Description

Job Title: Museum Operations Manager

Location: Elk City Museum Complex – Elk City, Oklahoma

Salary: $24.00–$26.00 per hour, depending on qualifications and experience.
Schedule: Full-time. Must be available to work three Saturdays per month. Most holidays, and on-call responsibilities may be required for special events and security concerns.

Position Summary:

The Museum Operations Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Elk City Museum Complex, with direct responsibility for managing the museum team, departmental budgets and expenditures, gift shop operations, rental spaces, and facility operations. This position provides consistent leadership and accountability to ensure the museum is welcoming, safe, well maintained, financially responsible, and effectively staffed.

The Museum Operations Manager works in close partnership with the Museum Curator, with the two positions working collaboratively to support the museum's mission, operations, and long-term success. The Museum Operations Manager leads the day-to-day operational and business functions of the museum while collaborating with the Museum Curator on budgeting, facility needs and improvements, staffing, museum priorities, and coordination with City departments.

A primary expectation of this position is strong operational management and oversight, including staff supervision and scheduling, budget monitoring and expenditure tracking, gift shop management, and the scheduling, operation, and financial performance of museum rental spaces. The Museum Operations Manager is expected to maintain high standards of accountability, operational efficiency, and visitor experience across the museum complex.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Administration & Financial Management

• Manage museum gift shop inventory, including ordering, receiving, stocking, pricing, and merchandising.
• Oversee museum admissions and daily revenue, ensuring accurate reconciliation and timely deposits with the City Clerk.
• Maintain financial records related to admissions, rentals, gift shop sales, and other museum operations.
• Coordinate employee timesheets, schedules, payroll information, and staffing needs.
• Ensure staff understand work assignments, schedules, policies, and operational expectations.
• Partner with the Museum Curator to develop, monitor, and manage the museum's operating budget, ensuring expenditures remain within approved funding and resources are allocated effectively.
• Take an active management role in the museum's annual operating budget by monitoring departmental spending, tracking budget-to-actual expenditures, identifying potential overages or savings, and providing regular financial updates to the Museum Curator.
• Revenue and expenses associated with admissions, gift shop operations, facility rentals, programs, and other operational activities to support sound financial decision-making.
• Maintain organized purchasing, revenue, rental, and expenditure records and ensure operational purchases are appropriate, documented, and within approved budget authority.
  

Manage Staff & Volunteer Leadership

• Supervise six museum staff, docents, and volunteers by providing scheduling, training, guidance, and performance support.
• Collaborate with the Docent President to coordinate volunteer activities and assignments.
• Assist with Drug Store exhibit inventory management and budgeting alongside volunteer leadership.
• Provide operational coverage when staff members are unavailable to ensure uninterrupted museum operations.
• Serve as the primary day-to-day manager for museum staff, providing clear direction, assigning responsibilities, establishing priorities, and ensuring work is completed accurately and on schedule.
• Manage staff scheduling and coverage to ensure adequate staffing throughout the museum complex, gift shop, rental spaces, weekends, holidays, programs, and special events.
• Provide ongoing employee training, coaching, feedback, and performance management and address day-to-day personnel or operational concerns in accordance with City policies and procedures.
• Promote accountability among staff by establishing clear expectations for customer service, attendance, facility care, cash handling, gift shop responsibilities, and completion of assigned duties.
  

Gift Shop Management

• Manage the overall business operations of the museum gift shop, including merchandise selection, purchasing, inventory control, pricing, merchandising, sales procedures, and financial performance.
• Monitor inventory levels and sales trends to make informed purchasing decisions, maintain appropriate stock levels, and reduce excessive or slow-moving inventory.
• Establish and maintain procedures for receiving merchandise, inventory counts, pricing, point-of-sale transactions, cash handling, and reconciliation.
• Monitor gift shop revenue and expenses and ensure merchandise purchases remain within the approved gift shop budget.
• Train and supervise staff responsible for gift shop operations and ensure consistent customer service, merchandising, inventory, and cash-handling standards.
• Identify opportunities to increase gift shop revenue through merchandise selection, seasonal offerings, museum-branded products, improved displays, and other appropriate retail strategies.
  

Facilities & Museum Maintenance

• Oversee the cleanliness, organization, and daily readiness of all museum buildings, galleries, exhibits, restrooms, and public spaces by coordinating and delegating responsibilities to museum staff.
• Assign, coordinate, and assist with routine facility maintenance tasks, including:
• Sweeping, mopping, stripping, and waxing floors
• Cleaning restrooms and public spaces
• Replacing light bulbs
• Laundry and rug cleaning
• Maintaining cleaning equipment and supplies
• Plan and complete seasonal maintenance projects, including painting safety markings, changing flags, and installing holiday and special event decorations.
• Collaborate with the Museum Curator to routinely inspect museum buildings and grounds, reporting maintenance, pest control, safety, or structural concerns to the appropriate City departments.
• Collaborate with the Museum Curator to work closely with City maintenance staff to ensure the museum's twenty-building campus remains safe, clean, and well maintained.
  

Opera House Management

• Manage day-to-day operations of the Opera House, including scheduling, rentals, cleaning, setup, and revenue tracking.
• Ensure the facility meets presentation standards for both museum programming and community events.
• Serve as the primary operational manager for Opera House rentals, including responding to rental inquiries, maintaining the rental calendar, coordinating agreements and payments, communicating facility requirements, and ensuring the space is properly prepared before and after each rental.
• Coordinate museum staff responsible for rental cleaning, access, and other operational needs.
• Maintain accurate rental records, track rental revenue and related expenses, and provide rental activity and financial information as needed.
• Identify opportunities to improve the use, efficiency, customer experience, and revenue potential of the Opera House and other approved museum rental spaces.
  

Community Engagement

• Coordinate seasonal decorations and displays throughout the museum complex.
• Assist with purchasing merchandise for volunteers and special museum events.
• Support museum events and community programming as needed.
• Remain available for on-call security concerns when necessary to protect museum collections and facilities.

Team Collaboration

Working alongside museum curator, this position will:

• Co-supervise museum staff and assist with daily operations and long-range planning.
• Help monitor and manage departmental budgets to ensure projects remain within approved funding.
• Attend weekly City Supervisor meetings and monthly Museum Board meetings.
• Coordinate with City departments on maintenance projects, facility improvements, and operational needs.
• Help identify opportunities to improve visitor experience, operational efficiency, and facility care.
• Provide operational leadership for staffing, gift shop management, rentals, budgeting, revenue tracking, and other business functions of the museum complex.
• Provide the Museum Curator with regular operational and financial information needed for planning, budgeting, Board reporting, and departmental decision-making.
  

Museum Board Collaboration

• Work alongside the Museum Curator to support the Museum Board and advance the museum's mission and strategic goals.
• Provide reports and updates regarding staffing, gift shop performance, rental activity, operational expenditures, revenues, and other areas under the
• Museum Operations Manager's responsibility as requested.
• Attend and actively participate in all Museum Board meetings, providing operational updates, financial information, and project status reports as requested.
• Assist the Museum Curator in preparing reports, presentations, and supporting documentation for Board meetings.
• Collaborate with the Museum Board and City leadership to implement Board initiatives, policies, and approved projects.

Benefits

The City of Elk City offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Paid vacation and sick leave
• Free membership to the City fitness center
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP), including confidential counseling and wellness resources
• City vehicle available for daily use between the museum campus and City Hall for work-related responsibilities
• Opportunities for professional development and training

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required or equivalent professional experience.
• Three - Five years’ demonstrated management experience that includes supervising employees and managing or monitoring operating budgets, with responsibility for staff scheduling, work assignments, training, performance accountability, expenditure tracking, and financial recordkeeping.
• Experience with retail, inventory, revenue-generating operations, facility rentals, event venues, or comparable business operations.
• Ability to analyze operational and financial information and make sound recommendations regarding staffing, purchasing, budgeting, rentals, and revenue-generating activities.
• Strong organizational, communication, leadership, and customer service skills.
• Experience handling cash, bookkeeping, and financial reconciliation.
• Strong computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office and the ability to quickly learn new software systems.
• Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and manage competing operational needs in a fast-paced environment.
• Valid driver's license.
• Must be able to successfully pass a drug test.
  

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, climb ladders, and perform routine cleaning and maintenance tasks.
• Ability to work both indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Ability to safely operate cleaning equipment and basic maintenance tools.
  

Work Schedule

• Full-time position.
• Must be available to work three Saturdays each month.
• Most holidays are required.
• On-call availability for facility or security concerns as needed.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a museum, cultural institution, visitor attraction, historic site, or public facility.
• Experience managing multiple operational functions, such as staff, budgets, retail operations, facility rentals, and public-facing services.
• Experience managing a museum gift shop or comparable retail operation, including purchasing, inventory control, merchandising, and revenue tracking.
• Experience managing facility or event-space rentals, including scheduling, customer coordination, payments, setup, and revenue tracking.
• Experience coordinating and working with volunteers.
• Experience preparing operational, financial, or performance reports for leadership, boards, or governing bodies. Knowledge of facility maintenance and custodial practices

*Please send a Resume, Cover Letter, and Three References to Anna Wray and wraya@elkcity.com. Please title the email as "Application for Operation Manager - EC".