Job Listing
🔗Store & Salvage Program Manager

  • Full Time
  • Ithaca, NY
  • $25.00-$30.00 USD / Hour
  • January 2, 2026
  • Job Summary: The Store & Salvage Program Manager leads all operational, financial, and customer-facing aspects of Significant Elements, a mission-driven store and preservation resource center for salvaged building materials and vintage goods.
  • Job Qualifications:

    Minimum three years of full-time experience in upper-level retail management, or a sales-focused leadership role. Demonstrated strength in customer service, merchandising, and strategic planning surrounding sales and product management.

    Formal education in fields such as business administration, marketing, communications, history, preservation, architecture, or the building trades is a plus but not required. Additional skills in adjacent areas involving restoration, salvage, antiques, or historic materials are also highly valued.

    Logistical requirements include:

    •  A valid NYS driver’s license (or ability to obtain one within two months of hire).
    • Reasonable fluency with Instagram and Facebook.
    • Experience with point-of-sale technology (Square, Stripe, Clover, Elavon, etc.)
    • Basic knowledge of spreadsheets: Excel or Google Sheets.
    • Ability to move materials and bulky objects weighing up to 35 lbs. [with or without reasonable accommodation].
  • How to Apply:

     Who We Are:

    The team at Historic Ithaca is experienced and thoughtful—we approach our work with both passion and levity. Working with historic items and properties is serious: it’s also joyous. We embrace both. Your fellow team is made up of people with various backgrounds, experiences, and interests ranging from the skilled trades, restoration, preservation, art, history, and education.

    We value diversity as well as a flexible, equitable, and comfortable workplace. Our board of directors values the same. We look forward to reviewing your application.

    How to Apply:

    Send a letter of interest and resume to Zachary Lifton, Executive Director, at zachary@historicithaca.org. Attach files (do not link to them) and include your full name in file titles.

    Your letter of interest is your chance to catch our eye and explain who you are in-depth. We’d love to know about you beyond bullet points on your resume: this is your chance to do so. Help us understand why you’re the perfect match for the role.

    Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a final deadline of Friday, January 2nd, 2026. The position is open until filled. Please reach out with questions regarding the role or application process. zachary@historicithaca.org.

    Historic Ithaca provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

  • Job benefits: Generous paid time off and vacation time; company contribution to health insurance
  • Contact Name: Zachary Lifton
  • Application Email: zachary@historicithaca.org
  • Application URL: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vHnSxShAco-uQOOKQVX9p30HcD7Wijjt/view

Website Significant Elements at Historic Ithaca

Significant Elements is the region’s premier architectural salvage storefront and donation center, primarily focused on reclaimed and historic items (prior to the mid-20th century). We house multiple floors of inventory including donated and consigned goods ranging from doors to lighting, plumbing to furniture, and a vast selection of vintage hardware, tools, and salvaged building materials. Open since 1991, the store now serves as a community hub and knowledge center regarding historic home rejuvenation and sustainable building practice. Significant Elements is the retail arm of Historic Ithaca, Tompkins County’s preservation advocacy and education nonprofit organization (est. 1966). The store is mission-driven and a core way in which our team at Historic Ithaca connects with the community over our shared passion to protect, reuse, and celebrate the past.

Who We’re Looking For:

You’re an experienced retail leader who thrives on running the whole show—from staff management to financials to creating a welcoming customer experience. You are comfortable and confident behind a register, moving a sofa, or cleaning a mirror—but also in front of a spreadsheet or in a meeting with colleagues regarding programmatic goals.

Significant Elements is in a period of growth and change: you’ll bring a proven ability to elevate a store or program into a new phase, with sharp operational skills and a strategic vision. You’re invested in making the store shine as the best version of itself, and can work as a leader within a team environment in the push to do so.

You may or may not already have advanced knowledge of architectural salvage and historic buildings: we’re happy to help teach you. But you should have a foundational appreciation for old items, a passion for history, and a quick, open mind to learn on the job. You’re curious, meticulous, and able to see beauty beyond a layer of dust or cracked window pane.

Key Responsibilities:

The Store & Salvage Program Manager is a multidimensional role. Core responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Operations and Inventory Management
  • Financial Oversight
  • Sales, Marketing, and Customer Experience
  • Community Education regarding historic and salvaged goods
  • Leadership and Team Engagement.

View the detailed job description here for more information.

Salary: $25.00-$30.00/Hour depending on experience

Benefits

All NCPE interns received an hourly stipend, the rate is listed at each position description. Additionally, interns receive paid time off (PTO), paid Federal holidays if working full-time, and access to NCPE's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for career and personal counseling, coaching, and referrals. Project sites may also offer a housing allowance and/or commuting stipend; this information is also listed in the description or offered during the interview.

Eligible NCPE interns who successfully complete their internships may count their position towards earning a Public Land Corps (PLC) Non-Competitive Hiring Authority certificate. To be eligible to earn a PLC certificate, an intern must be 30 years old or younger (or 35 if a veteran). Once earned, the PLC hiring authority certificate may be used to apply for eligible Federal temporary, term, or permanent positions. Successful completion of a NCPE internship does not guarantee Federal employment. Contact manager@preservenet.org for more details.

Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must be
*at least 18 years old;
*no older than 30 years of age (or 35 years if a Veteran) when beginning the internship; applicants who are 31 or older (or 36 or older if a Veteran) are not eligible;
*currently enrolled in a degree-seeking academic program at the college level (or recently graduated within the past 12 months)
*be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident.

Interns are not allowed to work more than 1200 hours total in the program; previous interns must stay within this overall limit. The length of an internship can vary from 10 to 30 weeks if full-time (40 hours per week) or longer if on a part-time schedule. If selected, the exact starting date will be determined by you and the NPS supervisor. The stipend rate is $17.00 per hour unless otherwise listed.

The successful candidate is responsible for finding and paying for travel to and housing at the internship location; some exceptions apply. The supervising office may be able to assist in locating housing but it is ultimately up to the individual accepting the internship to find accommodation.

The National Council requires all interns working in-person at Federal facilities and/or with Federal employees receive the Covid-19 vaccination. Please be advised that you may also be required to wear a mask, depending on the protocols adopted by your work site. Also be aware that, due to Government-wide security requirements, a background check will be required if you are selected for a position. This will include providing information about recent housing and employment history. The position supervisor will have more information about these requirements and procedures at the time of hiring. You may direct any questions to NCPE's Internship Program Director, Julee Johnson, at manager@preservenet.org.

Please note that interns are not NCPE or NPS employees. Stipends are academic awards and taxes are not withheld, nor are social security contributions made on your behalf. These funds may be taxable, however, so consult a tax preparation professional if you have questions.

How to Apply

You may review NCPE's internship opportunities anytime without registering. Use the search function to find listings by location, keyword, or area of interest/category. Once you identify one or more positions of interest, there is a 3-step application process.

Step 1: Click on the Apply for Job button, then select Universal Application. Click on Register to create a User Account, which requires a username and email. A link will be sent to you from manager@preservenet.org to create a password. We suggest that you add this email to your safe senders list so you don't miss receiving this important link. You will be instructed to Log In to Preservenet using your username or email and password, which will take you back to the Universal Application.

Step 2: The Universal Application is required to apply for all NCPE internships. You fill out this form only once. In addition to contact information, educational status, work history, and experience, it requires two attachments: (1) the 2 most recent years of academic transcripts. These may be unofficial transcripts if official versions are unavailable. A PDF is preferred, labeled Your Your Last Name_Your First Name_Transcript. (2) a resume or CV (curriculum vitae). Please limit to a maximum of 4 pages; 2 pages are preferred. A PDF is preferred but jpg, png, doc, or docx file types are accepted. Label Your Last Name_Your First Name_Resume. This form may be saved as a draft and completed later. Use the link provided to return to the form.

Step 3: Once you submit the Universal Application, you may browse and apply for NCPE internships using the link provided. Complete the application process by clicking on the Apply for job button found at each internship listing and upload the required Essay. Use the essay to explain why you are applying for an internship, including how your interest areas will benefit the National Park Service (NPS) and how the internship will further your studies and career goals. Be as specific as possible; there is a 400-word maximum length. Submit the essay to finish the application for that position. You may apply for a maximum of 6 internships during an application round; there is no limit at other times of the year. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!



Logging in with a Registered User Account and completing the Universal Application is required to apply for NCPE Internships. Please visit the Universal Application page to register for an account and complete the form. After logging in and completing the form, refreshing this listing will display the Job Application to apply online.