National Geographic Society

Retail Sales Supervisor

Washington, DC Full time

How You’ll Contribute

The National Geographic Society headquarters, based in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a significant renovation project on its campus (called Base Camp), which will be completed in 2026. The public-facing portion of this renovation will be the new National Geographic Museum of Exploration. Components of the new museum will include a state-of-the-art pavilion entrance, auditorium, iconic photo gallery, exhibition space, immersive walk-through attraction, retail, food and beverage, education center, archives, tours, and exciting new event space. The capstone of the renovation is a one-of-a-kind nighttime experience in the courtyard.

The Retail Sales Supervisor oversees daily operations tasks inside the retail outlets across the Museum of Exploration. Tasks include managing retail sales associates, ensuring accurate schedule adherence, organizing and maintaining retail outlets, coordinating timely product fulfillment to the Museum of Exploration Shop. Process daily, weekly, monthly reports and audits related to sales, exchanges, and returns for the daily retail operations.
We are seeking a team member who values interoperability and is ready to jump in and support colleagues across different projects when needed. At the Museum of Exploration, we believe that our greatest successes come from shared expertise and a willingness to step outside of a single role. This isn't just a part of the job; it's a core aspect of how we operate and collaborate, reflecting the spirit of partnership that defines National Geographic's culture.

Your Impact

Responsibilities Include:

Store Operations (60%)

  • Oversee daily store operations including visitor experience, point of sale operations, and visual merchandising

  • Maintain operations logs for over/short, 

  • Run continuous improvement process to maximize efficiency

  • Process daily deposits record sales and execute shop closing procedures

  • Prepare products for placement in the retail shop

Inventory Control (10%)

  • Audit stock levels through monthly cycle counts and spot checks on the physical inventory to maintain accuracy

  • Escalate instances of low stock or fast-moving items to Store Manager or Retail Warehouse team to assist in timely re-orders and merchandise transfers

  • Participate in annual inventory process

Leadership (20%)

  • Train team members on retail store procedures and company processes

  • Coach and champion success within the team in a supportive collaborative environment

  • Support the goal setting and development process within the team

Safety (5%)

  • Conduct safety training for retail store team members including proper use of ladders, tools, and equipment

  • Maintain a clean and organized retail store environment

  • Enforce safety procedures

Technology (5%)

Utilize retail POS to track daily sales operations and process daily, weekly, monthly sales reporting

What You’ll Bring

Educational Background

High School Diploma preferred

Minimum Years and Type of Experience

3+ years of work experience years of supervisory experience preferably in a museum or visitor attraction retail setting with at least 1 year of management experience. 

Knowledge and Skills

  • Experience in a visitor attraction or museum retail shop or warehouse

  • Ability to analyze retail inventory data 

  • Attention to detail

  • Strong written and oral communication skills

  • Collaborative mindset and ability to work in a team or group to accomplish a task

  • Training and development of people

  • Be able to repetitively lift 50 lbs

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workplace tools

Desired Qualifications

  • Experience in supervising a team

  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities

  • Proactive customer service mindset

  • Ability to work nights and weekends as needed

Collaboration and Teamwork

Support various teams as needed, providing cross-trained coverage for breaks, absences, or high volume. Assist with general museum tasks such as maintaining public spaces, providing basic visitor assistance, and helping with event setup/breakdown.

Supervision

This role will oversee several Retail Associates

Salary Information

The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar-sized nonprofit organizations.

The salary range for this position accounts for a wide range of factors including but not limited to organizational need; specific skill sets; experience and training; certifications; and more. At the National Geographic Society, individuals are typically hired at or near the starting point of the salary range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

The salary range for this position is $32.72 - $34.45.

In addition, the National Geographic Society offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; engaging and comprehensive wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment; flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave; 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31 (May not apply to all roles that are required to work during high volume seasons or essential workers. Please check with the hiring manager for confirmation.); paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; Lifestyle Spending Account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy; employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit; and a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.

Job Designation

On-Site - Staff members who spend 100% of work time on-site at Base Camp, supporting overall campus and museum operations. On-Site staff shifts (spread over seven days a week and 24 hours a day, including holidays) are scheduled by their supervisors and determined by team needs and may be adjusted based on cyclical work cycles and ebbs and flows of work throughout the year.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.