Jobs

Position: Retail & Sales Manager

Job Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Location: On-Site - Durham, NC

Reports To: Executive Director

Direct Reports: RAD Sales Coordinator, Thrift Sales Coordinator

Pay Band: $45,000-$55,000 annually

About the Scrap Exchange

The Scrap Exchange is a creative reuse nonprofit based in Durham, North Carolina. Since 1991, we’ve worked to promote creativity, environmental awareness, and community through reuse. But in practice, The Scrap Exchange is many things at once.

We are a retail operation, a community hub, a reuse center, an arts space, a place of discovery, a nonprofit organization, and sometimes a bit of organized chaos. On any given day, you might encounter artists, teachers, collectors, parents, students, makers, curious first-time visitors, and long-time community members all sharing the same space.

We believe reused materials still hold value. We believe creativity belongs to everyone. And we believe organizations - like people - should continue evolving, learning, and growing.

We are currently in a period of operational growth and change, and we are looking for a thoughtful, grounded, and people-centered Retail & Sales Manager to help strengthen and shape the future of our customer-facing retail operations.

Position Overview
The Retail & Sales Manager leads front-of-house retail operations across our reuse retail environments, helping create an engaging customer experience while building stronger systems, communication, accountability, and team culture.

This role oversees day-to-day retail operations including merchandising, staffing, customer experience, scheduling, store presentation, and sales performance. Just as importantly, this role helps support and develop people. We are looking for someone who can coach staff, navigate challenges thoughtfully, communicate clearly, and help cultivate a collaborative and accountable team environment. Additionally, the nature of our retail operation requires the Processing Manager to have weekend availability.

The ideal candidate brings real retail management experience, emotional intelligence, operational curiosity, and a desire to continue growing as a leader. They do not need to have every answer already - but they should know how to ask thoughtful questions, identify opportunities for improvement, and help create structure in a dynamic environment.

This role is both hands-on and strategic. Some days involve solving immediate operational issues on the floor. Other days involve improving systems, coaching staff, adjusting merchandising approaches, or helping think through longer-term operational improvements alongside leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Retail Operations & Customer Experience

• Lead day-to-day front-of-house retail operations across The Scrap Exchange retail spaces

• Help cultivate a welcoming, inclusive, and engaging customer experience aligned with our mission and culture

• Monitor daily store activity and adjust staffing, priorities, and floor operations as needed

• Support smooth opening/closing procedures, cash handling, and general operational consistency

• Help identify and address operational bottlenecks, customer concerns, or recurring issues

• Partner with leadership to strengthen retail systems, workflows, and operational practices over time

Merchandising & Visual Presentation

• Oversee merchandising, visual presentation, sales strategies, pricing consistency, and overall sales floor experience

• Help create retail environments that feel organized, inspiring, approachable, and well-maintained

• Monitor sales trends and customer patterns to help improve merchandising and retail performance

• Collaborate closely with processing and inventory teams to maintain healthy product flow to the floor

• Help develop and refine retail standards, procedures, and merchandising practices

Leadership & Team Development

• Supervise, support, and coach front-of-house staff and coordinators

• Foster a team culture grounded in communication, accountability, collaboration, and respect

• Provide clear expectations, regular feedback, and ongoing coaching to staff

• Support hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and training processes

• Navigate difficult conversations and interpersonal challenges with professionalism and empathy

• Help staff grow not only as employees, but as communicators, collaborators, and leaders

Organizational Collaboration

• Partner closely with back-of-house and processing leadership to support healthy operational coordination

• Participate in organizational leadership conversations, planning, and operational improvement efforts

• Communicate emerging operational needs, challenges, and opportunities proactively

• Support organizational change efforts with flexibility, consistency, and a solutions-oriented mindset

Operations & Store Standards

• Ensure store cleanliness, organization, and safety standards

• Manage daily store opening and closing workflows, encompassing cash management, secure facility access, and financial deposit coordination

• Monitor shrink, loss prevention, and operational compliance

• Maintain strong communication with back-of-house leadership

Who Will Thrive in This Role

This role may be a good fit for someone who:

• enjoys building and improving systems while still remaining adaptable

• likes balancing structure with creativity and human connection

• can lead with both accountability and empathy

• is comfortable in evolving, imperfect, and community-centered environments

• enjoys coaching and developing people

• brings curiosity and initiative rather than rigid certainty

• understands that strong retail operations are ultimately about people as much as process

Success at The Scrap Exchange requires emotional intelligence, humility, patience, communication skills, and a willingness to continue learning alongside the organization.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of retail leadership or retail operations experience (multi-unit or high-volume preferred)

• Experience supervising staff in fast-paced customer-facing environments

• Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills

• Demonstrated ability to coach, support, and develop people

• Working knowledge of retail operations including staffing, scheduling, merchandising, customer service, and sales support

• Ability to identify operational challenges and contribute to practical solutions

• Comfort balancing day-to-day execution with longer-term operational improvement

• Experience in thrift, resale, nonprofit, arts, community-centered, or mission-driven environments is helpful but not required

• Appreciation for reuse, creativity, sustainability, and community-centered work strongly preferred

Physical Demands

This job has a significant physical aspect associated with the work. In order to successfully perform the essential functions of this job, the Processing Manager must be able to meet the following physical requirements:

• Stand for extended periods of time

• Lift, carry, push, and/or pull 10 pounds often, and up to 25 pounds occasionally

• Stoop, kneel, reach and/or crouch at times

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions.

Work Environment

• While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to work in a retail/warehouse setting.

• Must be able to spend at least 65% of the day standing and walking on surfaces such as concrete and ground.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and occasionally loud.

• The retail stores and processing areas can be cold at times during the winter and hot during the summer months.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

We are an equal opportunity employer.  We do not regard race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, marital status, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or any protected class characteristic when seeking to hire.  This practice, in addition to hiring, applies to our recruiting, training, transfers, promotions, job benefits, pay, dismissal practices, social and recreational activities, and any other term or condition of employment.

We care about our employees, our candidates, and our community.

As such, please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Success Metrics

Success in this role may include:

• Strong and improving customer experience

• Healthy and collaborative team culture

• Improved communication and operational consistency

• Sales growth and effective merchandising execution

• Staff retention and development

Benefits & Compensation

• Salary range of $45,000–$55,000 based on experience

• 403(b) retirement plan

• Health, dental, and vision insurance options

• Paid time off and holidays

• Professional development opportunities

• A creative, collaborative, mission-driven work environment

• The opportunity to help shape the future of a nationally recognized creative reuse organization

How to Apply

Please submit a resume and brief cover letter describing:

• your retail management experience,

• your leadership approach,

• and why this role and organization interest you.

We know that strong candidates do not always meet every qualification listed above, and that experience can come in all shapes and forms. If this role speaks to your experience and values, we encourage you to apply.

Position: Office & Reuse Arts District (RAD) Manager

Job Type: Full Time, Exempt

Location: On-Site - Durham, NC

Reports To: Executive Director

Direct Reports: Operations Coordinator, Host

Pay Band: $45,000 - $55,000 annually

About the Scrap Exchange

The Scrap Exchange is a nonprofit creative reuse center based in Durham’s Lakewood community, dedicated to advancing environmental sustainability, arts education, and community engagement. Since its founding in 1991, the organization has grown into one of the largest and longest-running creative reuse centers in the United States, serving artists, educators, and community members through a combination of retail operations, educational programming, and partnerships. 

The organization operates multiple interconnected business lines - including reuse retail, education programs, and creative services - supported by an annual operating budget of approximately $2 million. In addition, The Scrap Exchange owns and stewards the Reuse Arts District, a 12+ acre campus of nonprofit and mission-aligned tenants, with property operations managed in partnership with a professional property management firm. 

Through this integrated model, The Scrap Exchange converts waste into creative resources while expanding equitable access to arts, environmental learning, and community-centered spaces.

Position Overview

The Office & RAD Manager is a senior operational leader responsible for the physical, administrative, and community infrastructure that enables The Scrap Exchange (TSE) to thrive. This role oversees facilities, internal systems, and tenant engagement across our campus, ensuring that staff, visitors, and RAD tenants experience a well-run, welcoming, and mission-aligned environment.

Reporting to the Executive Director, this position works in close partnership with the Finance Manager, HR Manager, Retail Managers, and program leaders. The Office & RAD Manager supervises the Operations team and serves as the connective tissue between TSE’s internal operations and the broader Reuse Arts District community.

The Scrap Exchange is a complex, multi-faceted organization. This role ensures that the foundation beneath all of that work—our spaces, systems, and shared environment—operates smoothly and supports our mission to promote creativity, environmental awareness, and community through reuse.  This role requires a proactive, systems-minded leader who identifies needs before they become problems and translates vision into reliable, day-to-day execution.

Key Responsibilities

1. Facilities & Campus Operations

• Oversee maintenance and operations of TSE facilities and the broader RAD campus

• Manage vendor relationships (utilities, waste, telecom, maintenance, security, etc.)

• Develop and implement preventive maintenance plans and capital improvement priorities

• Ensure compliance with safety, security, and regulatory requirements

• Coordinate with property management (where applicable) to ensure alignment and accountability

• Maintain a safe, clean, and welcoming environment for staff, customers, and tenants

2. Operations Team Leadership

• Supervise and develop a team of 3 Operations staff, and Scrap Exchange Host position.

• Set priorities, workflows, and performance expectations

• Foster a culture of ownership, responsiveness, and continuous improvement

• Ensure effective coverage for facilities, logistics, and operational needs

3. Procurement & Organizational Support Systems

• Oversee procurement processes, vendor selection, and purchasing systems

• Partner with Finance to ensure strong fiscal controls and documentation

• Manage office operations including supplies, equipment, and shared resources

• Ensure staff have the tools and infrastructure needed to perform their roles effectively

4. Technology & Systems Administration

• Manage TSE’s core operational tech stack (e.g., Google Workspace, Canva, Confluence, scheduling tools)

• Oversee onboarding/offboarding processes for systems access

• Maintain inventory of hardware and equipment

• Identify opportunities to streamline workflows and improve efficiency through technology

• Partner with external IT support as needed

5. RAD Tenant Engagement & Community Stewardship

• Serve as the primary point of contact for RAD tenants

• Build and maintain strong relationships across the tenant community

• Coordinate tenant communications, meetings, and shared initiatives

• Support leasing/onboarding processes in partnership with leadership and property management

• Identify opportunities to strengthen the RAD as a vibrant, collaborative ecosystem

6. Organizational Coordination & Internal Communications

• Plan and coordinate recurring organizational meetings (e.g., all-staff, cross-team, RAD gatherings)

• Support internal communications and information flow across teams

• Ensure operational alignment across departments

• Contribute to organizational planning and execution of major initiatives and events

7. Strategic Operations & Continuous Improvement

• Identify operational gaps, inefficiencies, and emerging needs across TSE and RAD

• Develop systems, processes, and documentation to improve organizational effectiveness

• Support long-term planning related to campus development and RAD growth

• Serve as a thought partner to the Executive Director on operational strategy

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in operations, facilities management, or organizational administration

• Demonstrated experience managing people and cross-functional workflows

• Strong project management and organizational skills

• Comfort managing vendors, budgets, and operational systems

• Experience with workplace technology platforms and systems administration

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in nonprofit, arts, community development, or campus-based organizations

• Familiarity with property or facilities management

• Experience working with multi-tenant or shared-use environments

• Background in process design or operational strategy

Core Competencies

• Initiative: Proactively identifies needs and acts without waiting for direction

• Systems Thinking: Sees connections across facilities, people, and processes

• Stewardship: Takes ownership of the physical and community environment

• Collaboration: Works effectively across teams and stakeholders

• Adaptability: Thrives in a dynamic, evolving organization

• Service Orientation: Supports staff, tenants, and community with care and responsiveness

Work Environment

This is an on-site role based at The Scrap Exchange campus in Durham, NC. The position requires regular movement across buildings and outdoor spaces, and occasional evening or weekend work for events or operational needs.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

We are an equal opportunity employer.  We do not regard race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, marital status, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or any protected class characteristic when seeking to hire.  This practice, in addition to hiring, applies to our recruiting, training, transfers, promotions, job benefits, pay, dismissal practices, social and recreational activities, and any other term or condition of employment.

We care about our employees, our candidates, and our community.

As such, please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Benefits & Compensation

• Competitive salary based on experience.

• 403(b) retirement plan.

• Health, dental, and vision insurance options.

• Paid time off and holidays.

• Professional development opportunities.

• A collaborative and mission-driven work environment.