Shop Attendant, Dia Beacon

Dia Art Foundation; City of Beacon (NY); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick days

401(k) with employer match

Staff museum admissions

Job summary

Dia Beacon’s Shop staff plays a key role in supporting the day-to-day care, presentation, and operation of the museum, working closely with the Visitor Experience and Development departments to provide exceptional hospitality. The Shop Attendant greets visitors, assists with purchases, maintains merchandising, restocks inventory, and supports administrative tasks.

The standard schedule is 2–3 days per week, primarily Sunday and Monday, with potential for an additional day, and residency in

Qualifications

• Retail, hospitality, and/or customer-service experience preferred.
• Experience merchandising in a museum giftshop or bookshop a plus.
• Knowledge of art history and/or literature is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Create a visitor-friendly atmosphere with professional language and a welcoming demeanor.
• Assist with merchandising and maintain shop displays, replenishment, organization, and cleanliness.
• Handle daily operations and sales including opening/closing, cash handling, and online-order fulfillment.
• Operate the point-of-sale system and compile reports as needed.
• Maintain inventory knowledge and assist with stock transfers and low-stock alerts.
• Suggest titles for purchase and help with exhibition-related product features.
• Attend exhibition walk-throughs and stay informed about related programs.
• Provide information about Dia’s history, programming, and policies; assist memberships.

Skills

Customer service

Merchandising

Cash handling

Square POS

MS Office

Communication

Multitasking

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Square POS

Job description

Dia Art Foundation was established in 1974 for the purpose of collecting, commissioning, and presenting major works of art made in the 1960s onward. Today it consists of nine permanent sites across the United States and Germany, as well as three changing exhibition spaces in New York State: Dia Chelsea in the city, Dia Beacon in the Hudson Valley, and Dia Bridgehampton on Long Island. Dia is taken from the Greek word for “through” and conveys the foundation’s role as a facilitator of meaningful artistic experiences that can be encountered in single and repeated visits.

Position summary

The Dia Shop is a cornerstone of the museum’s visitor experience, with a thriving online store and locations at Dia Beacon and Dia Chelsea. Based in Beacon, the Shop Attendant embodies Dia’s ethos by fostering a welcoming and engaging environment for visitors. The individual in this role assists with customer inquiries and purchases, maintains the appearance and merchandising of the space throughout the day, receives and restocks inventory, and supports the Shop team with administrative and operational tasks as needed.

Dia Beacon’s Shop staff plays a key role in supporting the day-to-day care, presentation, and operation of the museum, working closely with the Visitor Experience and Development departments to provide exceptional hospitality. Responsibilities include welcoming groups, greeting visitors in and around the Shop, and answering general questions about Dia Beacon and the Hudson Valley region. This position requires familiarity with Dia Art Foundation’s mission and programming, knowledge of contemporary art, and strong customer-service, merchandising, and retail skills. Candidates should be well-organized and able to set a professional standard for the museum’s shop and entrance area.

The standard schedule is 2–3 days per week, primarily Sunday and Monday, with potential for an additional day.

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Create a visitor-friendly atmosphere; use professional language and maintain a welcoming, courteous demeanor with Dia’s visitors
• Assist with merchandising, including maintaining the physical appearance of the shop and keeping the displays and surrounding areas replenished, organized, and clean
• Assist with daily operations and sales, including opening and closing procedures, cash handling, and online-order fulfillment
• Proficiently operate the point-of-sales system and compile reports when needed
• Maintain knowledge of inventory and assist with its management, including the annual inventory count, receiving orders and stock transfers from the warehouse, and apprising the Shop Manager of low-stock levels
• Suggest new titles for purchase and assist in executing exhibition-related product features
• Attend exhibition walk-throughs and stay informed of related programs
• Provide accurate information about Dia’s history, programming, and policies
• Provide information on Dia memberships and support their sales when appropriate
• Answer the shop phone and respond to email inquiries
• Occasionally work offsite, such as at the annual New York Art Book Fair or other Dia Shop–related events

Other duties and responsibilities

• Provide information about the Hudson Valley region, MTA, driving directions, etc.
• Inform visitors of museum policies and maintain a safe environment for the public
• Always be ready to react in emergency situations according to the Emergency Action Plan
• Assist with general maintenance

Education, certification, and experience

• Retail, hospitality, and/or customer-service experience preferred
• Experience merchandising in a museum giftshop or bookshop a plus
• Knowledge of and/or coursework in art history and literature a plus

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Excellent interpersonal and customer-service skills
• Visual-merchandising, problem-solving, and spatial-thinking skills
• Time-management skills; ability to work independently and multitask in a fast-paced retail environment while prioritizing customer service
• Self-directed; ability to complete work with minimal supervisory directives
• Competency with basic math and experience working with the Square POS system
• Experience and comfort working in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Excel, and Teams
• Knowledge of Dia’s history, programing, and/or the Hudson Valley region a plus

Working conditions and physical demands

• This position requires 2–3 days a week, including holidays and special events as needed
• Standing for long periods of time with frequent walking, squatting, bending, and climbing ladders as needed
• Frequent lifting and/or moving a minimum of 30 lbs.
• Work is performed in both a bookshop/retail environment and warehouse/stockroom setting as needed

• Part-time employees are eligible for paid sick days, holiday pay, and participation in the 401(k) savings program with employer match.
• Employees have the opportunity to learn about Dia’s collection through presentations by curators, artists, writers, and historians.
• Staff ID badges gain reduced or free admission to most American museums and arts organizations.

Beacon area or Hudson Valley residency preferred.

This position is represented by the Technical, Office, and Professional Union, Local 2110, UAW, AFL-CIO.

Dia Art Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. In addition, Dia will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities and supports a neurodiverse workplace. Candidates with nontraditional learning or career paths and/or applicants whose qualifications differ from those listed above are encouraged to apply.