Full Time
The General Manager is instrumental in overseeing the daily operations of the store, ensuring an engaging customer experience, managing and developing a small professional staff, creating and maintaining a positive work environment, providing financial oversight, as well as long term strategic planning. The ideal candidate thrives in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. With the support and active participation of the owner, supervisors, and team leaders, the General Manager will continue to honor the rich history of the Country Bookshelf while strengthening its future by cultivating a dynamic, diverse, inclusive workplace, caring for its customer base, and maintaining its unique inventory. Store Operations (25%) Maintain a positive, diverse, inclusive, productive, and fun working environment; Maintain an awareness of bookstore needs and proactively troubleshoot to ensure those needs are addressed; Ensure cleanliness, safety, accessibility, and maintenance of the store’s physical space; Maintain necessary store technology including phone, internet, computers, printers, other hardware and software, and credit card terminals; Supervise and coordinate annual inventory; Create and continually review workplace policies and procedures for bookstore operations including cash procedures, opening/closing the store, etc. Financial Oversight (10%) Responsible for day-to-day financial oversight including proper sales procedures, customer billing, AP, consignment payment reports, credit card chargebacks and issues, cash handling, daily reports, purchasing supplies, vendor payments, payroll, record keeping, etc; Work with owners, supervisors, and team leads to develop annual budget and work within that budget; Evaluate and improve operations to maximize financial performance. Strategic Planning and Analysis (5%) In collaboration with owner and supervisors, lead the creation and development of long-term, strategic priorities to increase customer base and improve long term profitability and sustainability of the bookstore; Create, implement, and evaluate plans to accomplish these goals. Human Resource Management (25%) Develop, direct, and coordinate the human resource policies and activities for staff of 16 full and part time booksellers to create a positive, collaborative, and service-centered work environment; Create and manage staff schedule; Oversee payroll, management of benefits; With HR team leads, create and implement a training, performance and goal development system for bookstore managers and staff; Provide constructive and timely performance evaluations; Handle discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy; Lead quarterly staff meetings; Be knowledgeable of employment law and best practices and ensure employees follow all policies as outlined in the Employee Handbook; Coordinate professional development opportunities. Marketing and Promotions (25%) Represent the store to the public, media, local business community, and book industry; Oversee creation and implementation of marketing, events, and promotion designed to increase customer base; With team leads, oversee the development and implementation of projects including events, website, newsletter, social media, book fairs, off-site events, community partnerships, publisher and vendor partnerships, displays, physical store reorganizations, promotions, bulk orders, and other projects as they arise. Communication (10%) Ensure timely and effective internal communications amongst store owners, staff, buyers, events team, and supervisors to assist with scheduling of project hours, internet order needs, sales floor, events needs; Contribute creatively, collaboratively and strategically with staff, owner, supervisors, and team leads; Lead weekly management meetings to communicate updates, changes, etc. and generate overall strategy discussions; Communicate as needed with neighboring businesses, and other building owners/managers as needed. Qualifications and Skills Required: Book industry experience is preferred but not required. The ideal candidate must be a firm believer in independent bookstores and the value of reading; 5-7 years of management experience in a fast-paced retail or book industry setting; Experience managing staff of 5+; Strong understanding of retail practices, sales strategies, and customer service techniques; IT literacy required (MS Office, BookLog, Square); Able to generate, interpret, and use reports for data-driven decision making; Ability to time manage and prioritize a large volume of tasks; Excellent oral and written communication skills; Ability to supervise, motivate, contribute to, and lead a diverse staff and foster a cooperative work environment; Comfortable offering and accepting constructive feedback Fair, accessible, and approachable; Must be available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays. Some travel for conferences and training required. Salary range: $60,000 - $65,000 DOE Benefits include, but are not limited to, vacation and sick leave (minimum total 2 weeks/year), health, dental, and vision insurance, potential holiday bonuses, phone allowance, laptop, opportunities for professional development, industry connections, and meeting amazing authors, store discount, access to thousands of free books, and the opportunity to work with the best, most passionate, hard-working, intelligent, experienced, creative, extraordinary people. Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to kasey@countrybookshelf.com. Country Bookshelf is a mission-driven bookstore. We work with community partners to promote literacy amongst both children and adults. We value community above all else, fostering it within our space and in our Bozeman community and beyond. At Country Bookshelf, we value the dignity, diversity, and inclusion of everyone who walks through our doors. We strive to create a kind, safe, and welcoming space where everyone is treated equally, fairly, and thoughtfully, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, or ability. About Country Bookshelf: Country Bookshelf was founded in 1957 in Bozeman, MT, by Polly Renne in a small shop just off Tracy Avenue. After several years, the store relocated to the White Chapel on West Main Street. Mary Jane DiSanti then purchased the store and in 1986, moved it back downtown to its current location, renovating and expanding the space which would eventually become a beloved landmark. In 2010, after 36 years, Mary Jane transferred ownership to Ariana Paliobagis, who has continued to make the bookstore one of the most knowledgeable, people-friendly bookstores around. The numerous author events and unique collection have made it a community-landmark.kasey@countrybookshelf.com
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