As Merchandise Supervisor at Wildlife Trading Post Gift Shop, you will provide the highest level of quality customer service while maximizing sales to contribute to the Society's goals of financial sustainability and exceptional guest experience. Furthermore, you will greet guests and quickly and efficiently accommodates guests' needs, maximize sales, ensure all transactions are accurate, and provide assistance to management. A popular Southgate attraction, Wildlife Trading Post offers a scenic world tour of unique handcrafted gifts from jewelry, scarves, decorative items, animal masks, toys, crafts, stuffed animals, books, and more! Our guests are sure to find that special item to remember their special visit to Brookfield Zoo whether it be a spectacularly sunny summer day or a wonderful winter wonderland.

The primary duties and responsibilities include:

• Supervise and assist location employees in customer service and selling merchandise. Ensure that customer service standards are met. Assist customers in sales in a friendly, efficient, professional manner and be knowledgeable about the merchandise and services. Handle customer and employee concerns on the initial level and notify manager.
• Responsible for the location's daily operations and maintenance. Open and close the location in a timely and efficient manner, clear registers, verify accurate cash counts and handle the location's daily sales records. Authorize customer returns, credits and exchanges, and employee over rings and no sales. 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. Maintain and update displays as needed. Responsible and accountable for the accurate and timely completion of inventories and recounts.
• Responsible for 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. Supervise end-of-season transfers and the required fixture take down and storage.
• Continually monitor and adjust daily staff levels and maintain an acceptable cost of labor percentage. Assign and monitor staff break periods.
• Initiate, plan and assign both daily and long-term projects, including creative displays, cleaning schedules and sales contests.
• Provide assistance to managers in writing and administering seasonal staff performance evaluations. Participate in and helps to develop training for employees. Notify and provide manager with feedback and suggestions on all areas listed above.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Position Requirements and Specifications
As Brookfield Zoo is open 365 days a year, this position highly prefers flexible availability to work any 5 days out of any 7 days each week with work shifts that are usually from 4 to 8 hours in length generally during the hours that Brookfield Zoo is open. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Brookfield Zoo is open 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily (Sundays until 7:30 p.m.). After Labor Day until Memorial Day, the weekend and weekday hours vary from 9:30/10:00 a.m. to 5:00/6:00 p.m. During special events, the Zoo may be open until 9:00/10:00 p.m.

This is a temporary / seasonal position.

The requirements for the position include the following:

• One year relevant retail experience required.
• Minimum one year supervisory experience required.
• Must be able to quickly learn how to use a cash register accurately and efficiently.
• Accurate basic math skills required.
• Good communications and interpersonal skills required.
• Ability to interact with others in a friendly, courteous and helpful fashion required.
• Strong customer service skills, ability to work effectively under pressure, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural
  audience.

The desirable qualifications.

• High School graduate or (GED) equivalent preferred.
• Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus.

Additional Information:

This seasonal position requires a high level of customer service. Must project a neat, clean, professional appearance at all times. Incumbent will be trained on a variety of equipment and skills and must be able to quickly learn and become proficient. Incumbent must be able to work non-standard hours including evenings, holidays, and weekends. Incumbent must learn Society policies and departmental procedures and standards, and must model and enforce across assigned workforce. Supervisors may be assigned to work in gift shops, tents, souvenir stands, photo booths, and carts. Supervisors may also be required to temporarily assist at other Guest Services locations as directed, such as food service or admissions areas.

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