Monkeybiz is dedicated to reviving the tradition of African Beadwork, taking the love and knowledge that is passed down, over the centuries, from mother to child and becoming a bridge from traditional bead works into contemporary artworks.
Monkeybiz is looking for a new General Manager to manage both the creative and commercial aspects of their organisation.
Main duties and responsibilities
Operations management:
- Manage a team of five permanent staff, including daily operations management and ongoing performance management.
- Managing attendance (hours, overtime, holiday and sick leave)
- Solid understanding of the international market for retail stores, wholesale stores and direct to client.
- Making sure deadlines and timelines are strictly adhered to
- In conjunction with Sales Manager, managing sales, ad-hoc client liaison, taking orders details and placing orders.
- Organise and attend local and International trade shows (full involvement from identifying opportunities/shows, stand design, curate the collection, attend events, manage orders and delivery).
- Sign-off on commissions
- Manage picking and packing of items sold online
Financial management:
- Budgets, negotiations, shipping and costing
- Working closely with the Bookkeeper, you are accountable for the financial management of the Organisation
- Oversight of ALL day-to-day financial activity, reporting to Carrol Boyes Head Office Finance department
- Wages, banking (withdrawals & deposits) and forex
Creative management:
- Designing new products and new methods/patterns/stiches
- Working with Wire sculpture-maker ensuring shapes are exact, following samples exactly
- Mentoring and briefing beaders and artists on new designs
- Designing from start to finish all bespoke and special items, liaising closely with client and beader
- Source and select glue and bead artwork
Marketing and website management
- Marketing international wholesale website to retail stores through Newsletters and embedded emails
- Together with the Web Designer, regularly update the websites (content and e-commerce)
- E-Commerce shop management, including editing images and loading onto websites with correct pricing for local and international sites.
- All photography will be your responsibility to clean and make enticing for clients/website/print and in studio needs
- Design Newsletters, postcards, labels, shopping-bags, logo.
Requirements
- Acting as the face and voice of the organisation, the ideal applicant will have the following competencies:
Work experience and industry exposure
- 3-5 years’ experience in senior management position, essential
- Experience in NGO/NPO sector, advantageous
- Experience in Crafting, Curatorship, Fine-Art or Design, essential
- Experience in a Wholesale or Retail buying, advantageous
- Photoshop experience, desirable
Strong communication skills
- Minimum 4 years’ experience in a role managing people
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to liaise with team and clients effectively
- A confident and outgoing individual who is friendly and accessible
- Able to manage difficult situations and personalities in a calm and rational manner
- Strong networking and inter-personal skills
Excellent administration Skills
- Highly organised with strong planning skills
- A meticulous individual, with strong attention to detail
- Comfortable working in an unstructured environment
- An accountable, responsible and reliable individual who takes ownership of their work
- Good computer literacy (Microsoft Office Word, Excel and Outlook) is essential
General
- Dynamic, energetic and self-driven individual with a can-do attitude and a flare for productivity and performance management
- Strong financial acumen and able to read Financials
- Marketing knowledge and commercial awareness, essential
- Flexible with the ability to work in a creative environment
