Now Hiring - Mount Washington Observatory - XMW Museum Operations & Retail Manager in North Conway, NH

Full description of the position

PO Box 2310 North Conway, NH 03[please apply online] 603-[please apply online] Fax: 603-[please apply online]

Join our team on the summit of Mount Washington. Experience the Home of the World's Worst Weather™ for yourself!

The Mount Washington Observatory (MWOBS) has operated a weather station at the summit of the Northeast’s highest peak for ninety years. The Extreme Mount Washington (XMW) Museum Operations & Retail Manager (RM) works with the Director of Finance to staff and operate the XMW, oversee all Observatory retail operations, and assist with volunteer programs. MWOBS offers flexible and remote work options for this position as allows. Opportunities for professional development exist with this position as well.

Job Description: XMW Museum Operations & Retail Manager (RM)

General Description and Typical Tasks

The XMW Museum Operations & Retail Manager (RM) is responsible for three key areas of Mount Washington Observatory (MWOBS):

Museum Staffing and Operations: The RM is responsible for the staffing and operations of MWOBS’ seasonal Extreme Mount Washington Museum (XMW) in the Sherman Adams Building of the Mount Washington State Park. S/he is responsible for safe, smooth and efficient operation of this facility so that it provides the desired educational experience and projects a professional public image for the Observatory. The RM must be prepared to fill-in as the museum attendant as the need arises. The RM closely coordinates and cooperates with the Observatory’s education, scientific and facilities staff regarding museum related programs and exhibits.

• Recruiting, training, scheduling, supervising and evaluating staff for XMW
• Stocking and displaying merchandise in the XMW gift shop.
• Weekly trips up to the summit with staff during shift change to coordinate XMW and volunteer work and oversee restocking of inventory.
• Serve as a fill-in Attendant at XMW, as needed.
• Working with other staff to develop programs and exhibits that promote MWOBS and XMW to advance MWOBS’ mission.

Retail Operations: The RM is responsible for all Mount Washington Observatory retail activities associated with the XMW gift shop, the MWOBS online shop and the Washburn Gallery. S/he provides oversight of the Observatory’s retail operations and is responsible for professional and profitable retail performance that includes the sourcing and purchasing of merchandise.

• Selecting appropriate merchandise and development of custom merchandise.
• Ordering, receiving and inventorying merchandise.
• Maintenance of professional purchase relationships with manufacturers and distributors.
• Using all available resources to gain product knowledge including the internet, product manuals, and direct vendor contact.
• Operation of MWOBS’ online shop, including the fulfillment of orders and maintenance of the online shop website.
• Effective inventory control, record keeping, financial and statistical reporting, analysis and projections of retail sales and other sales reports as requested to assist the Director of Finance in the evaluation of the performance Observatory retail operations.
• Creation and implementation of the annual operating budget for retail.

MWOBS Volunteer Program: The summit volunteer program provides volunteers to assist the MWOBS observers throughout the year and for seasonal docents and retail/operations support in XMW. The RM works with the coordinator of the volunteer program and assists with recruiting, training, scheduling and supervising volunteers/docents for the MWOBS’ summit museum and retail operations.

Additional Responsibilities

Include but not limited to:

• Serving as a representative of MWOBS, answer questions about our weather station’s operations from customers who visit or call MWOBS, and cultivate new donor/members from those contacts.
• Temporarily support the Director of Education by assisting with programs scheduling and correspondence until new staff are added in May 2023.

Qualifications Required

• Bachelor degree or at least 5 years of day-to-day operations experience in retail and museum management.
• Experience in sales and dealing with the public.
• The ability to lift and carry boxes up to 50 pounds.
• A valid driver’s license is required; the RM must be prepared to drive an MWOBS’ vehicle up and down the Mount Washington Auto Road.
• This position requires excellent oral and written communications skills and experience with common Microsoft computer software programs and Point of Sales (POS) software.

Qualifications Desired

• Familiarity with Shopify.
• Familiarity with the history of MWOBS and the recreational activities available on Mount Washington as well as knowledge and enthusiasm for weather preferred.

Supervisory Responsibility

The RM hires, trains, supervises and evaluates all XMW attendants and assists with the same for summit volunteers while XMW is open.

Time and Compensation

This position is a salaried position and is exempt from overtime pay. Generally, this position requires a level of effort of 30-45 hours per week with the management of XMW during April through October reaching the higher end of that range.

Benefits

This position qualifies for the standard benefits package for full-time employees. Current employee benefits include generous paid time off, health, vision, and dental insurance, short and long-term disability insurance, 401k retirement plan after six months of service, and complimentary gear from our sponsors and discounts on our retail items.

Employee at Will

The RM is an employee at will under the laws of the State of New Hampshire. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $37,000.00 - $39,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Experience level:

• 5 years

Weekly day range:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Customer service: 5 years (Preferred)
• Retail Store Managers: 5 years (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in North Conway, NH 03860