Director of Retail

Director of Retail, Full-time (Exempt)

POSITION PURPOSE:

The Director of Retail is responsible for all strategy, planning, buying, and creative execution of merchandising programs, and daily operations to support retail sales across all the Shops at The Denver Art Museum. This includes the award-winning Shop, located inside the Daniel Liebeskind-designed Hamilton Building, the Kirkland shop, exhibition-specific specialty shops and the museum’s online shop. The Director of Retail will be responsible for overseeing and leading the onsite Shops, which regularly achieve gross sales of $2.5+ million annually, while offering visitors a unique opportunity to amplify their museum experience, create lasting memories, and drive revenue growth and institutional sustainability.

This position reports to the Chief Operating Officer.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategy and Planning: 

• Develop and implement a long-range vision for retail at the museum that aligns with the museum’s mission, values, and exhibition program.
• Set annual revenue and retail performance goals and budgets.
• Drive innovation in product development merchandising, and customer experience.
• Continue to develop and execute a comprehensive e-commerce strategy.
• Direct the buying program, including allocating buying and re-buying responsibilities as required.
• Collaborate institutionally to develop museum-branded and collections-based products.
• Partner with other visitor experience departments to integrate institutional messaging and customer service philosophies and programs into retail operations.
• Participate in cross-departmental planning for exhibitions, events, and institutional initiatives, and integrate retail opportunities into private events and institutional programming
• Develop marketing and sales strategies and measure performance by maintaining detailed records for evaluation and analysis of sales performance institutionally.
• Strategically develop in-store and online sales campaigns.  Oversee and contribute to all shop-specific marketing emails.
• Follow and analyze retail trends to look for opportunities.
• Consistent usage of the Racial Equity Lens in day-to-day operations.
• Yearly goal setting to support Racial Equity Roadmap initiatives.

Operations and Team Leadership:

• Hire, manage, mentor and train a high-performing retail team with an emphasis on sales, service, inclusion, and alignment with the museum’s mission.  Up to 30% of time is spent on the floor with the team.
• Directly manage: Senior Merchandise Buyer, Senior E-Commerce Specialist, Assistant Manager of Shop Employee Experience, and Retail Invoice Systems Specialist.
• Develop and oversee sales training throughout department/staff.
• When necessary, support retail operations on the floor during weekends, holidays, and special events. 
• Foster a team culture grounded in creativity, accountability, and inclusive leadership.
• Ensure accurate inventory controls are maintained.
• Schedule, conduct, audit, and reconcile inventory annually.
• Develop creative buying and merchandising strategies to support all museum shop operations, including permanent shop spaces, temporary exhibition shops, and the online shop platform.
• Develop and maintain proper inventory levels and goals, including establishing and using open-to-buy purchasing method.
• This position will supervise roles that are covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement with AFSCME-CWU.

Finance and Reporting:

• Develop and manage the retail operating budget, including staffing, expenses, and purchasing.
• Ensure financial accountability through oversight of shop bookkeeping, POS, and reporting systems (e.g., Shopify).
• Deliver maximum contribution to the museum’s general fund by controlling expenses and optimizing margins.
• Create annual work plans and retail reports to inform institutional planning and performance analysis.
• Collaborate with other departments to develop promotional campaigns and retail tie-ins that boost revenue and attendance.

External Engagement & Industry Representation

• Serve as the museum’s retail representative at relevant industry events and conventions (e.g., Museum Store Association).
• Develop and manage strategic partnerships by building relationships with peers, vendors, and creative partners to keep the museum retail experience fresh and competitive.
• Attend market-buying shows to research new products.

QUALIFICATIONS (Education, Experience, Skills, etc.):

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 10 years’ experience as a retail operations leader/manager with all required responsibilities (strategic planning, merchandising, accounting, buying/ordering, inventory management, staff management, etc.).
• Minimum 5 years’ experience directing a retail buying program.
• Expert knowledge of retail operations of a similar size and scope.
• Expert visual merchandising knowledge.
• Proven experience consistently achieving sales goals.
• Excellent people management skills; experience developing a team to meet defined goals. 
• A discerning and sophisticated sense of taste; ability to determine a product’s viability and sales success.
• Demonstrated proficiency with point of sales (POS) systems and ecommerce platforms. Shopify experience a plus.
• Advanced accounting, budgeting and bookkeeping experience.
• Analytical skills to ensure accuracy of reporting and business analysis.
• Detail oriented and strong organizational skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent customer service skills and ability to develop and coach customer service skills within the department.
• Ability to respond to visitor inquiries and complaints both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to develop an operating budget to include open-to-buy, expenses and staff salaries.
• Experience integrating point of sales systems with accounting and customer relationship management systems a plus.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES:

• Occasional local and national travel required.
• Must be able to lift 40 pounds or more pounds and stand for extended periods of time.
• Includes work in an open concept office space, warehouse, and retail sales floor environment.
• Weekend, evening, and holiday work required during special events, “free day” weekends, and special exhibitions, which is approximately once a month although can be more often during the holidays.

Position type: This position will not be covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement with AFSCME-CWU.

Pay: The hiring salary range for the position is $98,400-$131,100 per year based on experience.

Benefits: A comprehensive medical/dental/vision plan, that can be extended to domestic partner, spouse, and children. DAM 100% paid Life Insurance, and Short/Long Term Disability. Generous sick and vacation paid time off and one personal day. Ten paid holidays. 403(b) Retirement Plan with immediate eligibility to contribute and those who meet the requirements will qualify for the 3% non-elective contribution and 2% match program. A free RTD Ecopass.  A free DAM Family Membership and perks. Free Telehealth and Employee Assistance Program. Access to Headspace. Two weeks Paid Parental Leave. This position is based at the Denver Art Museum, which only has pay to park options.

NOTE: The DAM prioritizes adaptability and a human-centered work environment. We are happy to consider accommodations for the position. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job. We believe in cultivating an environment where there is diversity of perspectives, in hopes that we can all thrive in an inclusive environment. 

We know that searching for a job can be stressful so we would like to give you an overview of the process to manage expectations. This role may require phone screens, and interviews with hiring manager and/or panel that will be held both in-person at the DAM and via video. This position will close July 28, 2025. Our desire is to hire a candidate as soon as possible.

The Denver Art Museum:

As an institution, we believe the Denver Art Museum is both a platform for and an amplifier of the voices of people of all races. We acknowledge that Black lives matter and communities of color – Latinx, Indigenous, Black, and others – have been underrepresented in art museums over decades, both internally and externally. We are committed to elevating all voices, artworks and perspectives and strive to support racial equity inside and out.

We prohibit discrimination against any person or organization based on age, race, sex, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, political service or affiliation, genetic information, or disability, as well as any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.

We strive to provide a professional and positive work environment for our employees. The Museum expressly prohibits any form of employee harassment on the basis of age, race, sex, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, political service or affiliation, genetic information, disability or any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local law.  Actions based on these or any legally protected characteristic will not be tolerated.

We encourage the freedom of gender expression and/or gender presentation.  As an institution, we do not create barriers that may prevent any employee from expressing behaviors, mannerisms, interests, and appearances that represent their authentic personality or culture. Qualified candidates are expected to exemplify the DAM’s internal values, which include being dynamic, respectful, inclusive, creative, and curious.  The ability to maintain effective and positive working relationships with visitors, employees, volunteers, representatives of public and private entities, policy making bodies, and contractors is critical to the success of this position.