RETAIL & SERVICES ASSOCIATE Position Available In Cumberland, Maine

Retail & Services Associate
Strata
Date Posted May 22, 2025
Location Portland, ME
Category Business
Job type Full-Time

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

We are a sharpening service and culinary knife and kitchenware shop located in Portland, Maine. In our shop you’ll find a handpicked selection of our favorite culinary knives from around the world. With a focus on sourcing quality steels produced on a small scale, we carry knives for all skill levels and budgets. We also work with craftspeople all over the world to feature the highest quality kitchen tools, accessories, and cookbooks we can find. Our Culture + Values
We’re a super small team with a genuine passion for our work! We have an endless drive to learn about the unique products we carry from around the world, and we are always striving to improve upon the services we provide. We have a deep respect for the craftspeople, family-owned workshops, and small-scale specialized teams who create the products we carry, and we actively support their efforts to preserve the traditional techniques and tools they make. We share the lessons and methods that we have learned along our journey with our guests to support them to further appreciate and maintain the items they purchase

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Retail Sales and Sharpening Services Associate is responsible for creating a seamless experience for our guests by assisting with in-store purchases as well as day-today knife sharpening, webstore fulfillment, and inventory demands. They will communicate with the Strata team to best support daily operations, uphold product and servicing quality and consistency standards, maintain equipment and facilities, safely handle all of our products and equipment, and be ready to jump in and cover adhoc tasks as needed. As a small and growing 4-person team, we all wear many hats! All of our roles involve a dynamic combination of overseeing backend operational responsibilities while also prioritizing in-store retail interactions and sales floor tasks. We are looking for another supportive team player with an empathetic and flexible attitude to add to the crew. Sharpening and retail experience is a plus, but we are willing to train the right person!

Schedule:

10:30am-6:30pm Wednesday-Sunday In-store Retail Associate Provide friendly service for an authentic in-store experience by welcoming guests and assisting with product sales, answering product questions, and at checkout
Cash handling reconciliation
Receive, process, and price incoming merchandise; prepare
products for sales floor as needed
Help to create, organize, and maintain fun and bountiful product displays
Keep POS area and sales floor clean, organized, and safe
Perform day-to-day opening and closing tasks (cleaning retail floor, bathroom, knife counter, taking out garbage, etc) Sharpening and Servicing Associate Assist the with day-to-day sharpening needs
Safely service and pack orders in a timely, organized, careful fashion
Work with services team to uphold servicing quality and consistency standards
Assist with servicing communications as needed
Safely handle and maintain servicing equipment and facilities
Assist with workshop cleaning and organization Fulfillment and Inventory Associate Assist in safely packing and shipping all outgoing online orders in a timely, organized, careful fashion
Help to receive, inspect, unpack and organize incoming merchandise
Support processing incoming products for our online store
Measure merchandise
Upload and organize photos for new products
Help keep unpacking and packing areas neat and organized
Participate in the inventory counting process Skills/Interests A genuine friendly and curious demeanor that allows guests to feel at ease, respected, and heard in a professional space
Ability to readily adapt to new situations and troubleshoot on the fly; comfortable with high paced environments
Skill to independently prioritize and follow through on tasks, troubleshooting, and systems
A genuine interest in the culinary field and the products and services Strata offers
A drive to always keep learning and asking questions
Strong oral and written communication skills; can communicate clearly and concisely
Professionalism to accept and give constructive feedback from and to team members; can easily collaborate with others
Ability to lift objects up to 50 pounds and work around machinery in a safe manner
Weekend and weekday availability including early evenings, and holidays as needed
Proficiency with computers; experience with Shopify or other inventory software a plus
Experience in retail and/or food service a plus What we offer Positive work-life balance
25% Employee discount on products, including partner/spouse
Free use of equipment and machinery when off the clock
Endless learning opportunities about different cultures, makers, products, etc.
Hands-on experience with some of the most exclusive and unique products in the world
Possible international travel to visit the makers and workshops we work with
Working with a fun, hardworking team that is actively engaged in hearing and respecting your input and suggestions.
Opportunity to grow into a long-term position that is directly involved in making executive decisions to determine the growth and direction of the company

COMPENSATION

this position is: hourly, varies DOE, $18.00 – $21.00
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS