|
Vice President, Interpretive Retail
Organization Description:
Since 1981, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (Parks Conservancy) has served as the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service (NPS), collaborating with the Presidio Trust, partners, donors, and the community to support the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The GGNRA stretches across three Bay Area counties north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge and includes iconic places such as Muir Woods National Monument, Fort Point National Historic Site, Alcatraz Island, Crissy Field, Mori Point, Marin Headlands, Lands End, and the Presidio of San Francisco.
The Parks Conservancy engages at the intersection of national park sites, local communities, social justice, and climate resilience. Collaborating with partners, our staff are dedicated to enhancing public awareness and providing volunteer and educational opportunities in the parks. We are park builders, caretakers, ambassadors and educators, all working to connect people to parks in support of our vision Parks for All Forever. Join us.
Branch Description:
The Interpretive Sales Branch is central to the Parks Conservancy’s mission, providing both visitor services and interpretive retail experiences to the millions of visitors both locally and globally to the GGNRA annually. Collaborating closely with many partners, including the NPS, Presidio Trust, San Francisco Port Authority, and Golden Gate Bridge District, the branch collectively represents and promotes the enduring value and unique stories of the national parks. Every dollar spent by visitors at our retail locations generates vital funds that support community and youth programming, science, conservation.
Operating ten interpretive retail centers, online sales and wholesale operation, supported by two off-site warehouses, the branch annually sells 2.5 million items that generate over $20 million in gross sales. Through publishing and product development, the Parks Conservancy has developed a reputation for producing placed-based interpretive, high quality and sustainably sourced items sold throughout the GGNRA. A dedicated team of over 120+ staff members—ranging from directors and managers to designers, developers, back-of-house and front-line personnel—annually guides five million visitors in finding deeper meaning in their national park visit. The branch additionally implements an NPS contract to greet visitors and collect entrance fees at Muir Woods National Monument.
Position Overview:
The Vice President of Interpretive Retail reports to the Deputy CEO and is responsible for leading all aspects of the organization’s retail operations including product development and sourcing, inventory management, financial performance, operational efficiency, advancing safe and healthy work culture, compliance, and collaboration with other branches and partners. The role involves both strategic planning and overseeing the day-to-day management of retail locations, inventory and warehouse operations.
The Vice President develops and implements the overall retail strategy, aligning it with the Conservancy’s mission and goals while optimizing operations for profitability. The position is responsible for ensuring productive, inclusive, and collaborative team dynamics, in which staff strive for high levels of accountability and engagement.
The position is a part of the Executive Management Team that includes three additional Vice Presidents, as well as five Chief-level roles, CEO and Deputy CEO. This team sets vision, policy and direction at an organizational level as well as embodies the Parks Conservancy values and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Executive Leadership
- Subject matter expert at the executive level for strategies, best practices and emerging trends related to interpretive retail, product development and park visitation. Informs Deputy CEO of opportunities, issues and status of retail centers and sales and recommends course of action.
- Participates in weekly Executive Management Team (EMT) meetings to align the organization’s strategic direction; provide input and deliberation on the Parks Conservancy budget; identify, review and recommend new and updated policies and procedures that impact the over 300 employees of the Parks Conservancy.
- Works with others on the EMT to build and share annual organizational work plans and priorities. Provides input and feedback on organizational performance and execution with a focus on people, culture, capabilities, and resources.
- Participates in leadership review and direction setting for organizational strategy, planning, goals, budgets, staff, and partner engagement.
- Leads change management strategies and promotes innovation; elevates business practices, effective communication, and employee success. Embodies and communicates organizational values and principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Conducts operational problem-solving, risk mitigation and creation of strong infrastructure to support organization for long-term stability.
- Ensures collaborative leadership and partnership impact, internal and external, meeting Conservancy goals and focus.
Visitor Centers Operations & Partnership Management
- Directs dynamic visitor facilities to welcome, orient, inform, and support five million U.S. and overseas visitors annually. Ensure all visitor facilities and services are managed to the highest standards.
- Works with the Operations branch on strategies to address safety concerns, general maintenance and cleaning, and improvements to retail and warehouse facilities.
- Lead for assessment and notification of major incidents that impact store operations. Works closely with DCEO, Operations branch and NPS on scenario planning and potential closures due to environmental hazards, government shutdown or other unforeseen incidents.
- Collaborates with partner agencies to determine store hours, leveraging of special events, programs and improvements that can better serve the visitors.
- Works with store managers and staff to implement best practices and innovative approach to merchandizing that leverage interpretive exhibits at various within the visitor centers
- Develops strong relationship with Communications branch to develop marketing strategies and highlight retail centers and products online, in stores, and in the park and Bay Area.
- Works closely with the Development branch to promote Parks Conservancy membership and ensure members receive discounts and elevated service. Implement Parks Conservancy Round Up program and explore additional ways to encourage visitors to donate and join.
Publishing, Product Development & Inventory
- Guides and set standards for manufacturing direction with domestic and overseas business partners ensuring costs, shipping, materials, workplace conditions, and agreements meet Conservancy objectives.
- Manages and updates Scope of Sales agreements and ensure publishing and interpretive product program align with agreement and Parks Conservancy’s strategic direction.
- Works to incorporate organization’s goals of incorporating environmental and social responsibility standards into decision-making regarding products and operations.
- Ensures market purchased inventory is interpretively aligned, financially beneficial, and meets visitors’ needs and interests.
- Bring creativity, innovation and high-quality standards into designs of newly developed products and ensure they receive necessary copyright, permissions and approvals.
- Oversee two off-site and several park-based warehouses and inventory sites. Ensure regular and consistent delivery to sales outlets including coordination with Visitor Services branch in barge deliveries to Alcatraz Island.
Business Strategy & Financial Oversight
- Analyzes, develops, and coordinates business direction and opportunities for physical and online retail operations, wholesale programs, custom-developed materials, and outside purchased inventory in coordination with Branch Leadership to align with Parks Conservancy and partner goals.
- Works closely with in-house General Counsel to negotiate, review, renew, update and create agreements that are in the best interests of the Parks Conservancy and provide mutual benefit to our partners. Manages the implementation of unique agreements at Lands End Lookout, Presidio Visitor Center, Muir Woods, Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 33, warehouses, and other publication and product related partnerships.
- Oversees gross sales, COGS, expenses, and revenue to align with budget projections and meet annual target, develop strategies to manage change. Ensures financial investment of Conservancy’s resources realizes positive ROI. Evaluate and implement practices of accountability are in place to adhere to Conservancy, partner, and donor requirements of financial management, contracting, and reporting.
- Analyzes retail business opportunities that increase visitor engagement and revenue potential, in coordination with CEO, Deputy, and CFO.
- Defines and resolves complex issues; determining operational needs and workplans; develops business strategies for sustainability; and assess opportunities for growth.
- Ensures POS system meets complex inventory, sales, regulatory, and operational needs, and aligns with Finance/Data requirements. Work with IT to optimize upgrades and integration with other financial systems.
Supervision & Performance Management
- Directly supervises senior branch leadership of 4-5 Directors; offers mentorship, feedback and coaching. Creates cohesion and strengthens relationships among branch directors to leverage each other’s resources, talents and knowledge.
- Indirectly manages and supports 125 regular (non-temporary) and temporary (seasonal) employees across the branch. Ensures strong supervisory oversight; promotes culture of collaboration and teamwork; provides job specific training and onboarding, promotes in-line promotions and growth; ensures staff can feel valued and recognized.
- Works with People and Culture team to develop positions descriptions, align wage and pay grades, recruit, hire and onboard new employees; address performance and conduct issues; develop employees; assess, identify and implement common training needs across the branch; and promote culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in both hiring practices and supervision and management staff.
- Promotes workplace safety and wellness; identify and work with branch leadership, operations and safety staff to mitigate risk and workplace hazards; ensure employees report workplace injuries and are prepared for emergency incidents such as poor air quality, storms and earthquakes.
- Assumes leadership role in high-level resolution of personnel problems; collaborates between teams and Human Resources to find appropriate solutions to ensure staff and Conservancy are protected; leads difficult discussion, including dismissals, with staff as needed.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Retail Business, Visitor Services, and Product Development
- Advanced knowledge of principles and practices of retail business, inventory management, and multi-store operations
- Expertise in visitor experience, creating a welcoming, engaging atmosphere.
- Familiarity with supply-chain management for domestic and overseas manufacturing and shipping.
- Ability to implement full cycle of product development from ideation to design, manufacturing, and launch. Knowledge of best practices, minimize risk and willingness to refine and improve.
- Knowledge of effective merchandising techniques and practices that enhance shopper engagement across in-store and online sales and boosts the Parks Conservancy brand as a partner of the parks.
- Understanding of retail landscape, including trends, opportunities and risks and how to adapt to changing conditions
Strategic Leadership
- Deep understanding of partnership and ability to cultivate and sustain strategic partners that can advance mission and goals; can create inclusive and collaborative work environment that includes working across departments and lifts the voices of staff.
- Able to strategically align work with organizational goals; make informed decisions based on data and impact analysis; sees connections; identifies issues and opportunities; understands financial implications of decisions.
- Ability to create shared vision and deliver actionable results; creative problem solving; adapts strategy to changing conditions.
- Strong people-management skills and ability to coach others in development manager competencies.
Administration and Finance
- Experience generating revenue models and projections and managing personnel and operating expenses.
- Ability to develop effective strategies to streamline and create organizational efficiencies, track administrative tasks, and manage a diversity of projects at any given time.
- Experience using various budget systems and tools to project, develop and track income and expenditures.
Communication & Relational Skills
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills; considers and responds appropriately to the needs and capabilities of diverse staff and situations; is tactful and treats others with respect; motivates and inspires team to perform their best; relates effectively to others when encountering difficult situations.
- Ability to thrive in a consensus-driven environment; inspires and motivates others; builds bridges and creates strong and lasting relationships.
- Experience building relationships with diverse stakeholders from government agencies, business partners, vendors and internal staff.
- Ability to demonstrate leadership, decisive action and sense of calm during incidents and uncertainty; ability to evolve and manage change.
- Ability to develop and deliver compelling presentations to a wide range of audiences, including youth, communities, elected officials, donors, trustees of the Board.
Education and/or Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in business or related experience desired.
- 10+ years of experience overseeing multistore retail operations of $5M+ business.
- 10+ years of experience in managing 50+ staff, meeting facilitation, and making presentations.
- Creative, grounded and experienced in product development or publishing with keen design eye and awareness of and ability be trendsetter in national park retail scene.
- Proven leadership and professional experience in a working environment of collaboration and partnership.
- Engaging leadership skills; ability to listen and constructively negotiate, finding win-win solutions.
- Deep appreciation of national parks and their ability to inspire. Background in eco-friendly, museum or parks related retail a plus
Health and Safety:
It is the goal of the Parks Conservancy to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace. We work to mitigate hazards and risks that may cause harm to employees, consistent with state and federal laws. Employees play an active role in creating a safe and healthy workplace and are expected to comply with all applicable health and safety rules.
Physical Requirements and Work Environments:
- This position is located at the Parks Conservancy’s headquarters in Fort Mason, San Francisco and will be expected to spend significant time working on/at other park sites.
- Work is performed both in an office setting and outdoor park setting, including a mix of telework and on-site, with time in vehicles and ferries. This position requires a minimum of three days per week on-site and occasional weekend and night work. To meet the essential requirements of this position, this includes a combination of duties in-office, visiting park sites, and participating in park events which may include occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays.
- For work onsite: this is performed primarily in outdoor settings in all weather conditions; will involve public speaking and interaction with staff and visitors; will require the ability to regularly stand and walk up and down a worksite that, in the case of Alcatraz, is the equivalent of a 13-story climb, and frequent movement from one location to another by foot is required; Alcatraz transport requires a 15-minute ferry ride each way.
- Work is primarily performed sitting and standing:
- Regularly sits or stands at a desk / computer station (6-8 hours per day)
- Walking, including potential inclines and uneven surfaces at park sites
- Valid Driver’s License and ability to travel to work locations across the San Francisco Bay Area, including Alcatraz Island, Muir Woods, Golden Gate Bridge, Crissy Field, Lands End, Presidio, Fort Point, Off-Site Warehouses, and other workplaces, both indoors and outdoors.
Compensation & Benefits:
The annual salary for this position is $200,000 (pay grade 32). As part of our equitable pay practices, we will not be able to offer a starting salary beyond this amount.
Comprehensive benefits package includes:
- Medical, dental and vision plans
- 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution
- Paid vacation, personal, sick and holiday days
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employer-matched Commuter Program
- Employee discounts & more
Please apply by September 12, 2025
Anticipated Start Date: January 2026
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.
The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Recruitment, placement and promotions are conducted without regard to an individual's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical handicap, veteran status or sexual orientation, or any other classification protected by Federal, State, and local laws & ordinances. We will consider qualified candidates with criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.
|