Alakai Hookipa, E Ola Experience Store Manager

Kamehameha Schools

21d•Onsite

About The Position

Serves as Alakai Hookipa, an operational leader and cultural experience ambassador of the store, ensuring every customer encounters an immersive experience that is guided by and grounded in the E Ola! framework. Rooted in Hawaiian culture-based education, this role uses retail as a platform for cultivating aina momona and strengthening Native Hawaiian identity in the community by connecting people to important issues, ideas, and concepts in Hawaiian culture. This role oversees daily retail operations and the experience team—including staff, volunteers, and collaborators—curating programming that fosters an inclusive, welcoming environment where moolelo, products, and people come together to uplift our lahui.

Requirements

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered for the requirements listed.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Retail Management, Education, Cultural Studies, or a related field
Minimum 5 years of retail, customer service, or related operational oversight experience.
Minimum 1 year of experience in a customer-facing leadership role, including staff supervision.
Valid driver’s license.
Excellent organizational skills required in coordination a large volume of activities, tasks, schedules and events.
Proven ability to lead and inspire a team by setting clear, actionable goals.
Strong presentation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage audiences and communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Proven ability to collaborate with cross-functional partners to achieve shared business and organizational outcomes.
Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment and adapt to changing priorities.
Proficient in business software, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and Windows applications.
Experience with retail operations and e-commerce platforms (e.g., Shopify), including POS systems, financial reconciliation, sales reporting, and budget monitoring.

Nice To Haves

Experience planning and coordinating events or community programs, such as workshops or experiential retail experiences.
Experience with education, cultural, or community programs in mission-driven settings.
Familiarity with Hawaiian language, culture, and values.
Background in nonprofit funding or experience with impact-driven organizations.

Responsibilities

Ensure Hawaiian culture-based education (HCBE) is embedded into daily operations, fostering an active, immersive environment where staff, haumana, and guests engage in reciprocal learning.
Foster a culture of servant leadership (alakai lawelawe) and continuous cultural learning by mentoring the team and integrating culturally grounded approaches.
Set and manage staffing schedules and store hours to best serve haumana, ohana, alumni, and kaiaulu to ensure operational efficiency.
Recruit, train, and oversee team members to maintain optimal staffing levels and support seamless store operations and consistent meaningful experiences for all customers.
Work with internal teams to support merchandise selection and procurement, including forecasting products, promotions, and trends, ensuring relevant inventory.
Oversee purchase requisitions and orders using internal systems, and proof merchandise graphics for soft and hard goods.
Manage logistics and quality control, establishing delivery and lead times, shipping and packing guidelines, and addressing product discrepancies or damages.
Prepare and maintain monthly store reports, including category sales, transaction counts, vendor sales, and variance reporting.
Receive, reconcile, and process vendor shipments and invoices, submitting payments and accounting transactions in a timely manner.
Manages the online store by designing merchandise layouts, ensuring all product information—including titles, descriptions, images, inventory, and sizing—is accurate, consistent, and up to date.
Oversee monthly sales and receipts, preparing and submitting detailed reports to applicable internal departments (e.g., Athletics, Kamehameha Publishing, etc.).
Monitor social media content, ensuring it reflects E Ola!, advances Hawaiian culture-based education, and fosters Native Hawaiian identity.
Serve as the operational and cultural bridge to the divisional team, ensuring product development, marketing, online operations, and storytelling remain aligned with the division’s objectives and E Ola! framework.
Work with the Director to develop and track budgets, sales reports, and KPIs, aligning financial decisions with cultural and community objectives.
Collaborate with division project teams on design, sourcing, and the integration of welo, and moolelo, ensuring offerings reflect Hawaiian values and community aspirations.
Partner with the Advancement department to ensure net profits are allocated to support community initiatives and programs, in alignment with organizational goals and objectives.
Plan and execute interactive experiences, including in-store events, educational workshops, pop-ups, cultural demonstrations, storytelling sessions, and community engagement activities that engage customers and the community in meaningful ways, strengthen pilina, and celebrate Hawaiian identity.
Coordinate with various internal departments, student programs, and community liaisons to plan events, workshops, game-day activations, and cross-campus collaborations.
Coordinate storytellers and cultural practitioners to curate workshops, storytelling sessions, and cultural programming that enrich the retail environment, providing students and the community opportunities to learn, engage, and deepen their understanding of Hawaiian culture.
Empower the retail team to serve as cultural experience ambassadors, ensuring every interaction is welcoming, relational, and culturally grounded.
Coordinate volunteers and student contributors, providing meaningful opportunities for engagement and impact.
Build lasting connections with customers, encouraging repeat visits and participation in future events and experiences.