How to hire a gift shop manager

How to hire a gift shop manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step gift shop manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a gift shop manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new gift shop manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a gift shop manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a gift shop manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a gift shop manager that fits the bill.

   This list presents gift shop manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Gift Shop Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Gift Shop Manager		$13-18
   Stores Supervisor	Store or retail supervisors are management professionals who are responsible for managing a team of staff members to ensure the smooth operation of a retail store. These supervisors are required to arrive early at the store so that they can open the store and disable the alarm system as well as prepare the cash registers... Show more	$12-20
   Department Manager	Department managers oversee the operations of the department they are assigned to. They manage all aspects of the operation, including finance, sales, quality control, and human resources... Show more	$18-55

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Cash Handling
   • POS
   • Inventory Control
   • Retail Sales
   • Front Desk
   • Payroll
   • Sales Floor
   • Bank Deposits
   • Credit Card
   • Gift Shop Operations
   • Retail Operations
   • Hospital Gift Shop
   • Gift Shop Sales

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage payroll, scheduling, reports, email, inventory, and maintain clientele book and records.
   • Order merchandise for the shop, enter and price merchandise in the POS system.
   • Prepare weekly schedules and operate the shop within the budget set for payroll and control expenses.
   • Select, buy and install the retail POS system including real time inventory and create all databases for this system.
   • Administer performance management by diagnosing improvement opportunities, providing effective feedback, coaching, and corrective action plans.
   • Administer performance management by diagnosing improvement opportunities, providing effective feedback, coaching, and corrective action plans.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your gift shop manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A gift shop manager can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, gift shop managers' average salary in south carolina is 31% less than in colorado.
   • Seniority. Entry-level gift shop managers 26% less than senior-level gift shop managers.
   • Certifications. A gift shop manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a gift shop manager's salary.

   Average gift shop manager salary

   $16.35hourly

   $34,013 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level gift shop manager salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 26, 2025

4. Writing a gift shop manager job description

   A gift shop manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a gift shop manager job description:

   Gift shop manager job description example

   General Summary: Manages daily operations of the gift shops; hires, trains, supervises, schedules and evaluates staff; controls inventory; trains staff on stand out customer service to ensure a quality guest experience.
   ________________________________________
   To deliver on the Audubon mission, the Gift Shop Manager will:
   Provide a guest experience of outstanding quality ________________________________________ • Hire, train and evaluate staff to ensure an outstanding visitor experience. • Develop and implement internal controls, policies and procedures with special emphasis on customer service and employee/customer relations. • Develop and implement motivational incentives. • Direct the opening and closing of stores with sufficient staff to maximize service and profitability. • Resolve disciplinary problems. • Identify and respond to POS problems; communicates as needed. • Establish and maintain effective, efficient and service driven relationships with guests, vendors and staff. • Handle confidential communications and matters as required.
   
   Weave quality entertainment through the guest experience ________________________________________ • Maintain a clean, neat and organized store. • Merchandise new product for maximum sales. • Merchandise as needed to refresh existing displays. • Ensure that guests are greeted when they walk into the store. • Maintain a floor presence during hours of operation to assist both guests and associates. • Knowledgeable in daily presentations; the Audubon Experience; the IMAX schedule, and general ANI information in order to answer guests’ questions and/or direct them to the appropriate place for information. • Communicate merchandise needs and/or requests to the Warehouse staff.
   Operate a financially self-sufficient collection of museums and parks ________________________________________ • Carefully trains staff in proper cash handling procedures and POS operation. • Schedule staff to maximize customer service while streamlining payroll. • Prepare store for annual inventory. • Assist with planning and monitoring departmental budgets on supplies, uniforms, etc. • Develop incentives in order to meet sales goals. • Establish individual goals and track $1 donations. • Plan schedule and strategy for loss prevention in stores, with special focus on heavy group days. • Identify and communicate challenges to Director of Merchandise Operations. The above listed duties are general statements of required major duties and responsibilities performed on a regular and continuous basis. They do not exclude other duties as assigned. ________________________________________
   To deliver on the Audubon service promise, the Gift Shop Manager will:
   Welcome ________________________________________ • Make eye contact with every customer encounter, smile at every person, offer friendly phrases and greetings. • Wear identification badge. • Walk individual to destination instead of pointing; offer assistance to people who look confused. • Assume ownership of potential safety hazards (wipe-up spill, pick up trash). Always have the camera-ready look.
   Share ________________________________________ • Maintain positive attitude, pleasant tone of voice (remember it is not what you say, but how you say it). • Coach coworkers on service expectations. • Utilize the power of teamwork to give excellent service. • Know when to involve management.
   Inspire ________________________________________ • Know the answers to questions or seek out the answers. • Utilize proper phone etiquette (answer phone within three rings, smile before answering call, ask for permission and wait for response before placing caller on hold). • Ensure work area is free of food, drink, socialization, and personal business. • Follow Dress Code Policy on clothing and grooming. • Keep unpleasant concerns behind closed doors (vent backstage).
   
   ________________________________________
   Supervision: Manages the Supervisors and Gift Shop Associates. Experience: 2 years of Retail Management required; heavy cash handling required.
   Education: High school diploma required; bachelor’s degree preferred. Licensure/Certification: Not applicable. Software Requirements: Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite. Machinery/Tools/Equipment Requirements: Must have the ability to use mobile devices, computer, fax, scanner, phone and copy machine.
   Physical Requirements: 1. Heavy Work: exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. 2. Sitting or standing, bending, stooping, and the ability to carry items weighing up to 40 pounds. 3. Constant adequate range of motion and mobility required. 4. Must be able to stand a minimum of 8 hours a day. 5. Regular near acuity with clarity of vision at 20 inches or less required. 6. Typical ability to collect and analyze numerical and written data and verbal information to reach logical conclusions and ability to determine the time, place and sequence of operations or actions required. 7. Regular talking and the ability to express and exchange ideas by means of language expected. 8. Regular hearing and the ability to perceive the nature of sounds. 9. Constant ability to read, record, or type data quickly and accurately required. Environmental/Working Conditions: 1. Working long hours between breaks or meals required. 2. Ability to work under and handle stress in an appropriate manner required. 3. May be exposed to high, medium, or low noise intensity. 4. Constant contact with co-workers required. 5. Affinity for animals preferred. 6. Exposure to fluctuations in temperatures may be required. 7. Exposure to outdoor conditions may be required.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right gift shop manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with gift shop managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit gift shop managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your gift shop manager job on Zippia to find and recruit gift shop manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting gift shop managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new gift shop manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect gift shop manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new gift shop manager. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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