Strolling through Brookfield Zoo and gazing at the vast collection of animals may also inspire a stroll through one of several gift shop destinations. Stuffed Animal Kingdom Gift Shop is popular for a wide variety of fun, furry animals, many of which resemble favorites our guests come to see on their visit to the Zoo. It may be a traditional favorite like a tiger or bear, an important symbol of conservation such as the Okapi, or an unexpected blue hippo or pink penguin.

As Merchandise Supervisor at Stuffed Animal Kingdom Gift Shop, you will assist our many guests and greet them with a welcoming smile as customer service is a number one priority at Brookfield Zoo. You will also be responsible for maximizing sales, ensuring all transactions are accurate, and providing assistance to management.

As Supervisor, you will make use of your knowledge about the merchandise and services while supervising and assisting location employees in customer service and selling merchandise ensuring that customer service standards are met. You will demonstrate your prior retail experience in responsibilities for the location's daily operations and maintenance. This includes opening and closing in a timely and efficient manner, clearing registers, verifying accurate cash counts and handling the location's daily sales records, and authorizing customer returns, credits and exchanges, and employee over rings and no sales. You will continually monitor and adjust gift and souvenir stock levels, including writing and verifying gift transfers and souvenir orders; supervise receiving, pricing and moving of merchandise out to display areas; and, maintaining and updating displays as needed. This also includes being responsible and accountable for the accurate and timely completion of inventories and recounts, the initial setup and take down of seasonal merchandise sales locations including the coordinating of fixture requirements, supervising the assembly and initial product ordering, and merchandising of satellite locations; supervising end-of-season transfers and the required fixture take down and storage. Making use of your prior supervisory experience, you will continually monitor and adjust daily staff levels and maintain an acceptable cost of labor percentage, assign and monitor staff break periods, handle customer and employee concerns on the initial level and notify manager, assist in seasonal staff performance evaluations and training. As Supervisor at Stuffed Animal Kingdom Gift Shop, you will also be responsible for initiating, planning and completing projects. Supervisors may be assigned to work in gift shops, tents, souvenir stands, photo booths, and carts and may also be required to temporarily assist at other Guest Services locations.

Position Requirements and Specifications
This is a temporary position. The minimum starting wage is $10.25 per hour.

The requirements for this position include:

• High School graduate or (GED) equivalent preferred.


• One year relevant retail experience required.


• Minimum one year supervisory experience required.


• Must be able to operate a cash register accurately and efficiently.


• Accurate basic math skills required.


• Good communications and interpersonal skills required; ability to communicate effectively with the public and co-workers required.


• Demonstrated strong customer service skills.


• Demonstrated ability to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines.


• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.


• Must be able to learn new skills and tasks.


• Must project a neat, clean, professional appearance at all times.


• Experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience. Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus.


• Incumbent must be able to work non-standard hours including evenings, holidays, and weekends.

Additional Information
This requisition is to actively recruit for numerous temporary openings for 2015.

Additional requisitions will be posted as additional opportunities become available. Please continue to visit our CZS Career Center for these
future opportunities .

The Chicago Zoological Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer - Minorities / Women / Veterans / Disabled.