Retail Assistant Manager

Toronto Botanical Garden (TBG) is the leading destination in Toronto to experience sustainable horticulture, and to better understand our collective role as stewards of our ecosystem. With free admission and over 300,000 visitors a year, TBG welcomes everyone to learn to love plants. Beyond an inspiring plant oasis, we are a dynamic community hub and an engaging learning environment.

In partnership with the City of Toronto, TBG is embarking on an exciting landmark capital expansion. Today the Garden is a 4-acre botanical garden nestled in the City of Toronto’s Park System adjacent to Edwards Gardens and the Wilket Creek Trail. As the Garden prepares to expand its managerial oversight across thirty-five acres (in a phased approach), the organization is scaling up to achieve sustained organizational performance as a relevant and inspiring living museum.

Toronto Botanical Garden connects people and plants, fostering sustainable communities and developing reciprocal relationships with nature through lifelong learning.

It is within this context that Toronto Botanical Garden invites applications for its next Retail Assistant Manager to join TBG on its journey of continued growth as an inspired plant place, an engaging learning environment and a dynamic community hub.

How you will make an Impact

The Botanical Garden is seeking a Retail Assistant Manager to support the organization as a destination retailer, delivering inspiring guest experiences at our Garden-based shop and online storefronts. Core to your role is ensuring that the TBG brand is reflected in the retail environment, helping to strengthen the brand's impact and audience engagement. Through your entrepreneurial mindset you will advance the Garden’s retail operations and strategy. And your dedication to guest experience will inspire and activate our Garden’s workforce of volunteers and staff, providing positive experiences for our diverse audience. Through all of your efforts you will contribute to the Garden being an inspired plant place, engaging learning environment and a dynamic community hub.

Job Scope

• Assists Retail Manager with all aspects of running the physical store, including but not limited to opening and closing the store, providing a safe and welcoming environment, while showcasing the Garden’s mission through retail
• Design and implement product displays to create a visually engaging store layout that attracts customers and encourages purchases.
• Manages all aspects of inventory, including shipping and receiving, inputting stock into Shopify, organizing stock space, and maximizing inventory flow
• Coordinates with accounts payable for vendor invoices and credits
• Support Retail Manager in handling customer inquiries and service recovery
• Analyzes sales data, tracking progress toward goals, and assists in creating reports to assess store performance and success of marketing efforts
• Leads the Garden Shop’s online storefront, overseeing weekly promotions, visual content, and storytelling to enhance user engagement and drive sales
• Manges online order fulfillment along with special order requests
• Manages volunteers and part-time staff, including scheduling and assigning daily tasks
• Trains volunteers and part-time staff on new programs, products, procedures, and policies
• Leads volunteers and part-time staff, creating a valued and engaged retail team
• Builds, calibrates, and expands the Garden’s retail experience to strengthen the brand while looking for new opportunities that support engaging diverse audiences
• Collaborates with internal teams and external stakeholders to promote retail and enhance its presence at TBG events, in partnership with Marketing and Audience Engagement.
• Regularly walks the Garden and keeps current with what is happening at the Garden to support a positive guest experience
• Stays up to date with industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies to ensure the garden remains at the forefront of destination retail experiences

Requirements

• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in retail
• Two years' experience in stock/operations management
• Two years' experience in creating visual displays and merchandising
• Proven track record of guest experience, inventory, and people management
• Organized, process-focused and detail-oriented with superb time management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of audiences
• Proactive self–starter who exhibits initiative and leadership
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Point of Sale Systems-Shopify (preferred), inventory entry and management systems
• Passion for nature, environmental sustainability, and community engagement
• Experience or personal interest in cultural organizations such as museums, botanic gardens, arts or nature-centered institutions
• Ability to lift 50 pounds, climb ladders
• Must be available to work flexible hours including nights, weekends, and statutory holidays

Job Characteristics

• You are passionate about the mission of Toronto Botanical Garden, to connect people to plants, inspiring us to live in harmony with nature and are interested in aligning your skills and passion to benefit this work
• You take pride in the work you complete and have a strong commitment to positive guest experiences and productive relationships
• You excel at engaging diverse audiences, while also supporting a team to deliver inspiring guest interactions
• You are quick to engage with people, strategic to move the work forward, and comfortable with managing inventory
• You face challenges and conflict with professionalism, grace and resolve
• You have the vulnerability to know what you don’t know, admit your flaws, and learn from others to grow and develop yourself and the organization
• You are a team player first and believe in the power of a diverse collective to solve problems
• You have a great depth of knowledge in your area of expertise, but don’t take yourself or the world too seriously. You focus on the positives and find humour and awe in every day

Equal Opportunity Employer

Toronto Botanical Garden is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to maintaining a welcoming, safe, diverse and inclusive environment. TBG's workplace has a long-standing policy of providing fair, equitable, and accessible opportunities for all employees and prospective employees. TBG encourages all qualified applicants for employment regardless of age, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, or disability status.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply to the position on Indeed and share your resume with a one-page cover letter. Please combine these two elements into one document. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Job Type: Full-time, exempt

JOB DETAILS

• Type: Full-time, hourly variable hours/schedule (standard work week up to 37.5 hours), with regular evening commitments and weekend commitments.
• Location: On-site, in person.
• Deadline to apply: July 30, 2025
• Hourly Range: $23-26/hour
• Start Date: August 2025
• Compensation: Competitive salary; employee benefits contingent on a minimum hours requirement, as outlined in the staff manual and summarized below:

Benefits:

• Extended health care including Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Accidental Death, and Employee Assistance Program
• Vacation and Holiday Pay, along with Wellness and Give-back days
• Toronto Botanical Garden Membership
• Free Parking
• Along with many other benefits of working in a creative and beautiful place

Toronto Botanical Garden is committed to an inclusive, accessible and welcoming hiring process that provides reasonable accommodation to all applicants. Please advise hr@torontobotanicalgarden.ca should you require any accommodation to participate in this posting recruitment, selection and/or assessment processes.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: $23.00-$26.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental care
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• Life insurance
• On-site parking
• Paid time off
• Vision care

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Application question(s):

• What experience do you have with managing inventory and using systems like Shopify? Please list key tools or tasks you've handled.
• Tell us about a time you led or supported a retail team. How did you keep the team motivated and focused on customer service?
• Have you created a retail display that boosted customer interest or sales? Briefly describe what you did and why it worked.
• What draws you to work in a nature-focused, community-oriented retail space like the Toronto Botanical Garden?

Work Location: In person