Summary This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Capitol Visitor Center (CVC), Retail Operations. The incumbent serves as the Gift Shops Operations Manager, responsible for the overall management, supervision, and strategic execution of the CVC Gift Shops program. The position ensures delivery of high-quality retail services that support the CVC mission to inform, involve, and inspire every visitor to the U.S. Capitol. Responsibilities The Gift Shops Operation Manager works under the general supervision of the Director of Retail and exercises significant authority over retail operations, financial performance, staff supervision, program development, and stakeholder engagement. Major Duties: Oversees daily operations of the CVC Gift Shops to ensure consistent service standards, operational readiness, visitor flow, and safety in a high traffic retail environment. Independently resolves fiscal, personnel, and operational challenges associated with a specialty retail operation with diverse merchandise and high visitor volume. Oversees customer service delivery, Point of Sale (POS) systems, store and warehouse operations, e-commerce physical inventory, and all cash handling functions. Develops, monitors, and executes operating budgets; tracks revenue, labor, earnings, and profitability goals. Plans and manages inventory levels, auto-replenishment processes, cycle counts, and physical inventories. Ensures compliance with established merchandising, visual presentation, layout, and product placement standards. Provides administrative, technical, and professional supervision to retail staff. Plans organizational structure and staffing requirements; assigns duties and sets priorities. Reviews and approves position descriptions, personnel justifications, and selection decisions. Resolves employee complaints and grievances within delegated authority. Ensures compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) principles and nondiscriminatory workplace practices. Plans, develops, executes, and evaluates retail programs and promotional initiatives. Manages full-cycle projects involving cross-divisional teams and contractors. Serves as Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR), overseeing contractor performance, inspections, quality, timeliness, and budget compliance. Assists the Contracting Officer with contract modifications and acceptance determinations. Oversees projects related to Point of Sale systems, inventory systems, and other retail technologies. Analyzes program effectiveness and recommends improvements to policies, systems, and operations. Establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with internal AOC partners, including Accounting, IT, Ecommerce, Merchandise Management, Finance, Exhibits, and Education. Serves as a liaison with Members of Congress, Congressional staff, Capitol Historical Society, and House and Senate Gift Shops leadership. Represents the Gift Shops program in interagency and stakeholder engagements in accordance with established policies. Due to operational requirements, the Gift Shops Operation Manager is expected to work Saturdays and holidays and may be expected to work Sundays and/or evenings in support of special events. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen. You must be able to pass a drug test. You must meet the definition of specialized experience. Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs. To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below: A citizen of the United States; A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States Qualifications You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. To qualify, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service (or equivalent experience) that includes: Managing retail operations in a high-volume environment; Budget development, revenue forecasting, and financial performance monitoring; Inventory management, merchandising, and Point of Sale systems; Program or project management, including contractor oversight; and Supervising staff and leading teams. Education There is no educational requirement for this position. Additional Information Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetguide.asp#6. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC's suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test. The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol. All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.
