Supervisor of Visitor Services

Job Description

Job Description

Title:

Supervisor of Visitor Services

Status

Non-exempt

Reports to:

Director of Visitor Services

Start Date:

Fall 2026

Schedule

Five days per week regularly (Thursday through Monday), hours in line with operating hours of 2pm-10pm. This is an onsite job with an expectation to work holidays, weekends, and peak visitation days, including the week between Christmas and the New Year.

About Canyon

Canyon is a contemporary art space opening in Fall 2026 on the Lower East Side of New York City, dedicated to the exhibition of time-based media art and performance.

Summary

The Supervisor of Visitor Services serves as one of Canyon's on-the-floor leaders for the visitor experience, overseeing ticketing, front desk, retail, membership, and event support while training and supervising Visitor Services Associates and Visitor Services Assistants. The Supervisor of Visitor Services is expected to maintain in-depth knowledge of Canyon's exhibitions, programs, retail offerings, and membership program, and to model excellent customer service for the team. A range of administrative and supervisory duties round out the position, creating a bridge between the Director of Visitor Services, front-line staff, and visitors.

Supervision

The Supervisor of Visitor Services reports to the Director of Visitor Services, and additionally takes direction from the Head of Retail, the Events Producer and the Chief Operating Officer. The Supervisor of Visitor Services oversees the daily work, scheduling, and performance of Visitor Services Associates and Visitor Services Assistants, and is responsible for coaching, corrective action, and other supervisory functions for these staff, in consultation with the Director of Visitor Services.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and provide ticketing and front desk services (25%)

1. Oversee daily ticketing and front desk operations, ensuring Visitor Services Associates and Assistants follow established procedures.
2. Schedule and staff ticketing and front desk posts, including leading pre-shift meetings and facilitating breaks and position changes.
3. Serve as the primary point of escalation for complex visitor inquiries, complaints, or incidents.
4. Verify tills at the end of each shift and complete money drops and deposits, in consultation with the Director of Visitor Services.
5. Operate and troubleshoot the ticketing/point-of-sale system, escalating technical issues as needed.
6. Perform other front desk and ticketing duties as needed and assigned.

• Oversee retail operations (15%)

1. Oversee daily retail desk operations, ensuring accurate cash handling and sales procedures.
2. Support inventory management, restocking, and merchandising decisions for retail displays.
3. Train and coach Visitor Services Associates and Assistants on retail procedures.
4. Perform other retail duties as needed and assigned.

• Oversee membership sales (15%)

1. Support membership sales goals established by the Advancement team, tracking Visitor Services Associates' and Assistants' performance against those targets.
2. Train staff on membership benefits, sales techniques, and processing procedures, in coordination with the Associate Director of Membership & Individual Giving.
3. Report membership sales performance and visitor feedback to the Director of Visitor Services.
4. Enter or transmit membership enrollment and sales data to the Advancement team for CRM entry, per established data-sharing procedures.
5. Train VS staff on how to escalate donor-level inquiries (e.g., unexpected VIP visitors, membership upgrades, major gift interest) to the Advancement team rather than handling as a standard membership sale.
6. Perform other membership-related duties as needed and assigned.

• Coordinate event support (15%)

1. Coordinate on-site Visitor Services staffing and logistics for public programs and special events, including scheduling Associates and Assistants.
2. Oversee guest check-in and guest list management for members and VIP guests during events.
3. Serve as the primary Visitor Services point of contact during events, liaising with other departments, including operations and security, to resolve issues.
4. Perform other event support duties as needed and assigned.

• Provide visitor hospitality, training, and department administration (30%)

1. Provide a high level of customer service and set the standard for visitor hospitality across all Visitor Services posts.
2. Monitor Visitor Services Associates' and Assistants' compliance with visitor services policies and procedures, tracking performance issues and reporting patterns and trends to the Director of Visitor Services.
3. Lead onboarding and ongoing training for Visitor Services Associates and Assistants.
4. Coordinate admissions data, including reconciling receipts, producing reports, and distributing reports to staff and the Director of Visitor Services.
5. Liaise between visitors and the Visitor Services department, as well as operations, security, and other staff, to ensure the safety and security of visitors and address visitor-related issues.
6. Maintain visitor services areas, including public desks, break room, and office, and provide general administrative support.
7. Perform other duties related to visitor hospitality, training, and administration as needed and assigned.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

1. Bachelor Degree, or equivalent experience.
2. Minimum of 5 years' experience in visitor service, hospitality, and/or sales, or an acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience. Minimum of 2 years' experience in a supervisory position required.
3. Excellent customer service and communication skills, including ability to present information effectively in one-on-one and group settings and facilitate positive dialogue with the audience.
4. Strong engagement with and knowledge of contemporary artistic practices and/or museums, with interest in critical discourse around time-based media.
5. Strong observation and awareness abilities, including noticing unusual circumstances, situations requiring attention, and generally being aware of one's surroundings.
6. Demonstrated on-the-spot problem-solving and decision-making ability.
7. Ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions.
8. Ability to work effectively and collegially as part of a larger team and in service of team and institutional goals.
9. Familiarity with or strong interest in time-based media art and performance, and knowledge of or eagerness to learn about the artists and practices Canyon exhibits.

Canyon prioritizes employee safety and promotes safe work practices, which are the responsibility of all employees. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; talk; or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit. Specific vision abilities required by this job include distance vision, color vision, and depth perception.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, safety is always a priority. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to occasionally loud.

Salary & Benefits

Salary is commensurate with experience. The expected range is $58,000 - $65,000.

This is a full-time position. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; life, AD&D, long-term disability, and short-term disability insurance; a Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account; a 401(k) retirement account with a matching contribution; and tuition reimbursement.

We are an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

To Apply

Please upload a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three references in the 'Resume' section of the job application portal.

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. All background checks will be conducted in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.