What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sales Associate position at Walters Art Museum?
ABOUT THE WALTERS ART MUSEUM
The Walters Art Museum is among Americas most distinctive museums, forging connections between people and art from cultures around the world and spanning seven millennia. Located in Baltimore's Mount Vernon neighborhood, the Walters is free for all. The museums campus includes five historic buildings and 36,000 art objects.
Today, the Walters serves Baltimore and Maryland by embracing its role as educator and storyteller, using the collection as a vehicle of knowledge and cultural expression to support learning, dialogue, and community engagement. The museum is committed to public education, offering essential programs that help people to connect art to their lives. The Walters Visitor Promise aligns staff and volunteers across the museum to preserve and share the works in our care for future generations, partner with communities, and create welcoming, accessible experiences for visitors. The museum offers challenging and creative work opportunities by promoting collaboration, teamwork, and a culture that celebrates the diversity and inclusion of all. In December 2020, the museum finalized a set of multiyear diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) goals in alignment with the museums Strategic Plan and grounded in the following commitments: expand the histories the museum examines and share; partner with our communities; and center equity, inclusion, and accountability in our culture and decision-making.
OVERVIEW OF ROLE
Provides the highest level of customer service in all areas of the Retail Operations department. Maintains attractive displays and adequate levels of stock. Efficiently and accurately processes sales, follows proper food handling and safety procedures, is professional and exhibits excellent communication skills.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Maintains an excellent knowledge of all merchandise, its availability, location and more in order to assist with customer inquiries to promote sales.
- Conducts sales transactions on the POS system skillfully, including cash, credit card, checks, mail orders and returns.
- Demonstrates a professional and courteous manner when working with the public, coworkers, volunteers and other museum staff. Greets and engages visitors upon entrance to the department and follows through with selling skills.
- Conveys information about museum events, exhibits, art collections in response to visitor inquiries
- Handles merchandise and food in accordance with Retail Operations procedures and practices
- Cleans, restocks and maintains sales floor, caf and stockrooms according to Managers or Lead Sales Associates instructions.
- Performs related duties with regard to merchandise and food: prices items, reports missing tickets, follows procedures for damages or discards, restocks supplies, maintains checklists/records. Assists in maintaining customer email list and daily customer count.
- Prepares and processes mail and phone orders for transit to shipping area
- Regularly reports to Floor Supervisor regarding best sellers, customer requests, merchandise needs, suggestions and questions. Works closely with Lead Caf Assistant to ensure safe and friendly service when assigned to work in the Caf.
- Communicates best sellers, customer requests and merchandise needs to buyers and managers.
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Adheres to Museum standards
- Maintains accurate time cards and follows assigned schedules.
- Performs all safety procedures: secures store doors, wears staff badge, escorts customers to exits during fire drills/alarms, etc.
- Is responsible for completing all training related to job e.g. Alcohol Awareness training
- Maintains a neat and clean appearance, wears appropriate footwear for working in Caf
- Answers the telephone promptly and courteously with department name
- Performs additional clerical/back office tasks as needed
- Cleans, counts for annual physical inventory
- Assists buyers/managers with tasks: files paperwork
JOB QUALIFICATIONS
- High School Diploma/GED required
- A minimum of 2 years of retail and/or food experience preferred
- Computer literate; art/museum related background a plus
- Excellent written, verbal communication skills, proficient in interacting with customers, skillful in selling techniques. Must be a team player and competent in meeting assigned targets/tasks.
- Positive attitude, flexible, able to multi-task, willing to learn.
- Normal working conditions.
- Requires lifting 20-30 lb boxes of merchandise
- Able to work around certain Caf related cleaning chemicals.
- Must be 18 years of age to serve alcohol.
Work Schedule: 30 hours per week; Flexible between Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday with some evening hours on Thursday.
Disclaimer: This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions. Nothing in this document herein restricts management's right to assign additional duties or reassign responsibilities. The Walters Art Museum reserves the right to make changes to the job at any time as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. The position is classified as Non-Exempt Status (eligible for overtime pay) and is in a bargaining unit represented by a union.
