Museum Shop & Visitor Services Director

University of Tulsa•Tulsa, OK

20h•Onsite

About The Position

The Museum Shop & Visitor Services Director will lead the museum's retail and visitor services operations, ensuring a seamless and enriching experience for all guests. This role involves strategic planning, product curation, financial management, e-commerce oversight, and enhancing the overall visitor journey. The director will manage a team of staff and volunteers, collaborate with various departments, and contribute to the museum's mission and brand identity. The position is based at Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, within a new 95,000-square-foot facility.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree
Minimum five (5) years of retail management experience
Strong background in visual merchandising and product presentation
Extensive experience with point-of-sale systems, including inventory management software and cash control protocols.
Track record of quickly mastering new systems, product categories, and operational processes.
Knowledge of inventory control techniques, standard retail practices, accounting procedures, and financial management.
Strong procurement and sourcing skills, with an emphasis on identifying unique, high-quality products.
Demonstrated ability in store layout, visual merchandising, and design optimization.
Proven record of creating and executing strategic retail and visitor services plans.
Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
Ability to lift 50 lbs.

Nice To Haves

A degree in Business, Retail Management, Hospitality, or Museum Studies is a plus.
E-commerce familiarity is a plus.
Experience in museum retail, cultural attraction retail, or nonprofit retail environments.
Experience with Shopify, Tessitura, or comparable ticketing/CRM platforms.
Understanding of wholesale markets and manufacturers/distributors of museum-quality products.
Track record of attending relevant retail or museum industry conferences.
Familiarity with Indigenous art markets, Oklahoma makers, or regional artisan communities.
Portfolio demonstrating visual merchandising, store design, or product curation experience.
A commitment to Gilcrease's mission of celebrating and preserving the diverse heritage of the Americas, and a belief in the power of museums to foster understanding and connection across communities.

Responsibilities

Hire, train, oversee, and provide floor-based support to a team of retail and visitor services staff members and volunteers.
Develop a store and front-of-house experience that extends the visitor journey, where guests feel welcomed, inspired, and connected to the stories within the collection.
Collaborate with the Director of Operations to ensure product quality, implement visitor services strategy, and maintain brand standards across all guest touchpoints.
Participate in strategic interdepartmental meetings to represent the retail and visitor services perspective and integrate feedback on departmental initiatives.
Partner with Marketing and Leadership to develop and implement a strategic plan for retail and visitor services operations, ensuring alignment with the museum's vision, brand identity, and community commitments.
Establish objectives for store layout, wayfinding, and design that enhance the customer experience and reinforce the museum's narrative.
Collaborate with the Director of Operations to create onboarding procedures and training programs for retail and visitor services staff.
Curate and source unique, relevant products that reflect the museum's collection and mission, prioritizing Indigenous artists, Oklahoma makers, and regional artisans where possible.
Collaborate with artists, publishers, and vendors to develop a distinctive merchandise mix and Gilcrease-branded products.
Oversee inventory management using point-of-sale systems to track stock levels, sales trends, and reorder points.
Attend retail conferences to scout new products, cultivate manufacturer relationships, and stay current on museum retail best practices.
Handle daily financial transactions using advanced point-of-sale systems; ensure the integrity of cash controls and manage end-of-day reconciliations.
Analyze sales and admissions data to inform buying decisions, optimize stock levels, and drive revenue growth.
Prepare and deliver regular reports on store and admissions performance to track revenue against targets.
Develop and manage the annual fiscal year budget for retail and visitor services operations.
Oversee annual fiscal year-end inventory count and ensure compliance with accounting and recordkeeping requirements.
Evaluate merchandise security measures to minimize loss.
Manage and oversee e-commerce operations, including platform maintenance, product presentation, and customer service.
Manage order fulfillment using internal processes or third-party logistics partners.
Partner with the Director of Operations to create an aesthetically compelling retail environment that enhances sales, enriches the visitor experience, and advances the museum's mission.
Refresh store displays regularly in alignment with new exhibitions, seasonal themes, and promotional campaigns.
Deliver an effective and responsive visitor services program encompassing admission sales, visit planning, wayfinding, membership sales, and data collection on visitor feedback.
Manage procedures for the admission ticketing system; serve as the functional expert for the ticketing interface.
Coordinate with other departments to plan and execute special events and programs.
Monitor visitor feedback and implement improvements to enhance guest satisfaction.