Manager (Merchandise and Retail Operations)

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

National Gallery Singapore is a leading visual arts institution which oversees the world’s largest public collection of Singapore and Southeast Asian modern art. Situated at the birthplace of modern Singapore, in the heart of the Civic District, the Gallery is housed in two national monuments - City Hall and former Supreme Court - that have been beautifully restored and transformed into this exciting 64,000 square metre venue. Reflecting Singapore’s unique heritage and geographical location, the Gallery aims to be a progressive museum that creates dialogues between the art of Singapore, Southeast Asia and the world to foster and inspire a creative and inclusive society. This is reflected in our collaborative research, education, long-term and special exhibitions, and innovative programming. The Gallery also works with international museums such as Centre Pompidou, Musée d'Orsay, Tate Britain, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT) and National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), to jointly present Southeast Asian art in the global context, positioning Singapore as a key node in the global visual arts scene.

In 2020, the Gallery was the only museum in Southeast Asia that received a ranking in The Art Newspaper’s annual global survey of attendance at art museums, taking 20th place. In 2018, the Gallery was also the first museum in Asia to receive the Children in Museums Award by the European Museum Academy and Hands On! International Association of Children in Museums. It also won the awards for “Best Theme Attraction” at TTG Travel Awards 2017, “Best Attraction Experience”, “Breakthrough Contribution to Tourism” and “Best Customer Service (Attractions)” at the prestigious Singapore Tourism Awards in 2016 for its role in adding to the vibrancy of Singapore’s tourism landscape.

We offer job opportunities in our dynamic organisation. Working at the Gallery enhances and cultivates your love for the arts, and offers you a chance to be part of the Gallery's vision.

OUR PEOPLE

At National Gallery Singapore, we develop cultural leaders who make the world better. Our people are united by a shared belief in the power and necessity of art, and work together to create meaningful experiences for our visitors.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Manager, Merchandise & Retail Operations leads the strategic development, planning, execution, management of NGS related merchandise and the retail tenant for the museum store as well as the NGS ecommerce platform. This role oversees the end-to-end NGS related merchandise process, ensures compliance with copyright and brand standards, and drives the transition to in-house retail management (if applicable).

This role combines creativity with commercial acumen to ensure the retail products enhances the visitor experience while supporting the Gallery’s financial sustainability through the store’s revenue. The position manages and/or collaborates with vendors, and cross-functional teams to enhance profitability, visitor experience, and alignment with the Gallery’s mission.

Strategic Merchandise Development & Oversight

• Design and implement short- and long-term merchandise strategies that align with the museum’s cultural vision and commercial goals.
• Analyse visitor demographics, industry trends, and retail data to identify new opportunities for growth and innovation.
• Develop a retail playbook to reinforce the Gallery store’s brand identity that should be reinforced with the tenant.
• Lead the merchandise strategy for exhibitions and permanent collections, aligning with curatorial themes, visitor demand, and revenue goals.
• Streamline SOPs for design, production, and approvals, ensuring efficiency and compliance (copyright, credit lines, sustainability).
• Negotiate and finalize Merchandise License Agreements and royalties with artists/estates, resolving complex copyright issues.
• Evaluate and onboard vendors, ensuring quality, ethical sourcing, and cost-effectiveness.

Product Development & Curation

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders (curatorial, marketing, exhibitions) to align merchandise with current and upcoming programming.
• Lead the development and curation of unique, mission-aligned products, including custom and exclusive items inspired by exhibitions and collections.
• Negotiate and finalize Merchandise License Agreements and royalties with artists/estates, resolving complex copyright issues.
• Collaborate with artists, designers, and manufacturers to create high-quality, branded products.
• Ensure development of products are aligned with the Gallery SOP.
• Conduct quality control checks.

Retail Operations & Transition Planning

• Develop and execute a strategic roadmap for management of the Gallery Store (if applicable), including financials, manpower, systems, and supplier chains.
• Monitor and ensure product and category mix is accordance to playbook.
• Facilitate exhibition merchandise displays in galleries.
• Monitor and ensure tenant provides an overall positive and customer-centric visitor experience.

Team Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Chair the Merchandise Panel, ensuring cross-departmental alignment (Curatorial, BD, Marketing, Design).•Serve as the primary liaison for retail partners, artists/estates, and external vendors.•Manage junior staff (e.g., Senior Executive, Merchandise Operations), providing guidance on workflows, problem-solving, and professional development.

Visual Merchandising & Store Presentation

• Ensure the retail tenant adheres to the visual merchandising strategy stated in the playbook.
• Collaborate with exhibitions and design teams to create museum-quality retail environments.
• Ensure seasonal refreshes and installation of visual concepts, maintaining brand consistency across physical and digital platforms.
• Ensure that store layouts, product displays, and signage communicate a cohesive story and elevate the visitor experience.

Financial & Performance Accountability

• Set and monitor KPIs for merchandise sales, profitability, and produce regular reports and presentations for senior leadership on KPIs, trends, and financial performance.
• Analyse sales data to optimize product mix, pricing, and inventory turnover.
• Manage budgets for merchandise development, retail operations, and potential transition costs. Make data-driven recommendations for product refreshes and seasonal adjustments.

Innovation & Sustainability

• Pilot new merchandise categories (e.g., digital products, collaborations, Gallery merchandise) to diversify revenue.
• Drive sustainability initiatives (e.g., eco-friendly materials, waste reduction).

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must have retail experience, minimum 5 years.
• Retail industry preferred (e.g. fashion, apparel, luxury, selected home decor retail)
• Experience with inventory and merchandising. Design and buying is an advantage.
• Good communication, interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
• Good sales and performance analytical skills.
• Conflict resolution and decision-making skills.
• Brand representation and styling knowledge.