Retail Manager

The Australian National Maritime Museum is seeking an experienced and efficient Retail Manager to join the Commercial Operations team in this full-time non-ongoing position for 12-months.

This position may be offered at either the APS5 or APS6 level, depending on the skills and experience of the successful candidate.

About the Australian National Maritime Museum

As one of Sydney's most visited museums, the Australian National Maritime Museum shares our national maritime story across Australia and the world, online, onsite and through research, presentations and travelling exhibitions, and provides must-visit museum experiences that delight and inspire.

We connect our visitors with the oceans and waterways that are the heartbeat of who we are. From deep time to modern Australian and beyond, we explore our past, our present and future as an island nation shaped by sea, offering a sustainable and cohesive vision for the future. 

The Museum welcomes over 2.5 million local, interstate and international visitors annually, and is supported by a thriving and passionate staff, membership, volunteer and education base. Find out more at

About the Role

The Retail Manager supports the efficient and dynamic operation of the Museum's retail business across both onsite and online platforms, ensuring consistently high standards of customer service, merchandising, and commercial outcomes. Working under general direction and in close collaboration with the Head of Commercial, this role contributes to the strategic direction of the retail offer, aligning shop performance with the Museum's broader commercial objectives and visitor experience goals.

The Retail Manager manages day-to-day operations, including stock control and stocktake processes, strengthening supplier relationships, and compliance with financial and operational procedures. The role develops and implements creative merchandising displays and retail promotions, maximising opportunities linked to Museum exhibitions, collections, and seasonal programs to ensure the shop remains a dynamic, engaging, and profitable component of the visitor experience. A key focus of the role is motivating and leading the retail team to deliver outstanding sales results and exceptional customer service and experience. This includes implementing sales structures, providing coaching and performance feedback, and embedding a culture of service excellence that enhances the visitor journey.

The Retail Manager is also responsible for driving the continued expansion of the Museum's online store, leveraging the Shopify platform and omnichannel marketing opportunities to attract a global customer base. This involves identifying new product opportunities, optimising digital marketing strategies, and ensuring seamless integration between in-store and online experiences. Through strong leadership, innovative thinking, and a results-driven approach, the Retail Manager ensures the Museum Shop delivers strong financial performance, enhances the Museum's brand, and provides every visitor with a memorable retail experience.

Please note: This recruitment process is intended to fill both current and future vacancies. While the position on offer is non-ongoing, a merit pool of suitable applicants may be established to fill similar ongoing and non-ongoing positions within the next 18 months.

Key Accountabilities

Under limited direction, this position is responsible for delivering the following functions:

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Museum's retail and online store, ensuring high standards in sales, customer service, merchandise presentation, and financial procedures.
• Manage a broad range of customer enquiries and complaints with professionalism, tact, and diplomacy, ensuring a consistently positive visitor experience.
• Provide direction, training, and performance feedback to retail staff, building capability through coaching in sales techniques, customer service, product knowledge, and POS/SOP compliance.
• Develop and implement strategies to increase in-store and online sales, including digital promotions, bundling offers, and targeted customer engagement initiatives.
• Oversee inventory control, reorders, and product availability, ensuring bestsellers are maintained, slow-moving stock is effectively managed, and product development supports retail growth.
• Ensure accurate end-of-day cash handling, reconciliation of daily and weekly takings, and preparation of monthly financial and retail performance reports to support decision-making.
• Develop engaging displays and promotional initiatives that reflect the Museum's identity and enhance the visitor retail experience.
• Link retail offerings to the Museum's vision and operational plan, aligning retail activities with broader organisational goals and sustainability priorities.
• Identify and implement initiatives that improve retail operations, enhance efficiency, and support innovation, sustainability, and profitability.
• Manage performance in line with Museum policy, and ensure all retail operations comply with relevant standards, procedures, and frameworks.

Selection Criteria

The successful candidate will demonstrate their capacity against the following:

1. Demonstrated experience in delivering high-quality customer service and sales outcomes in a cultural, tourism, or retail environment, with proven success in enhancing visitor experience and driving retail performance.
2. Proven ability to lead, supervise, and develop a customer-facing sales team, including performance management, training, and motivating staff to achieve revenue and customer satisfaction KPIs.
3. Strong commercial and operational acumen, including experience in cash handling, reconciliation, stock management, and the use of computerised retail and POS systems to support efficient and compliant operations.
4. Highly developed communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to represent the Museum professionally to visitors, contractors, and internal stakeholders, and resolve issues with tact and diplomacy.
5. Analytical and reporting capability, including proficiency in database management and MS Excel, with the ability to interpret financial and operational data, prepare reports, and provide insights to support strategic decision-making.

Qualifications and/or relevant experience required

Mandatory:

• Significant retail management experience with demonstrated success in a customer-facing environment.
• Knowledge of e-commerce platforms and digital retail marketing.
• Ability to work weekends and public holidays.

Desirable:

• Experience in the tourism, cultural and/or hospitality sector.
• Previous experience working within the public sector.
• Advanced Microsoft office, mainly excel and POS online platforms i.e. Shopify and various database skills.
• Knowledge and understanding of APS Values and Code of Conduct and commitment to workplace diversity and working in a team environment.

When applying via our online e-recruitment system, please provide a written application addressing each Selection Criteria. Your current resume is also to be included in your application.

In addition to an application and your resume, the assessment process for this position may also include an interview and referee reports.

Applications Close: 11:30pm AEST, Sunday 26 October 2025. No Applications will be accepted by mail or email.

Selection for this position will be made on the basis of relative merit which will be assessed against each item of the selection criteria. Applications that do not address the selection criteria will not be considered for shortlisting by the Selection Panel. As part of the selection process the Selection Panel may invite candidates to undertake online testing, skills-based assessment and provide samples of written work at interview. 

This position is open to all eligible members of the community, and we welcome and encourage applications from people with disability, the LGBTIQ+ communities, from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. To be an eligible member of the community, you must be an Australian citizen. Applications may be accepted from Australian permanent residents who are in the process of acquiring Australian citizenship. All employees will be required to satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check and obtain and maintain a Working with Children Check registration.

What We Offer You

Working at the Museum offers a stunning office location plus access to a range of benefits including:

• A competitive salary, plus 15.4% superannuation
• Generous leave and flexible working arrangements
• Great training and development opportunities
• Rewards and recognition initiatives
• Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP – a free counselling service for you and your family).
• Wellbeing initiatives including free flu shots and reimbursement for optical
• Staff Regatta – Sailing on the Harbour.

RecuitAbility

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information see: RecruitAbility | Australian Public Service Commission )