Lead Retail Sales Associate

About the Role

Are you an energetic, customer-focused leader who thrives in a dynamic retail environment? Do you excel at motivating a team, driving sales, and delivering five-star guest experiences?

We are looking for a proactive Retail Lead Associate to direct our retail team, optimize daily floor operations, and elevate guest satisfaction. Reporting directly to the Retail Manager and Assistant Manager (with indirect reporting to the Retail Director), you will play a crucial role in training staff, maintaining merchandise standards, and ensuring our retail operations run smoothly every day.

What You'll Do

• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, train, and support retail staff in daily duties, customer service excellence, museum policies, and POS procedures. Delegate section responsibilities, monitor performance, and provide monthly performance reports to management.
• Guest Experience & De-escalation: Set the standard for five-star service by engaging shoppers, offering expert recommendations, and promptly de-escalating difficult customer or employee situations to ensure positive outcomes.
• Daily Operations & Floor Oversight: Oversee opening and closing procedures, coordinate break/lunch schedules, audit shift allocations for peak traffic times/events, and provide floor coverage as needed. Collect cash deposits, order supplies, and generate/report daily sales data to museum leadership.
• Sales & Promotional Strategy: Master product knowledge and Petersen systems to drive sales goals, retail per capita targets, and current promotional events.
• Inventory & Visual Merchandising: Maintain polished floor displays, restock merchandise, assist the Retail Receiver with receiving and labeling inventory, and enforce strict Loss Prevention control procedures.
• Compliance & Standards: Adhere to and enforce the museum's grooming, appearance, and uniform policy. Safely report all operational or security incidents to management promptly.

What You'll Bring

• Experience: 2+ years of lead or supervisory experience in retail sales, customer service, or a similar environment.
• Education: High school diploma or equivalent strongly preferred.
• Customer-Centric Mindset: Proven track record of outstanding customer service, team delegation, de-escalation, and conflict resolution.
• Technical & Retail Skills: Hands-on experience with POS systems, inventory management, basic sales principles, and solid computer skills.
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English; ability to convey product details and train team members effectively.
• Adaptability & Organization: Strong organizational skills with the ability to perform under pressure, work with minimal supervision, and maintain flexibility across shifts, weekends, and holidays.