Guest Experience Manager

Job Details Job Location: Scott Family Amazeum - Bentonville, AR 72712 Position Type: Full Time Education Level: High School Salary Range: $39,500.00 - $42,000.00 Salary Travel Percentage: None Job Shift: Weekdays, Weekends, Occasional Holidays Job Category: Education Position Title: Guest Engagement Manager Reports to: Guest Experience Manager Classification Type: Full-time, exempt (salaried) Schedule: Approximately 40 hours per week, Tuesday - Saturday and occasional evenings, events, and holidays. Salary: $39,500–$42,000 annually Scott Family Amazeum Overview The Scott Family Amazeum is a hands-on, interactive museum in Northwest Arkansas and recognized as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. We create a fun environment where risk taking, imagining, problem solving, discovery, collaboration, and exploration bring children and adults together to learn and grow. Core Purpose: The Amazeum exists to spark and nurture the curious and creative spirit in all of us. Through experiences with the Amazeum, individuals and the community are engaged in building relationships and developing identities as creative, curious, and innovative shapers for the region. Learning at the Amazeum is an active, playful exploration that inspires curiosity. It is rooted in inquiry-based discovery and involves an element of risk. The Education Department of the Amazeum is looking for team members who are enthusiastic about promoting Creativity, Curiosity, and Community. The Amazeum facility includes approximately 50,000 square feet of indoor space and one acre of outdoor exhibition and activity space. Opening in fall 2026, the Hangout will feature interactive nature exhibits, spaces available to the community and the Early Learning Advancement Center (ELAC). The museum is located at the intersection of Museum Way and J Street in Bentonville, AR. Position Summary The Guest Engagement Manager leads and inspires a team that transforms every museum visit into an guest experience filled with welcome, wonder, and joyful discovery. Through exceptional people leadership and operational excellence, this role ensures every interaction reflects our commitment to playful learning, genuine hospitality, and creating meaningful moments for every guest. Essential Functions Team Leadership and Development Directly manages the core guest experience team (consisting of part time roles: Play Facilitators, Experience Activators, Tinkering Activators, and Team Leads), establishing clear expectations and fostering a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning. Leads hiring, onboarding, supervising, coaching, recognition, performance feedback, accountability, and ongoing professional growth opportunities. In collaboration with the Guest Experience Manager, develops and leads team training in areas such as facilitation techniques, guest engagement strategies, customer service protocols, emergency/safety procedures, exhibit operations, and playful learning methods. Leads the facilitator advancement process, preparing and coaching Play Facilitators as they move into Activator roles through readiness assessments, placement decisions, and transition support grounded in established facilitation standards and assessment tools. Provides direct supervision to Activators while ensuring program coordinators have the skills, clarity, and resources needed to provide Activators with effective instruction, supportive coaching, and progressive skill development. Develops and equips the Guest Experience Team Leads to be confident shift leaders who are capable of reinforcing expectations, providing timely coaching, responding to guest and operational needs appropriately, and working within established roles and communication pathways. Encourages the team to contribute ideas, strengthen facilitation practices and make thoughtful adjustments based on guest interests and changing environmental needs. Manages team member performance and conduct by setting clear expectations, providing timely coaching and feedback, addressing performance concerns, documenting performance issues, and partnering with People Services on corrective action and employment decisions as appropriate. Conducts team performance evaluations; maintains timely, accurate, and confidential documentation related to team performance and development, and performance concerns. Maintains a regular presence in Guest Experience spaces to model facilitation standards, observe team performance, provide feedback, and stay connected to guest and team needs. Reviews guest experience team systems and outcomes with departmental leadership and recommends improvements that strengthen consistency, effectiveness, and the guest experience. Guest Engagement and Operations Ensures experiences align with Amazeum mission, intended impact, and educational approach for optimal guest experiences. Sets team priorities and makes staffing and labor decisions that balance guest needs, team capacity, programs, events, and changing museum operations. Monitors and manages supply and staffing expenses. Partners with the Guest Experience Coordinator to ensure schedules, supplies, communication systems and operational resources support the teams needs and work. Responds to changing needs throughout the museum by adjusting staffing plans, supporting guests’ concerns, responding to unexpected situations and coordinating appropriate customer service responses. Partners cross-departmentally to translate organizational priorities and evaluates requests for guest experience team support into coordinated preparation, effective communication and actionable implementation. Prepares and directs the Guest Experience team’s support for new exhibits, Unfield Trips, Public Programs, and special events and other museum wide operations. Ensures Guest Experience spaces remain welcoming and responsive to guest needs while following established safety, cleanliness, and operational procedures. Instills a passion for powerful guest experiences in team members. Qualifications High school diploma or equivalent. 2+ years of experience in guest experience, museum education, informal learning, customer service, recreation, education, youth development, hospitality, or a related field. 1+ year of supervisory or team-leadership experience that includes coaching, accountability, performance decisions, and team development. Proficiency with Google Workspace and the ability and willingness to learn and use other technology and digital platforms required for the role. Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and develop a guest-facing team in a fast-paced environment. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including setting expectations, giving feedback, navigating difficult conversations, and maintaining appropriate documentation. Previous experience in organizing multiple priorities, interpreting team-performance information, maintaining confidentiality, and making calm, sound decisions in changing environments. Demonstrated ability to work a flexible schedule that includes weekdays, weekends, occasional evenings and holidays. All applicants must be able to: Provide the necessary documentation to prove that you are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or a foreign national with authorization to work in the United States. Complete and pass a background check. Physical Requirements Ability to remain active for extended periods, including standing, walking, bending, kneeling, crouching, and moving throughout exhibit and program spaces. Ability to engage with children and families at a child’s level and transition between positions as needed. Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials weighing up to 20 pounds regularly and up to 40 pounds occasionally. Ability to reach overhead and below waist level to reset, support, or maintain exhibits and materials. Ability to work in a large, multi-level museum environment with moderate-to-high noise, visual stimulation, frequent movement, and changing priorities. Ability to communicate clearly with guests, volunteers, and team members in a dynamic environment, including projecting the voice when needed. Ability to work around water, messy materials, large groups, uneven terrain, and changing outdoor weather conditions. Ability to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Preferred Skills Previous experience in learning, modeling, observing, and coaching inquiry-based, play-based, and learner-centered facilitation. Experience supervising and developing teams in a children’s museum, science center, education, recreation, hospitality, youth-serving, or other high-energy guest-facing setting. Experience with hiring, onboarding, performance management, team-lead development, training systems, observation tools, or team-advancement pathways. Knowledge of informal learning, play-based learning, inquiry-based teaching, facilitation, experiential education, or child development. Experience managing labor hours, staffing allocations, or schedule-approval processes. Proficiency with Google Workspace, scheduling platforms, learning-management systems, or digital evaluation tools. Bilingual or multilingual communication skills. Relevant education, credentials, or training in education, child development, museum studies, recreation, hospitality, organizational leadership, theatre, science, art, human resources, or a related field. #J-18808-Ljbffr