Sales & Marketing Coordinator
Application Deadline: March 1, 2012
Employment Type: Full Time – Permanent
Duty Locations: Fayetteville, Arkansas & Regular 2-3 week buying trips to France
Company Overview
A small family business, French Metro Antiques is a direct importer of fine French art and antiques. Owners Renée and Terry Hunt employ their combined talents to personally select their collection of 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th century antiques for their shop in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Learn more at www.frenchmetro.com.
Job Description
Position Summary
Due to the small size of the company, this position demands a broad range of responsibilities including sales & customer service, web management, product photography, advertising and marketing strategy development, merchandise presentation, special events organization, administrative assistance, and merchandise acquisition in France.
Principal Responsibilities
Sales & Customer Service:
- Provide daily sales and administrative support.
- Maintain client relationships. Interact with customers and ensure all customer issues are handled in a timely and professional manner to provide a high level of customer satisfaction.
- Manage French Metro Antiques location when owners are offsite.
- Possess a design eye and be responsible for floor merchandising.
- Develop and manage client database. Generate reports to facilitate client demographic research.
- Organize and coordinate customer appreciation events.
Web Content Management:
- Manage web content and projects related to the website including adding merchandise to ecommerce site. Write, edit, and proofread new content. Ensure that all documents meet established branding and content standards. Work with web developers to assess any technical challenges in displaying content.
- Produce graphic sketches, designs, and copy layouts for online content. Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and arrange layout based upon available space, knowledge of layout principles, and aesthetic design concepts.
- Maintain blog, social media presence, and e-newsletters.
- Photograph products for web use. Amateur photography skills are adequate and learning process will be ongoing.
- Manage web-based products and services through email support, desktop support, and telephone support.
Marketing Communications:
- Coordinate and implement marketing communication projects within the scope of public relations, special events management, advertising, and creating brand awareness.
- Develop diversified marketing strategy.
- Develop advertising for print media. Organize preparation of promotional materials such as brochures, data, photographs, and reports. Identify print media opportunities to showcase French Metro Antiques.
- Manage special promotions from concept to fulfillment to meet marketing goals and ensure client satisfaction.
- Assist in decision-making regarding philanthropic outreach (e.g. benefit events, auctions, etc.).
- Provide periodic status updates to owners on marketing efforts.
Purchasing:
- Make purchasing choices of quality antique pieces during semiannual buying trips to France that bring the company maximum profit while negotiating for the best possible purchasing prices and understanding going market prices of merchandise.
- Communicate, negotiate, and establish relationships with merchants and vendors.
General:
- Demonstrate commitment to learn to identify woods, restoration methods, quality construction techniques, and stylistic periods of French antiques.
- Understand procedures concerning arrival of a container of antiques from France including shipping, customs clearance, logistics, and inventory management.
- Guard trade secrets and confidentiality regarding company clients, vendors, and business affairs.
- Perform additional tasks as required.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- Professional and friendly demeanor; Strong people skills
- Strong background or natural ability in sales and customer service
- Proficient level experience with computers, with an ability to work in a Windows environment
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
- Strong writing skills
- A genuine appreciation for history, art, culture, and beauty.
Preferred Skills, Knowledge, Abilities, Training
- Interest in photography with amateur photography skills
- Refined eye for interior design
- Self-starter mindset with the ability to work independently to accomplish tasks at hand.
- Creative nature and natural curiosity.
- Working knowledge of Intuit QuickBooks accounting software
- Working knowledge of Adobe InDesign and Photoshop
- Some background in French language a plus, but not required.
Physical Demands and Work Environment:
Work will be performed in a retail, office, and travel environment. Position requires sitting, standing, and walking for prolonged periods of time. Moving furniture and lifting approximately fifty pounds of weight are expected on occasion. Visual and aural acuity are required to perform the essential functions of this position. Employee should expect a forty hour work week including two Saturday shifts per month. Extended hours will be required during buying trips to France and receiving of containers from France.
Compensation
French Metro Antiques offers a competitive salary ($30K - $36K) commensurate with experience and a benefits package including vacation time, a Simple IRA plan, an annual bonus based on sales, and eligibility for a salary increase based on a year-end performance review.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Information
Individuals seeking employment are considered without regards to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
Application Procedure
To be considered for candidacy for this position, submit cover letter, resume, and two employer references to info@frenchmetro.com or to French Metro Antiques, 200 W. Dickson Street, Fayetteville, AR 72701.
The successful applicant may be required to pass a routine background and consumer credit check and drug screening.
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