Assistant Manager, Retail Store

Vancouver Aquarium, one of the many properties owned by Herschend Family Entertainment, prides itself on working towards bringing families closer together and to creating memories worth repeating. Our Core Values - greatly exceeding guest expectations, serving others, creating emotional connections, constantly improving - give us purpose and guidance.

**SUMMARY**:

- Reporting to the Retail Sales Manager, the Assistant Manager, Retail is responsible for assisting in the supervision of between 15-30 Retail Sales Associates and 8-15 Photo Experience Sales Associates, as well as the day-to-day operation of the Vancouver Aquarium’s retail outlets._

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**KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES**:
**Creates an engaging, efficient and productive work environment for the retail outlets by**:

- Promoting and demonstrating effective selling skills, and training staff on customer service expectations;
- Monitoring the daily sales for the retail outlets, providing ongoing feedback and encouragement to achieve the sales targets;
- Monitoring and coaching the quality of customer service. Investigating and resolving customer service issues and special needs. Escalation of customer complaints to Retail Sales Manager or Duty Manager;
- Informing staff of new policies, procedures, and sales promotions or events;
- Performing opening and closing procedures including counting and verifying nightly cash deposits;
- Creating weekly schedule, and support with completing bi-weekly payroll;
- Monitoring the appearance of the retail areas including photo experience areas;
- Ensuring stock levels are maintained, and displays are attractive, clean and well maintained;
- Making suggestions for improving the display of merchandise to increase sales, and for improved coordination with the stock room;
- Verifying and correcting refunds, exchanges, and voids for Sales Associates;
- Work collaboratively with other Aquarium managers across various departments to ensure organizational goals are met.

**Provides management, coaching and mentoring to staff and contributes to, and fosters the development of the team by**:

- Creating an environment conducive to individual development, productivity, and achievement while ensuring open lines of communication;
- Ensuring that employees are well organized, sufficiently trained/cross-trained to perform their responsibilities, developed to their potential and deployed in a manner that permits a cost-effective operation;
- Planning and facilitating individual coaching, group coaching, and skill-building sessions where appropriate;
- Providing direction, guidance and support to team members and motivating staff to achieve a high level of performance and productivity;
- Help establish performance objectives/goals, reviewing progress throughout the year, and completing formal performance reviews for staff as required;
- Recognizing and rewarding success, and managing poor performance;
- Helping create development plans for staff, recommending training courses and seminars where appropriate;
- Recruiting, hiring and promoting team members in accordance with standard Vancouver Aquarium policies;
- Monitoring and controlling expenditures to ensure that Vancouver Aquarium standards are met while continuing to maintain monthly budget;
- Tracking budget and maintaining financial records throughout the year.

**Consciously improves the overall organization and its processes by**:

- Continually improving our impact on the environment and greening of operations through support of sustainability initiatives;
- Maintaining and supporting organizational safety standards;
- Abiding by all organizational policies and procedures;
- Performing other duties of a similar nature or level.

**QUALIFICATIONS**:
**Education and Experience**
- Completion of an applicable Post-Secondary program;
- 5 years supervisory experience in a high volume retail operation or an appropriate combination of education and experience.

**Skills**
- Excellent communication skills;
- Strong mathematical skills;
- Training, mentoring and coaching skills
- Basic MS Office and POS skills
- Ability to supervise and lead junior team members with team sizes up to 45 people;
- Ability to work in a high volume, busy environment;
- Works with self-direction and mínimal supervision to achieve business objectives;
- Ability to react and respond quickly to changes in work objectives and to bring creative solutions to unique situations.
- Conflict resolution skills

**Working Conditions**
- Requires standing for long periods of time
- Requires lifting and bending
- Requires use of step ladder when creating displays
- Shared office environment
- Managing high volumes of guests during peak periods
- May occasionally require interaction with upset customers

**SALARY RANGE: $39,000 to $58,500 per year + extended health & dental benefits