Overview

As the General Manager, you recruit, coordinate, motivate, and lead the team of Mountain Sports Flagstaff. You maintain the store as a hub for “Local. Life. Style.” and promote Patagonia’s mission of “We’re in business to save our home planet.” You act as an ambassador for Mountain Sports Flagstaff in our community and beyond, ensuring that our hospitality for every customer experience is best-in-class: consistent, authentic, and engaging. You lead by example and inspire your team, both in the store and in the community. You identify the priorities of each day and delegate necessary tasks to the Retail Team Coordinator and Sales Team. Ultimately, as the General Manager, you are responsible for all aspects of the store.  Join us in our mission to enrich lives, protect the planet, and create unforgettable experiences for our customers. Together, we can make a positive impact that extends far beyond the trails we tread and the mountains we climb.

Position Responsibilities

Staff Management

  • Instill in our employees the importance of Unreasonable Hospitality: Upholding our commitment to providing exceptional customer service by setting high standards for the entire team. Train, mentor, and motivate staff to exceed customer expectations at every touchpoint, from initial inquiries to post-purchase support. Foster a culture of genuine care and empathy, ensuring every customer feels valued and appreciated.
  • Adhere to Operational Excellence: Oversee day-to-day operations of the Flagstaff store, including inventory management, sales forecasting, and financial performance. Implement strategies to optimize efficiency, minimize waste, and maximize profitability while maintaining our commitment to sustainability and ethical business practices.
  • Be an accessible, transparent, and supportive leader.
  • Work with staff to create and maintain a clean, organized, attractive, dynamic shopping environment and experience.
  • Recruit and hire people who are passionate about Flagstaff, the outdoors and the preservation of our home planet.
  • Reward staff with responsibility and create a team environment in which all employees feel supported.
  • Oversee ongoing staff education and training.
  • Be willing to cover shifts when employees call out due to sickness or personal problems.
  • Develop staff schedules and ensure open lines of communication with all team members about future staffing opportunities.
  • Hold trimester staff meetings.
  • Have the ability and availability to work both opening and closing shifts on the sales floor.
  • Maintain thorough knowledge of all store policies and procedures.
  • Assign projects/tasks to staff as needed.

Sales, Inventory & Purchasing

  • Set sales performance standards, provide ongoing support and feedback in weekly meetings, and conduct annual performance reviews for all staff.
  • Work with the leadership team to understand and set mutually agreed-upon goals around the financial aspects of our specialty outdoor store.
  • Prepare weekly sales numbers and time clock/work hour verification for all staff.
  • Have a keen eye for the look and feel of your store and understand that powerful visual merchandising, good habits, store cleanliness, and maintenance all support a strong business.
  • Collaborate with the MSF President and Social Media Coordinator for outreach, including website and social media presence.
  • Develop innovative strategies for bringing in new customers.
  • Work with buyers to ensure the shop is stocked with customer requests, popular and unique apparel, and items for maximum profitability.

Future Planning

  • Provide regular updates of ongoing training for staff to ownership.
  • Serve as the external face of Mountain Sports Flagstaff in the community. Build new relationships and partnerships among businesses and groups in Flagstaff and the surrounding area.
  • Be involved in and implement customer outreach (i.e., Monthly email marketing, communication about expiring Frequent Buyer Rewards, etc.).
  • Collaborate with Mountain Sports Flagstaff’s 1% for the Planet partners, influencing granting and coordinating Paid Volunteer Opportunities for the staff throughout the year.

Qualifications

We are seeking candidates with proven management experience who are passionate about their sales team, communities, the environment, and caring for others. We’re looking for someone who builds and maintains relationships with ease through open communication and active listening and desires to put the sales team and customer at the center of everything they do. The ideal candidate will have an approachable leadership presence and can prioritize, delegate, and coach a team, demonstrate highly developed emotional intelligence and active listening skills, foster the development of the team for the betterment of both the business and the employees, and possess a retail management and/or outdoor industry background. They must also be able to multitask, be detail-oriented, organized, and thorough, possess strong verbal and written communication skills, be able to operate a Point of Sale, utilize an online project management platform, and navigate general web applications, have a cooperative spirit and positive, goal-oriented attitude, and be punctual and dependable.

Schedule Availability & Physical Requirements

Our store is open seven days a week. You must be available to work a minimum of one weekend day, one opening shift, and one closing shift per week. You must also be available to work evenings, weekends, and many of the key (and very busy retail) holidays (4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years). You must be able to stand/walk for extended periods of time, reach overhead, bend, squat, kneel, and carry products necessary for customer service, inventory stocking, and store merchandising. You must also be able to walk up and down a staircase carrying boxes, products, and other necessary items and regularly perform store maintenance, including sweeping, vacuuming, emptying trash, and cleaning. Additionally, you must be able to safely lift boxes up to 55 pounds and be comfortable climbing ladders.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.

We don’t just accept diversity — we support it, celebrate it, and thrive on it for the benefit of our associates, our customers, and our company. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace where we strive to think outside — and not simply check — the box.

Direct Supervisor

Mountain Sports Flagstaff President

Compensation

This is a salaried position starting at $52K per year 

Additional Benefits

Paid Time Off, Paid Sick Time & Paid Volunteer benefits
Access to Employer Sponsored Health Insurance with 85% subsidy
SIMPLE IRA after 1 year of employment (with 3% match from company)
Employee discounts at Mountain Sports Flagstaff and Bright Side Bookshop
Pro Deal discounts from Patagonia and other vendors we stock and sell

Location

This position will be on-site/in person at Mountain Sports Flagstaff located in historic downtown Flagstaff, Arizona. 

How to apply

Please submit an application and resume to lisa@mountainsportsflagstaff.com

About Mountain Sports Flagstaff

The Mountain Sports community embraces the casual, local lifestyle, offering exceptional hospitality to our customers while prioritizing our commitment to the environment. As the sole Patagonia shop in the region, we proudly support their 1% for the Planet program, granting 1% of all sales to local conservation and environmental education organizations. Thanks to our loyal customers, we've invested over $275,000 back into the Flagstaff community!

Lisa Lamberson, carrying on the traditions and passions of her family, now serves as the owner of Mountain Sports. From her diverse background, including experiences as a youth camp counselor, lobster fisherwoman, river rafter, and elementary school teacher, Lisa brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to the business. Founded in 1973 by Lisa's father, Mark, and her Uncle Bruce, Mountain Sports embodies a love of adventure that continues to thrive today, 50 years later. Our store serves as both a retail space and a welcoming community hub in historic downtown Flagstaff.