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Gift Store and Rentals Coordinator
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
USD 24-26 / hour
Posted on May 18, 2026
Location: Santa Cruz, California
Supervisor: Senior Program Operations Manager
Status: Part-time (24-28 hours/week), non-exempt
About the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Founded in 2000, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, is the national nonprofit partner to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS). Together, we work to protect America’s most treasured ocean and Great Lakes areas — places of extraordinary biodiversity, maritime heritage, and community value.
Guided by our commitment to Waters for All, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation connects people to the ocean and Great Lakes through education, conservation, and community engagement.
As the official nonprofit partner of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, we support 18 marine environments from Massachusetts to American Samoa and the Great Lakes to the Florida Keys. We protect these iconic places, care for marine wildlife and habitats, honor our nation’s maritime heritage, and promote the enjoyment of public waters by all Americans.
Through public fundraising and partnerships, we invest in community stewardship and engagement, on-the-water conservation and restoration, education and outreach in visitor centers and gateway communities, and cutting-edge scientific exploration.
For more than 25 years, we’ve strengthened people’s connections to our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes—our shared history, culture, and maritime heritage—and built partnerships with coastal communities and businesses tied to over 629,000 square miles of public waters that belong to all Americans.
About the National Marine Sanctuaries
America’s national marine sanctuaries are living classrooms, laboratories, and community assets that protect the waters shaping our shared future. Managed by NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), this network of 18 marine protected areas is multi-use by nature and spans more than 629,000 square miles of ocean and Great Lakes — from coral reefs and kelp forests to historic shipwrecks and whale migration routes.
In partnership with marine research institutions, universities, and private-public partnerships, activities in each sanctuary are sources of solutions to today’s most pressing challenges. Sanctuaries safeguard marine biodiversity, sustain fisheries, power coastal economies, and inspire stewardship through science, education and outreach, and outdoor recreation from boating to fishing. Many sanctuary gateway communities include visitor centers and community partnerships with zoos, aquariums, and museums that extend this impact — serving as hubs for conservation, innovation, commerce, and tourism where people engage directly with the ocean and Great Lakes.
Together, these sites demonstrate how healthy waters and thriving communities are inseparable — and why protecting them is essential.
What We Need
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is a leading voice for U.S. protected waters, is seeking a part-time Gift Store and Rentals Coordinator to support operations in the Sanctuary Exploration Center gift store and coordinate facility rentals. This position will oversee upkeep and accounting for the store, work with vendors to stock mission-aligned inventory, and coordinate facility rentals for the public and partners. The goals of the Sanctuary Exploration Center are to educate visitors about the sanctuary’s unique and fascinating coastal marine environment and to encourage stewardship of the sanctuary and a better understanding of how to responsibly enjoy and protect the ocean.
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is committed to a culture of inclusion, equity, and belonging. We are dedicated to attracting and retaining a diverse staff. We honor experiences, perspectives, and unique identities, and welcome the contributions that you can bring to the dedicated team. With a diverse team of employees, we can grow and learn better together and achieve our mission to protect the health of the ocean, coasts and Great Lakes for current and future generations.
What You’ll Do
The Gift Store and Rentals Coordinator will work with the Sanctuary Exploration Center (SEC) Manager to administer and maintain the retail operations of the gift and bookstore. This role will also recruit, track, and support coordination of rental use of the facility for events, workshops, and meetings. As necessary, this role will support day-to-day operations at the center, working with volunteers and staff to create a welcoming environment for visitors and handling opening and closing operations.
Typically, this individual’s time will be divided as follows:
Store inventory (20%)
- Product research - identify appropriate merchandise to meet the mission of the Sanctuary Exploration Center to promote educational and environmentally sustainable products
- Order/purchase all inventory - maintain appropriate amounts of inventory depending on sales volume and season
- Merchandise all display areas - pricing and labeling products and product presentation
- Receive and track all incoming inventory and returns
Administration (15%)
- Maintain a vendor database and manage new vendor accounts
- Track and record all vendor invoices
- Submit vendor invoices to the foundation for payment
- Maintain and work with Square Point of Sales computer system
- Receive and respond to phone calls and emails
Accounting and Reporting (15%)
- Provide sales reports generated from Square-up (Squareup.com)
- Fill in reporting templates based on end of day sales and deposits
- Maintain and account for daily sales record
- Generate biweekly sales records for the foundation using Google Sheets
- Record and make cash deposits
Gift Store Volunteer Coordination (10%)
- Assist with training gift store volunteers
- Educate gift store volunteers on new products and pricing
- Oversee volunteers who work in the gift shop
Facility and Event Rentals (20%)
- Schedule, facilitate, and be the point of contact for rentals and events
- Work with SEC Manager to ensure there is adequate staffing of events
- Update and maintain facility rental tracker
- Maintain partnerships with hotels and other businesses referring rentals to the SEC
Who You Are
As the Gift Store and Rentals Coordinator, you are someone who has a love of the ocean, and will enjoy supporting the operations of a visitor center dedicated to connecting people to Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. You are interested in sustainable goods and may be familiar with non-profit or small business work. You have a commitment to lifelong learning, a strong sense of initiative, and work well independently.
Required Qualifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Minimum of one year retail management/supervisory experience OR two years retail store experience, including cash handling and inventory tracking
- Proficient computer skills with a variety of programs (Google Suite, Excel, database entry)
- Good communication and customer service skills, both written and verbal
- Ability to work two weekdays and at least one weekend day, as well as occasional evening
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Associate's degree
- Supervisory, leadership, and coaching skills
- Experience working in a small business, boutique, and/or non-profit storefront
- Knowledge of financial, budgetary, and accounting best practices
- Knowledge of retail and merchandising trends with a focus on quality, marketing, and presentation
Why You Will Love Us
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (“Foundation”) is a leading voice for U.S. protected waters, working with communities to conserve and expand those special places for a healthy ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. The Foundation works in close partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to increase stewardship of our ocean and Great Lakes through on-the-water conservation projects, education and public outreach activities, and by support for research. Together, we safeguard species and the places they call home and support coastal communities and economies.
- Dedicated and passionate staff committed to marine and Great Lakes Conservation
- Preparing for the Future: 403(B) with employer contribution after one year of service
Compensation: $24.00 - $26.00/hour based on experience.
Apply through the Foundation’s online portal. A resume, cover letter, and three professional references are required. Applications must be received by June 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET.
Location: Santa Cruz, California
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The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This commitment applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, and training. The Foundation makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.