Job Listing: RETAIL SHOP MANAGER - GARDEN SHOP (Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden)

RETAIL SHOP MANAGER - GARDEN SHOP

Manager: Chief Marketing & Experience Officer

Department: Guest Services

Location: Richmond, VA

Level/Salary Range: $55,000-$65,000

Travel Required: Periodic, usually regional

FLSA Exempt/Non- exempt: Exempt

Position Type: Full time (37.5 hrs/wk)

Contact: hr@lewisginter.org

Garden Overview

Mission

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s mission is connecting people to plants by inspiring communities to explore and conserve nature.

Vision

We are a Virginia garden of international significance leading in horticultural and educational excellence. We cultivate experiences that enhance each person’s relationship with the natural world.

Values

Responsibility, Innovation, Integrity, Hospitality and Inspiration

Founded in 1984, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a non-profit garden located in Richmond, Virginia’s Lakeside neighborhood. The Garden encompasses 82 acres, four lakes, 6,000 unique taxa of plants within 15 distinct outdoor gardens, 11 major buildings including a conservatory and greenhouse, plus an 80-acre branch site, the Lewis Ginter Nature Reserve. Annually, Lewis Ginter welcomes four hundred thousand visitors annually and is fortunate to include over 17,000 member-households.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the ground of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability or national origin in the hiring, retention, or promotion of employees. We support the diversity and inclusion policy adopted by The American Public Gardens Association: to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive culture where the contributions of all community members are valued, respected and appreciated.

Job Summary:

The Retail Shop Manager manages the daily operations of the Garden Shop, a destination store, garden guest amenity, and enterprise revenue center. The position oversees purchase and sale of inventory and maintains records. The positions hires and supervises employees and volunteers, plans and arranges stock placement and visual merchandising, and oversees public relations, special promotions, and/or seasonal sales events.

Reporting and Financial Duties:

• Achieves financial objectives by meeting revenue goals, preparing and managing departmental budget, scheduling expenditures, and accounting for and analyzing variances
• Keeps abreast of market trends to best identify current and future customer buying preferences
• Oversees yearly inventory with limited down time and accounting for all merchandise and discrepancies, and devises and implements proper inventory control measures
• Ensures registers and nightly close outs are accurate and balanced, and financial reporting is performed correctly and in a timely manner

Leadership and Staffing Duties:

• Develops, motivates and maintains a team that effectively work together, are cohesive in pursuing revenue goals, and creates a solid and sustainable staffing structure that allows for growth and increased capacity
• Oversees scheduling and staffing assignments and support for a team comprised of both full-time paid staff and volunteers

• Ensures timely opening and closing of the Garden Shop on a varying, flexible schedule that includes nights, weekends and holidays, with 12 hour/day operations during the six weeks of the annual holiday light show
• Delegates responsibilities whenever possible and provides opportunities for leadership training and professional development
• Creates a positive work environment through effective and regular communication, being an approachable manager and supportive of staff input and suggestions
• Participates in all Garden meetings and trainings for increased awareness of activities, events, exhibits and general planning
• Ensures all software upgrades and database conversions are performed and maintained when needed and initiates technology opportunities that enable staff to work efficiently and increases capacity of departmental tasks
• Ensures buying team participates in off-site professional organizations such as Museum Stores of Richmond meetings/events, Museum Store Association conferences & Retail Merchants Association networking socials

Analysis Duties:

• Seeks member and visitor metrics in order to initiate planning and purchasing strategies geared towards satisfying current customers, and with an awareness to changing audience demographics
• Seeks out future Garden exhibit plans in order to proactively pursue new merchandising opportunities relevant to upcoming exhibits, programs and to align with marketing efforts
• Formulates pricing policies and reviews purchasing activities to determine appropriate pricing, timing of sales and promotions, and authorizes clearance sales
• Analyzes shop merchandise and buying metrics to keep stock current and to adjust for improvements, enhancements or deletion
• Ensures merchandise is relevant to the Garden’s mission while allowing for a sustainable and growing revenue stream
• Reviews current department schedules with hourly sales records to consider changes effecting expenses that will positively affect profit margins

Purchasing and Marketing Duties

• Ensures all merchandise is tasteful, of high quality and mission related

• Works with team to display merchandise in a creative and tasteful way that maximize sales; ensures timely restock and refreshes displays as needed
• Attend market shows and encourages attendance at other specific local markets as deemed beneficial to revenue goals
• Negotiates with suppliers (volume discounts, freight costs, returns, etc.)
• Consistently and regularly makes maximum use of available in-house marketing tools and works closely with PR/Marketing Department to reach current and new client base through the Gardens website, emails, advertising, trade publications and social media platforms
• Actively initiates and regularly promotes exhibition specific and/or seasonal merchandise as well as special events geared to boost revenue
• Evaluates and improves online store to maximize sales and efficiency

Administrative and Customer Service Duties:

• Able to correct register transactions, handle gift card/certificate purchases and redemptions, process refunds, exchanges and voids.
• Assist customers, staff & volunteers with questions regarding inventory, availability and special orders
• Explores opportunities to promote the garden shop through value added experiences
• With supervisor, establishes and implements safety and risk management programs and training
• Establishes professional and cordial relations with fellow professionals locally, regionally, and nationally

Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of retail purchasing, inventory control and management principles, practices, and federal, state and local regulations for the operation of a retail establishment.
• Skill in budget preparation and fiscal management and reporting.
•  Ability to develop, plan and implement short-and long-range goals.
• Skill in examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures.
• Ability to supervise and train employees, to include organizing, prioritizing and schedule work assignments, evaluating performance and fostering a cooperative work environment.  
• Must possess outstanding organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to be self- motivated and disciplined
• Must be goal-oriented with a bias to action, yet flexible and adaptable to the potential of unanticipated opportunities
• Demonstrated ability with computers, Microsoft programs, and inventory POS databases
• Demonstrated ability to discern attractive, useful, desirable products that provides value and earns profit
• Able to work as part of a team and interact effectively, calmly, and cheerfully with customers, visitors, volunteers, and staff
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment and make quick decisions
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required
• Must possess a commitment to the Garden’s mission and its core values, particularly honesty and integrity
• Must successfully pass a criminal background check

Education and Experience

• BA/BS in marketing, visual merchandising, business management or a related field is preferred
• 5-10 years’ experience in a retail management position, supervising staff and/or volunteers
• Previous experience purchasing home and gift products or comparable merchandise
• Previous retail experience in a museum or other non-profit setting is desired
• Previous experience with TAM Retail or a similar POS software package
• Demonstrated ability to support organization mission as defined by superiors with competence, energy, and tact

• Demonstrated ability to develop and work with peers, co-workers, and volunteers

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Moderate physical activity. 
• Requires handling of objects up to 40 pounds.
• Ability to stand and/or walk for more than four (4) hours per day and walk up and down stairs frequently.

Note: Duties described above have been identified as essential functions as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Each Employee of Lewis Ginter

• Must comply with provisions of the current Employee Handbook, all published personnel policies and the requirements of their individual job descriptions

• Must conduct themselves and perform all duties in a manner consistent with a public garden serving multigenerational and multicultural individuals and families, and in accordance with directed practices and procedures
• Must be aware of surroundings, and vigilant to any possible threat to the safety of visitors, volunteers, and staff or to their property and ensure that all concerns are reported promptly
• Must report all mishaps, injuries and incidents immediately and ultimately in writing to supervisor(s) and to the leadership team
• Must ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations
• Must perform other duties as assigned by supervisor

Please submit cover letter and resume to hr@lewisginter.org