Description

Position Summary: 

Under the leadership of the Director of Retail, Events, and Hospitality, the Retail Manager oversees the staff and operations of both the Frank Lloyd Wright Store at Taliesin West and its eCommerce platform, ensuring a strong revenue stream and an exceptional experience for both in-person and online visitors.  

In addition, the Retail Manager supports the Director in tracking, analyzing, and reporting financial data, developing a strategic marketing plan to drive sales, and positioning the FLW Store as a premier retail destination—serving the local community, the 100,000+ annual Taliesin West tour attendees, and a global online audience.

 Essential Functions:

• Manages the daily operations and retail staff of the Taliesin West retail store with the goal of ensuring smooth operations, adequate staffing levels, and a customer-centric shopping experience.
• Leads the selection process for new products and vendors, purchases inventory from approved vendors, researches emerging products and trends, and anticipates buyer interest with the goals of maintaining the 3-prong assortment strategy by supporting: Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Licensing programs, unique Taliesin West assortments, and supporting and expanding the Artisan Collaboration Collection program.
• Trains and coaches retail staff on customer service standards, point of sale operation, product knowledge, and merchandising philosophy all with an eye on the mission of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
• Creates store staffing schedules to balance customer service standards with payroll budgets.
• Supervises eCommerce operations and staff to ensure the online platform is updated with new products, merchandised in a compelling manner, and that inventory levels are reconciled and accurate.
• Supervises Receiving and Fulfillment operations and staff to ensure online orders are fulfilled in an accurate and timely manner and new receipts are processed quickly and precisely.
• Maintains optimal inventory levels to meet customer demand while staying within the store's budget, ensuring effective use of merchandising space and backstock storage.
• Manages communication and fulfillment with customers and vendors on special orders, drop-ship orders, and commissioned sculpture sales.
• Works with the Marketing & Communications department in submitting content for retail eBlasts and product submissions for the monthly eNewsletter.
• Prepares sales reports and assists with annual budgets.
• Provides product feedback and insight into the Licensing Team.
• Maintains a safe and clean store environment.
• Expands professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; establishing professional networks; and attending trade shows and conferences.
• Other duties as assigned.

This position is full time with a salary of $75-80K/year (commensurate with experience) and comprehensive benefits including a paid time-off package. The Foundation pays up to 90% of monthly health-care premiums and enrolls all regular full-time employees into our life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, and long-term care policies at no cost to employees.

A career at Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation offers more than the opportunity to impact the world through our mission. Our team does vital and valued work that fosters creativity, collaboration, and camaraderie. Besides competitive compensation and benefits, we offer an inclusive environment, amazing views, and incredible architecture to inspire you every day.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

•  Bachelor’s degree in a related field from an accredited college or university; at leas three-years’ retail operations management experience or equivalent combination of education and work experience,
• Hands-on involvement with product buying, merchandise management, inventory control, budget preparation, and expense analysis.
• Demonstrated experience training and supervising staff.
• Experience in managing inventory logistics, annual budgets, and internal IT, P.O.S., and retail system relationships.

Proficiency using Shopify, or a comparable retail platform.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Proven ability to analyze and solve problems and maintain positive working relationships with a diverse population.
• Strong written and oral communication skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to establish and meet goals, priorities, and their deadlines by managing workflow.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Versatility, flexibility, and a willingness to work within constantly changing priorities with enthusiasm.
• Creative, flexible, and innovative team player.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Retail management, supervisory, and budget experience in an educational/cultural and/or tourist environment,
• General knowledge of 20th-century architecture, design, and art,
• Familiarity with the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, both Taliesin locations and the mission of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job. 

 Physical Demands: While performing the essential functions of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and consistently talk or hear; and rarely taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.  

Work environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.