Reporting to the Manager, Retail Operations, the incumbent supervises and directs the work of a group of sales staff involved in selling, displaying, unpacking, pricing, and storing high quality art related merchandise; purchasing merchandise; overseeing the implementation of satellite stores associated with exhibitions, seasonal displays or special off-site events; overseeing merchandising ideas and their implementation in the main store; and undertaking daily administrative functions.

The Gallery Store Supervisor also has expertise in consignment, product development and working with the applicable Gallery curators and artists in developing Artists Editions.

In addition, the Gallery Store Supervisor assists the Store Manager in development and revision of budget and projected sales figures and in developing and maintaining various administrative policies and procedures. The Gallery Store Supervisor exercises considerable independence in all aspects of the work and schedules the Sales Associates. The work is performed under the general direction of the Store Manager who evaluates work in terms of the achievement of desired results

The Vancouver Art Gallery, one of the largest and innovative art museums in Canada, is undergoing a multi-phase organizational transformation after celebrating 90 years of operation. With a permanent collection of more than 12,000 works of art, the Gallery is implementing a campaign to build a new purpose-built gallery facility in downtown Vancouver planned to open in 2027. This is a moment of growth, exploration and change, as the Gallery re-articulates its relationship to communities and audiences and envisions the role of an art museum in the 21st century.

The new building designed by Swiss Architects Herzog and de Meuron will provide an optimal platform to reimagine the Gallery’s relationship with the world. The new Gallery building will be the most ecologically sustainable art museum in Canada. The creation of a world-class purpose-built art facility will enable the Gallery to foster deeper and wider community relations and expand audiences, celebrate Indigenous culture, and acknowledge the diverse heritage and histories of place and people in Canada and the ancestral and unceded territories of the Traditional Coast Salish Lands including the Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm), Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw) and Tsleil-Waututh (səlilwətaɬ) Nations.

Complementing and building upon a rich institutional history of exhibiting photography and moving image, design, craft, material and popular culture—in an expanded field of visual culture—the Gallery further seeks the development of an online and virtual space— “a second building”—that blurs the line between the “real” and “virtual” worlds. Through innovative art programming, the Gallery will be a leader in interpreting Canada’s past, present and future.

1. Supervises the work of staff engaged in store, and satellite store(s), procedures (selling merchandise, operating cash register, displaying merchandise, opening and closing practices and unpacking, pricing and storing goods) by:

• Planning and scheduling staff and volunteers to meet store requirements,
• Interviewing and selecting candidates for sales positions; discussing recommended selection with the Store Manager,
• Undertaking training of staff and volunteers and ensuring they are fully informed of the job requirements and responsibilities,
• Monitoring work assignments and reassigning staff to meet changes in store requirements,
• Reviewing staff performance and advising on required changes; taking disciplinary action as required and participating at the first stage of the grievance procedure.

2. Purchases merchandise for the main store, by:

• Researching and sourcing a wide diversity of merchandise, often unique to certain exhibitions; meeting with vendors to review new merchandise; ensuring new products meet with the store’s mandate of merchandise authenticity, high quality and appropriateness; placing orders in the field of jewelry and crafts, books, reproductions and other miscellaneous merchandise categories,
• Attending trade and museum shows and placing orders, if required
• Maintaining contact with Canadian artists, crafts people and international suppliers to keep abreast of merchandising trends.

3. Oversees unique product development in coordination with the Manager, consignment inventory if required and Artist Editions by:

• Researching market trends, as well as the exhibition and program activities to determine the most effective product development opportunities.
• Plan, budget and create products unique to the Gallery in coordination with the Store Manager.
• Liaise, develop price and organize the development of any Art Editions with the Gallery curators and artists.
• Ensure the appropriate costing, storage and pricing.
• Work with agreements that meet the requirements of the products being development including copywrite considerations and manufacturing requirements, importing and local regulatory requirements.
• Review all product development in concert with Gallery values, environmental and other social concerns and requirements.

4. In conjunction with the Store Manager, oversees the planning and implementation of satellite stores associated with exhibitions, seasonal displays or special off-site events, by:

• Planning and producing a timeline for the implementation of satellite stores including components such as purchasing, staffing, design layout, construction of fixtures, store set-up and merchandise display,
• Researching and identifying merchandise lines; may consult with curatorial staff regarding exhibition content and merchandising ideas; sourcing out merchandise and placing orders,
• Working with exhibition designers and/or designing layout of satellite stores including type and placement of fixtures and merchandise layout,
• Determining staffing needs and work schedules; selecting and training staff,
• Liaising with building services, preparation staff, curators and public programs staff for fixture location, construction and store set-up,
• Overseeing stocking ensuring that all implementation components (staffing, store lay-out and set-up, merchandising) are completed on schedule,
• During Store’s run, monitoring stock, reordering as necessary; rearranging store or merchandise layout as necessary, and responding to staffing or stock problems,
• Evaluating the success of the satellite stores based on actual to projected sales; debriefing as to what worked and what could be done differently for future endeavours.

5. Determines and oversees merchandising ideas and their implementation in the main store, by:

• Determining general display themes and overall merchandising structure for the main store including window and jewelry case treatments.
• Identifying frequent mini changes to various store display areas to ensure merchandising is fresh and/or reflective of special promotions,
• Directing staff engaged in creating displays.

6. Undertakes daily administrative functions in relation to inventory and invoice procedures:

• Coordinating the shipping and receiving of all store merchandise; assigning inventory codes.
• Processing invoices; expediting customs procedures for foreign merchandise using custom brokers and liaising with same; calculating Canadian landed costs of foreign goods and determining retail value by adding set mark-ups on all goods.
• Reviewing invoices and purchase orders to ensure orders reflect goods received,
• Resolving any discrepancies with accounting and suppliers,
• Entering cost and retail prices of goods on a spreadsheet program to determine average cost of goods sold by inventory category,
• Managing store inventory by monitoring or delegating the monitoring of stock levels and reordering stock accordingly,
• Arranging the return or discount sale of merchandise that is damaged, obsolete or slow moving.

7. Performs a variety of planning and administrative functions in the store, such as:

• Planning and implementing special store openings, promotions or displays such as Member’s Shopping Night, exhibition openings or off-site store and window displays, buying merchandise, arranging layout, as necessary, scheduling staff and overseeing merchandise set-up, etc.,
• Providing input into the development and revision of budget and the projected sales for various cash sales categories,
• Making recommendations regarding inventory and cash control procedures to the Store Manager,
• Developing with the Store Manager and implementing computerized and manual inventory systems,
• Developing and maintaining product information manual,
• Assists the Store Manager in developing and maintaining a store systems and procedures manual,
• Assuming responsibility for the operation of the Vancouver Art Gallery Store in the absence of the Store Manager.

College diploma in marketing or retail management, visual arts courses preferred, plus five years of related supervisory retail management experience with a proven track record for leading and managing a sales team to achieve targets.  Candidate must possess considerable experience with retail and merchandising practices including buying, pricing, inventory management, online shipping and receiving procedures, social media and engagement, sales promotion and retail accounting. Excellent leadership, supervisory, organizational and communication skills are essential.  Strong computer with proficiency in current financial and point of sales programs is also required. Art Gallery and/or art related experience preferred.