Boutique Manager

321 Linden Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

$27 - $30 an hour - Full-time

 

Job Title: Boutique Manager 

Company: Dark Garden

Location: San Francisco, CA

 

Company Overview:

Dark Garden Corsetry is a bespoke fashion company specializing in corsets and couture designs. We are committed to inclusivity, uncommon beauty, and creating a safe, welcoming space for all. We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Boutique Manager to lead our retail team for our flagship store in San Francisco and uphold our high standards of customer experience, craftsmanship, and community.

 

Position Overview:

The Boutique Manager will be responsible for the overall operation of our San Francisco boutique, with clienteling at the center of the role. You'll ensure every client experiences streamlined, proactive communication throughout the production of their corset, from first fitting through final delivery, and help manage our ongoing relationships with VIP clients, working closely with our Sales Director to turn new customers into loyal ones.

This role requires a strong retail leader, preferably one who has experience with luxury and couture boutiques, who excels at managing and motivating people: someone who can drive sales through team leadership, cultivating long term client relationships, motivate a team of fitters and stylists toward shared goals, and purchase products with a genuine eye for styling, visual merchandising, and assortment. Fitting expertise isn't required on day one; we'll train you to become an expert fitter/stylist, with the expectation that you'll eventually mentor the team in proper technique.

The ideal candidate takes initiative, has excellent follow-through, and above all, communicates clearly and proactively. A commitment to exceptional, relationship-driven customer service is essential.

This is a rare chance to help grow a team of true artisans, fitters, and stylists, and to help shape what Dark Garden looks like in San Francisco for years to come.

 

Key Responsibilities

 

Sales & Boutique Management:

• Drive sales by setting and tracking goals, analyzing budgets, and generating weekly sales reports to share at management meetings

• Execute sales initiatives and promotions to drive toward shared goals

• Oversee daily store operations, including opening and closing procedures, inventory management, client appointment bookings, and ensuring accuracy in client booking systems.

• Maintain the boutique through merchandising and storefront upkeep.

• Create a purchasing cadence for third-party/consignment goods from Faire, aligned with our seasonal calendar

Team Leadership:

• Lead, coach, and mentor a team of sales associates and event staff (fitters and stylists), including scheduling, task delegation, and performance reviews.

• Provide ongoing training to staff to enhance product knowledge, sales techniques, and customer service skills; as fitting expertise develops, help mentor the team on proper fitting techniques.

• Foster a collaborative and motivated work environment that aligns with Dark Garden’s core values.

• Scheduling of boutique sales associates weekly days and hours

Clienteling and Customer Experience:

• Maintain oversight of all corsets in production, ensuring smooth, consistent communication with clients throughout the process

• Provide exceptional client service through fittings, corset education, attention and communication of the details that have make each client experience exceptional to the client and other team members

• Guide clients on wardrobe styling. Help clients style and create outfits for their corset specific occasion or aesthetic

• Help manage ongoing relationships with our VIP clients, and work closely with the Sales Director to turn new customers into loyal, returning ones

• Create a safe and inclusive environment for all clients, reflecting our values.

• Build relationships with clients through effective clienteling and CRM tools.

Point of Sales (Lightspeed) Fluency:

• Process sales transactions, returns, and exchanges accurately using Lightspeed

• Maintain accurate client and product records, including custom fields used for referral tracking and clienteling notes

• Monitor inventory data within Lightspeed to support informed purchasing and merchandising decisions

• Generate and interpret sales reports to track performance against goals

Visual Merchandising:

• Create and maintain visually appealing product displays, including dressing shop mannequins, arranging new products, and rotating existing product displays.

• Ensure the boutique’s aesthetic aligns with the brand’s values and vision.

• Rotation of store window display

• Ensure store is kept tidy

Product Planning and Purchasing:

• Purchasing third-party and consignment products, in collaboration with Owner/NOLA Boutique Manager/Sales Director

• Research and source new vendors and products that reflect Dark Garden's aesthetic and support seasonal merchandising themes

• Manage purchase orders and track incoming inventory against budget

• Evaluate product performance and use sales data to inform future purchasing decisions

• Share client trends and insights with production to help inform extended product assortments

Product & Fitting Knowledge:

• Maintain and continually build personal expertise in corset construction, fit, and technique

• Support ongoing training of fitters/stylists on product knowledge and proper fitting technique as your own expertise develops

• Stay current on Dark Garden's product line, materials, and construction methods to confidently educate clients and staff alike

Event & Marketing Coordination:

• Coordinate with the marketing team to help promote Dark Garden across social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms.

• Participation in weekly marketing meetings to plan and execute marketing initiatives such as in-store events and marketing campaigns.

• Organize and manage occasional in-store events, including staffing, vendor coordination, and timeline planning.

• Occasionally travel for off-site events, coordinating flights, accommodations, and vendor payments as necessary.

Core Competencies

• Leadership & Team Management: Ability to inspire and lead a diverse team, promoting collaboration and individual development. Capable of providing clear direction and managing performance through feedback and coaching.

• Customer-Centric Mindset: Dedicated to providing outstanding service, ensuring client satisfaction and loyalty. Skilled in resolving customer issues and tailoring experiences to meet client needs while protecting needs and standards of the business.

• Operational Excellence: Ability to manage store operations effectively, including inventory management, sales tracking, and ensuring the boutique is visually aligned with brand standards.

• Sales & Target Driven: Focused on achieving sales goals and KPIs, with a strong understanding of retail performance metrics and the ability to motivate a team to meet and exceed them.

• Adaptability & Problem Solving: Able to manage change and handle challenges with a positive, solutions-oriented approach.

• Fitting & Styling Clients: Ability to learn and effectively apply proper corset fitting techniques, with a professional and comfortable approach to physical interaction with clients during fittings. Possesses a natural eye for aesthetics to style clients for various occasions, along with up-to-date product knowledge to recommend appropriate products effectively. (Note: finding the right combination of items to maximize the sale while ensuring client satisfaction.)

• Attention to Detail: Manages day-to-day tasks with precision and ensures all aspects of the boutique’s operations are meticulously executed.

• Project management: Able to take on large projects, break them down into smaller steps & phases, collaborate and delegate as to ensure timely completion.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of store management or relevant management experience.

• Proven ability to lead a team and drive sales performance.

• Strong understanding of retail operations, including inventory and CRM systems (e.g., Asana, Slack, spreadsheets, point-of-sale systems).

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt to different audiences.

• Experience in visual merchandising and fashion retail.

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with attention to detail and deadlines.

• Physical ability to lift up to 45 lbs and navigate stairs.

• Comfort with physical interaction during fittings.

• Effective task-switching and delegation abilities.

• Insightful strategic thinker with a retail-focused mindset.

Preferred Skills:

• Background in current fashion trends and fashion history.

• Background in luxury boutiques and couture.

• Background in both small and large scale businesses.

• Familiarity with social media and marketing strategies.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Hourly Rate: $27 - $30, based on experience and performance.

• Benefits include:

• 50% coverage of health insurance. Dental, and vision insurance.

• Paid time off

• Employee discounts

Schedule:

• Full-time (8-hour day shifts)

• Flexibility for occasional travel and off-site events.

Application Process: If you are a dynamic leader with a strong background in retail and boutique management, we encourage you to apply! Please submit your resume and cover letter detailing your relevant experience and achievements to office@darkgarden.com