The Gallery & Volunteer Manager is responsible for two key areas of the Hillsborough Arts Council (HAC)’s operations: 1) the Gallery & Gift Shop (G&GS), which serves as HAC’s physical presence in downtown Hillsborough, and 2) HAC’s volunteer program, including 50+ volunteers donating thousands of hours each year across the organization. Duties are performed with considerable independence while functioning as a valuable member of HAC’s team of staff. The Gallery & Volunteer Manager serves as the primary liaison for G&GS consignment artists and all of the organization’s volunteers, and is the first point of contact for all walk-in customers/visitors. The Gallery & Volunteer Manager builds strong relationships within the community, ensuring HAC’s mission is bolstered with year-round support from volunteers and G&GS revenue. 

 

This position is available to local candidates only. Requires work on-site in Hillsborough, North Carolina. 

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Volunteer Management

• Fosters a welcoming, productive, and safe environment where volunteers are treated with respect and feel valued; develops strategic opportunities for volunteers to have meaningful impact on HAC’s mission

• Identifies & promotes clear areas of volunteer need, collaborating with other staff and lead volunteers to ensure ongoing organizational support; conducts all volunteer onboarding and initial orientation before assigning responsibilities

• Recruits, interviews, selects, trains, and schedules volunteers for each of HAC’s programs; directs qualified candidates to other staff for consideration as needed

• Ensures retention and proper stewardship of HAC’s volunteers, including opportunities for recognition, benefits, and social engagement

• Stays up-to-date with best practices in volunteer management, advocates for improvements, and implements processes and procedures to maintain a professional, organized program

• Cultivates relationships with local schools and leads the development of HAC’s internship program with support and guidance from the Executive Director

• Leverages community partnerships, resources, and technology to optimize volunteer program

• Provides timely communications and develops strong relationships with HAC volunteers

• Supports HAC volunteers as needed while they are working and arranges for substitutes, or fills in, when volunteers are not available; serves as day-of contact for volunteers at major programs and directs volunteers to other leaders/points of contact as appropriate

• Keeps volunteers updated on HAC news/activities; surveys volunteers regularly for feedback

• Maintains records of volunteer paperwork and donated hours, providing reports as requested

 

Gallery Operations & Administration

• Supervises daily operation of the Gallery & Gift Shop; greets & assists the public in selecting artwork for purchase; responds to questions from the public through a variety of channels in a timely manner (email, walk-in visits, phone calls, etc).

• Supervises & coordinates the work of volunteers in the shop; sets work schedules according to operating hours & volunteer/staff availability; ensures the G&GS is staffed everyday that it is scheduled to be open

• Maintains ongoing and clear communication with Executive Director and Program & Marketing Director, advocating for needs of G&GS and providing operational updates 

• Supervises the sale of merchandise through Clover POS and performs related duties as required (maintaining cash drawer, troubleshooting with POS, resolving sales issues, etc.)

• Researches, identifies, and advocates for opportunities to improve existing processes to ensure a professional, technically efficient operation

• Prepares & submits check requests, expense receipts, & deposit forms to the Bookkeeper, including monthly payouts to consignments artists; prepares & submits other monthly financial and statistical reports

• Maintains an accurate inventory of shop & office supplies; orders and restocks within budget 

• Supports annual budget development and helps identify new revenue or funding streams to support the growth of the G&GS and HAC’s volunteer program

• Oversees & supports volunteers/contract workers providing routine building maintenance or renovations; identifies opportunities for physical improvements & proposes solutions

 

Retail & Merchandising

• Organizes the ongoing display & presentation of merchandise with support from volunteers 

• Changes displays regularly with consideration to buying audience and season; ensures that the shop looks professional, is safe & clean, and is shoppable

• Advocates for needed fixtures or display items and coordinates purchases within budget

• Supervises, schedules, & collaborates with volunteers on monthly barcoding, restocking, inventory management, & displaying merchandise.

• Collaborates with Program & Marketing Director to implement cross-promotion of HAC programs within the shop; strategizes regular visibility of G&GS within larger HAC promotions & creates G&GS-specific social media content in an organized, consistent manner

• Selects new product lines & oversees the design of Hillsborough Arts-branded merchandise; identifies and implements new areas of opportunity to drive revenue and impact of G&GS on overall HAC mission/strategic goals

• Ensures an up-to-date and accurate inventory of artwork in Clover POS; Considers upgrades to Clover and POS processes to support easier synchronization of orders & inventory with other operational procedures

 

Artist Management

• Fosters a welcoming, productive, and professional environment where artists are treated with respect and feel valued; develops strategic opportunities for artists to support HAC’s mission

• Serves as primary liaison to all G&GS consignment artists (currently 55+ artists); maintains ongoing communication about inventory, sales, and HAC/G&GS activities 

• Coordinates & ensures the regular flow of artwork into the shop is appropriate to the buying audience, season of the year, & recognized customer demand

• Distributes and maintains up-to-date contracts/consignment agreements with artists and ensures adherence to G&GS artist policies and procedures 

• Provides reports as requested to artists within a reasonable time frame; works with artists to determine necessary price or inventory adjustments to optimize sales

• Recruits new artists with an emphasis on increasing diversity and accurate representation of the Hillsborough/Orange County arts community; shows kindness and demonstrates professionalism when separation of consignment partnership becomes necessary

• Ensures publicity surrounding new artists/artwork, special Gallery exhibitions, & coordinates artist receptions as appropriate 

• Serves as an advocate for Hillsborough’s creative community, helping artists find opportunities to connect with one another and other businesses; offers alternatives for artists not well-suited for the G&GS & provides artist referrals for inquiring businesses or customers 

 

Other Initiatives 

• Designs and coordinates seasonal events and other pop-up experiences within the G&GS to drive revenue and experiment with new sales channels

• Identifies and implements opportunities for cross-pollination of other HAC programs within G&GS operations; grows and solidifies HAC’s brand and mission through emphasis on increasing public awareness of the G&GS’ impact within the community; refines areas of oversight to support goals outlined in the strategic plan

• Provides general information about the town of Hillsborough and our local arts community to inquiring customers and visitors, ensuring HAC is seen as a reliable resource for tourists and artists; maintains organized displays and physical signage at G&GS to promote top HAC activities as well as other local events relevant to HAC’s mission.

• Serves as the primary point of contact for HAC’s ArtCycle program, with the G&GS serving as a drop-off point for supplies; collaborates with lead volunteers and the Program & Marketing Director to ensure smooth operations and optimal publicity of ArtCycle. 

• Supports the Executive Director with public art projects as requested, especially as related to the sale of artwork or commemorative pieces at the G&GS.

 

Performs other related work as assigned by the Executive Director.
 

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 

 

• 2+ years experience managing a team of volunteers and/or staff members, including schedule management, training, and recruiting/hiring

• 1+ years experience managing an art gallery, gift shop, retail space, or other relevant storefront

• Background in non-profit, arts & culture sector, or other relevant field

• Demonstrated ability to work with artists, the public, & a diverse team of volunteers/staff 

• Familiarity with Point of Sale (POS) systems, tablets/computers, and other technology

• Familiarity with CRM and database management, as well as team scheduling programs

• Experience with inventory management and financial sales reporting is preferred

• Experience with marketing and social media management is preferred

• College degree in an applicable/relevant field-of-study is a plus

 

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

 

• Strong belief in and commitment to HAC’s mission, vision, and values

• Knowledge of best practices in volunteer management

• Knowledge of merchandising techniques, store display, & sales tactics

• Strong verbal & written communication skills

• Exceptional customer service, time management, and organizational skills

• Skilled in problem-solving, troubleshooting, and conflict resolution 

• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to collaborate, delegate, and manage a team

• Adaptable, strategic, self-motivated, and goal-oriented

• Shows initiative and independence in carrying out responsibilities 

• Passion for arts, culture, and our local community

• Familiarity with local and regional area, including customer & audience interests

• Must be able to lift and carry, or otherwise move, up to 50 pounds regularly 

 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS 

 

• Full-time exempt, salaried employee: $35,000-40,000 annually, commensurate with experience

• Up to 3 weeks of flexible paid time off per fiscal year

• Select paid holidays 

• Team building experiences & access to professional development resources

• Opportunities to engage with the local community

• Fun and creative working environment