships with local, regional, and nationally located
artists. Manages consignment with select artists.
● Tracks merchandise for reorder or sales trends and prepares analytics using
POS systems.
● Organizes and develops special commissions for specialized promotions and
product development: annual ornaments, annual holiday weight, exhibition
artists, visiting artists in conjunction with other departments and receives
approval from the Director of Operations.
● Seeks new sales avenues in conjunction with the mission and direction of the
museum, including growth strategy to include e-commerce.
● Other duties as assigned.
Education/Qualifications:
● The ideal candidate will have 2 to 3 years of retail experience including
merchandising, purchasing, and promotion.
● Excellent people and customer service skills
● Excellent computer skills using Google Suite, adept in the operation of a POS
system and other database systems, Salesforce, Shopify, QuickBooks, sales
report generation, inventory control, and e-commerce promotions.
● Able to keep current on shipping and postal regulations, and manage
ecommerce fulfillment..
● Some travel may be necessary.
● Some evening and weekend work is required.
Physical Demands:
● The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be
met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
This position requires the ability to move, pack, and ship objects. Performing
the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to perform semi-skilled
movements such as operation of a computer keyboard, telephone, calculator,
paper cutter, and other office equipment. The employee is regularly required to
exert light to medium physical effort in work involving lifting, carrying, pushing,
walking, standing, reaching with hands and arms, climbing, balancing, stooping,
kneeling, crouching or crawling. The employee must occasionally lift and/or
move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities require close vision, color vision,
and ability to adjust focus.
Knowledge and Abilities:
● The position needs enthusiasm, creativity and a commitment to the mission
and vision of the museum as well as being a positive person, interacting
courteously and respectfully with both internal and external customers.
● Critical thinker and self-starter who is willing to work proactively to identify key
priorities and work across teams to implement the necessary solutions. ● Ability
to bring a forward-looking approach to solving current challenges and initiatives.
● Strong logistical experience, with commitment to details.
● Presents a professional, businesslike image to all co-workers, visitors,
customers, and the public.
● An ability to foster trust and keep all information confidential.
● Must be self-aware, self-regulated, motivated, and empathetic.
