Visitor Services and Retail Associate

Do you have a passion for conservation and the natural world? Do you thrive in customer service roles where you can make a lasting impact?  If so, join our team as a Visitor Services and Retail Associate. This is a seasonal, hourly role that pays $15 an hour and is flexible with the number of hours you can work.  Come play an essential part in supporting ICF’s mission through exceptional customer service, retail management, and educational outreach!

As a Visitor Services and Retail Associate, you will be responsible for creating a welcoming and engaging environment for our visitors while assisting in the daily operations of our retail store. You will be an integral part of the team, ensuring our guests have a seamless experience as they explore the wonders of crane conservation, and you’ll also support ICF’s sustainability and educational efforts through the sale of fair trade, environmentally friendly, and branded merchandise.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Create a customer service experience and retail atmosphere to best promote ICF’s mission.
  • Stocks shelves, counters, or tables with merchandise at direction from Visitor Services and Retail Manager.
  • Sets up advertising displays or arranges merchandise on counters or tables to promote sales at direction from Visitor Services and Retail Manager.
  • Stamps, marks, or tags price on merchandise at direction from Visitor Services and Retail Manager.
  • Answers customer’s questions concerning ICF’s mission, conservation work, membership; location, price, and use of merchandise.
  • Totals discounts, price, and tax on merchandise purchased by customer to determine bill.
  • Accepts payment and makes change.
  • Wraps or bags merchandise for customers.
  • Cleans shelves, counters, or tables and maintains general upkeep of retail store.
  • Removes and records amount of cash in register at end of shift.
  • Calculates sales discount to determine price for current members and guests.
  • Additional job duties deemed necessary to the job at direction from Gift Shop Manager.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Maintain sales goals, membership quotas, and conduct annual reviews with supervisor.

Qualifications Required:

  • High school diploma or general education degree (GED)
  • Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; responds promptly to customer needs; and responds to requests for service and assistance.
  • Work as a constructive member of a team, including the free sharing of information and technical expertise as needed.
  • Demonstrate respect and sensitivity for others; inspire trust; and work with integrity and ethically. Ability to engage diverse visitors to ICF.
  • Excellent verbal communication skills, including speaking clearly and persuasively to individuals and groups in positive or negative situations; listening effectively; responding well to questions from the general public.
  • Written communication skills, including the ability to effectively draft correspondence in a clear, concise, logical, and grammatically correct manner; and ability to vary writing style to meet the needs of the audience and media. Able to read and interpret written information.
  • Knowledge of basic math including addition, subtraction, multiplication and calculating percentages.
  • Requires flexibility to work the necessary hours and schedule to complete regular and ad hoc tasks, maintain consistent attendance, be punctual, and ensure work coverage during absences.
  • Experience utilizing the basic features of Microsoft Word suites; E-mail, Internet.
  • Contributes to profits and revenue.
  • Attentive to detail and thoroughness.
  • Ability to identify problems, collect, organize, analyze information, and make appropriate decisions or recommendations within defined scope of responsibilities.
  • Quickly, effectively, and continually adapt to changes in work environment and duties, processes, and technologies.
  • Follows organizational policies and procedures, instructions, responds to management direction and takes responsibility for own actions.
  • Observes safety and security procedures.
  • Commitment to the mission of the International Crane Foundation.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Retail experience in a non-profit, museum, zoo, or fair trade organization.
  • Knowledge of POS software.
  • One to two years’ experience in retail sales.

Physical Abilities and Work Environment:

The physical abilities and work environment characteristics described below are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • Ability to operate computer and phones.
  • Ability to communicate with staff, customers and donors. Communication will include both one on one communication, small, and large group communication.
  • Ability to stand for long periods of time.
  • Ability to lift or move up to 25 pounds.
  • Work environment can be noisy at times.

How to Apply:   Send a single document containing a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references to icfjobs@savingcranes.org with the subject: “Visitor Services and Retail Associate.” The deadline to apply is April 18, 2025.

Join us in protecting cranes and the ecosystems they inhabit—together, we can make a difference!

ICF is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. We hire great people.   ICF is an equal opportunity employer.