Retail Sales Lead

International Spy Museum; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

The International Spy Museum is seeking a dynamic, people-first Retail Operations Sales Lead to guide our busy gift shop and deliver outstanding guest experiences.

As a visible floor leader, you will coach Retail Sales Associates, process POS transactions accurately, and act as Manager on Duty when needed. This salaried, full-time role requires nights, weekends, and occasional holidays, with a focus on service excellence and operational standards.

Qualifications

• High School degree required; college degree preferred.
• 2+ years of retail experience in a fast-paced environment with a strong focus on customer service.
• 1+ year of leadership experience; Keyholder or Team Lead experience preferred.
• Strong computer skills including Microsoft Word and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Deliver exceptional customer service through proactive engagement with all guests.
• Serve as customer service role model and floor leader, motivating staff to achieve sales and service goals.
• Accurately process point-of-sale transactions and adhere to cash handling procedures.
• Act as “Manager on Duty” in absence of Retail Managers; perform store opening/closing procedures, cash management, and daily reporting.
• Train new team members on customer service standards, product knowledge, POS procedures and store policies.
• Maintain store appearance through cleaning, merchandising, and signage accuracy; update signs as needed.
• Partner with Buyers and Leadership Team to identify low inventory and discrepancies; participate in loss prevention.
• Assist with annual physical inventory and ongoing cycle counts.
• Support price changes, markups, and markdowns accurately and communicate discrepancies.
• Take on additional responsibilities to support business needs.
• High School degree required; College degree preferred.

Skills

Customer service

Leadership

Cash handling

POS procedures

Training staff

Education

High School diploma

College degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

The International Spy Museum is seeking a dynamic, people-first Retail Operations Sales Lead to help lead our fun, fast-paced museum gift shop. This role is ideal for someone who thrives on juggling multiple priorities, solving problems in real time, and supporting a team while delivering service excellence to every Museum guest.

The Retail Operations Sales Lead is a visible leader on the sales floor and collaborates closely under the Retail Managers. Brings energy, flexibility, and a strong customer service mindset. This position plays a key role in coaching and training Retail Sales Associates and maintaining operational excellence.

Success Traits

• Strong multi-tasker and can balance guest service, team support and operational tasks simultaneously
• Natural problem solver that is solution-oriented
• Genuinely passionate about customer service and creating memorable guest experiences
• Highly flexible and comfortable adapting to changing priorities in a busy retail environment

Responsibilities

• Deliver exceptional customer service through proactive engagement with all guests.
• Serve as customer service role model and floor leader, motivating and supporting staff to achieve sales and service goals.
• Accurately process point-of-sale transactions and adhere to cash handling procedures.
• Act as “Manager on Duty” in absence of Retail Managers. Perform store opening and closing procedures to include opening and closing point-of-sale, cash management, associate delegation, and daily reporting.
• Train new team members on customer service standards, product knowledge, POS procedures and store policies.
• Assist with maintaining store appearance through cleaning, merchandising, and signage accuracy. Update signs as needed.
• Partner with Buyers and Leadership Team to identify low inventory levels and discrepancies; actively participate in loss prevention efforts.
• Assist with annual physical inventory and ongoing cycle counts.
• Support product maintenance by assisting with price changes, markups and markdowns accurately and efficiently, ensuring clear communication of any discrepancies.
• Take on additional responsibilities as assigned to support the needs of the business.
• High School degree required. College degree preferred.
• 2+ years of retail experience in a fast-paced environment with a strong focus on customer service.
• 1+ year of leadership experience. Keyholder or Team Lead experience in a retail setting preferred.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel.

Special Considerations

This is a full-time salaried position requiring the availability to work nights and weekends. Required to work some holidays as dictated by the needs of the business.

This role requires extended periods of standing and walking, frequent bending, and the ability to lift and move merchandise up to 25 pounds. Transporting merchandise from other locations within the Museum using carts and dollies is required.