Position: Park Store Lead Associate

Location: Greater Yellowstone National Park Area as Assigned

Reports To: Park Store Manager

Status: Seasonal (April through October) / Non-Exempt

Position Dates: Hiring for the summer season 2027, April/May through September/October. Seasonal position works no more than 6 months. Start and end dates flexible as stores open and close at various dates. Interior park stores operate during summer with Old Faithful store's last day of summer season October 31, 2027. Gardiner/Mammoth stores operate year-round. 

Summary Description:

Yellowstone Forever (YF) is the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park. Our mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Yellowstone National Park through education and philanthropy. YF connects people to Yellowstone through outstanding visitor experiences and educational programs and translates those experiences into lifelong support of the park and philanthropic investment in its future. Our educational programming and products help people enhance their understanding and appreciation of the wildlife, natural wonders, and cultural history of the park. YF’s operations include Park Stores in and around Yellowstone; the Yellowstone Forever Institute, which offers in-depth educational programing for people of all ages; and a supporter program which raises funds for priority park projects.

The Park Store Lead Associate plays a critical role in the field overseeing the active engagement, greeting, and recommendations to our customers. The Park Store Lead Associate is the “face” of Yellowstone Forever to our customers and visitors in our day-to-day Yellowstone Forever Park Store operations. As a brand ambassador, the Park Store Lead Associate must be a knowledge expert about Yellowstone Forever and our retail product, institute courses and instruction offerings, and our philanthropy efforts and supporter programs. Ensure that there is a continual effort to provide the highest quality visitor experience possible. Supports the Park Store Manager in executing the retail merchandising, marketing, and communication plans in assigned Park Stores and proactively look for ways to enhance the visitor experience. Success in this position requires an exceptional attitude and desire for proactive customer engagement, an unrelenting pursuit of excellence, and a drive for continual growth and improvement.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Actively greet and engage customers and be a Yellowstone Forever ambassador as it relates to our retail products, institute courses and offerings, and the purpose of our philanthropy efforts and the projects that we support annually
• Lead by example with the highest level of customer engagement by being a knowledge expert about Yellowstone National Park and the offerings from Yellowstone Forever
• Ensure that all assigned stores are held to the highest degree of customer engagement and positive representation of Yellowstone Forever
• Set the standards expected of Park Store Associates and foster a collaborative, team-oriented environment with a high level of accurate execution, and support Park Store Associates to ensure their ability to perform tasks as required
• Assumes a mentoring/guidance role when Park Store Manager is off-duty or in the absence of other designated leadership of the store. 
• Be a POS systems expert as it relates to the register screens, software sales systems, and credit card processing equipment and how these systems interact and communicate with each other
• Have a passion for creating and delivering a superior customer experience
• Work collaboratively with Yellowstone Forever staff to ensure that operations within the store are carried out in accordance with Yellowstone Forever’s procedures and standards
• Effectively communicate relevant program, product, and park changes to all staff and associates within the store team
• Ensure the active promotion of the Yellowstone Forever Supporter and Institute programs
• Represent Yellowstone Forever and its mission accurately and positively
• Foster a collaborative, team-oriented environment with Yellowstone Forever employees, volunteers and partners
• Travel into the Greater Yellowstone area as required
• Other tasks as assigned by the Park Store Manager, Park Stores Operations Manager, Retail Operations and Visual Merchandising Manager, or other designated leadership

Basic Qualifications:

• 2-3 years of active diverse customer engagement within a retail or service environment preferred
• High school graduation or G.E.D.
• Proficiency in using computers and internet applications
• Experience in customer interaction with educational products or course offerings
• Team player with excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment
• Proven ability to quickly learn and apply new systems, processes, and applications
• Experience providing excellent customer service
• Self-motivated with a sound approach to problem solving and timely task completion
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, which may include nights, weekends and holidays
• Ability to lift boxes/equipment weighing up to 40 pounds (with support of lift equipment)
• Ability to represent Yellowstone Forever in a courteous and professional manner
• This position may involve driving vehicles, therefore applicants must hold and maintain a valid US driver’s license, and maintain a favorable driving record for insurance purposes
• A satisfactory criminal background check are conditions of employment

Yellowstone Forever is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy to comply with all applicable local, state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, political beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.