Manager, Tours & Visitor Experiences

Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) is a global Jewish human rights organization that confronts anti-Semitism and hate, defends the safety of Israel and Jews worldwide, and teaches the lessons of the Holocaust through awareness, advocacy, justice, education, and its Museums of Tolerance. With a constituency of over 400,000 member families since its founding in 1977, the SWC has an international footprint through its Museums of Tolerance, Moriah Films, and the Digital Terrorism + Hate Project.Headquartered in Los Angeles, it maintains operations in New York, Chicago, Miami, Toronto, Paris, Berlin, Jerusalem, and Buenos Aires. It is an accredited Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) at the United Nations, UNESCO, the Organization of American States, the Latin American Parliament, and the Council of Europe and maintains relationships with the highest levels of governments throughout the world.In 1993, the Center opened the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles to worldwide acclaim. The Museum has served as the Center’s flagship educational arm, challenging visitors to confront bigotry and racism, and to understand the Holocaust in both historical and contemporary contexts. In addition, the Center developed Moriah Media to produce theatrical documentaries to educate global audiences. Moriah has produced 17 documentaries to date, two of which have received the Academy Award for best feature documentary, The Long Way Home and Genocide.About the role:The Manager of Tours & Experiences is responsible for leading the operational management, training strategy, facilitation standards, and continuous improvement of all on-site guided experiences at the Museum of Tolerance. Reporting within the Education department, this role ensures that visitor-facing educational programming is delivered with consistency, professionalism, pedagogical rigor, and operational excellence.This position provides direct leadership to the Museum’s tour guides, ensuring that every visitor experience reflects the Museum’s core educational principles: inquiry-driven learning, emotional engagement, historical accuracy, and civic relevance. The role will oversee onboarding, training, coaching, scheduling coordination, performance management, and facilitation quality across a team of part-time educators. The Manager will work closely with the Floor Coordinators and broader Education leadership to strengthen systems, standardize processes, and support a high-performing visitor experience operation.Responsibilities:Team Leadership, Supervision & Staff ManagementProvide supervision, leadership, and training to part-time tour guides and visitor-facing facilitatorsPartner closely with Floor Coordinators to support daily operations, staffing continuity, and visitor experience qualityLead recruitment, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and retention efforts for tour guide staffEstablish clear expectations, accountability measures, and performance standards across the guide teamConduct regular observations, coaching sessions, evaluations, and performance conversationsFoster a collaborative, inclusive, and professional team culture centered on continuous growth and learningSupport employee engagement, communication, and staff development initiativesTraining, Facilitation Standards & Professional DevelopmentDesign, implement, and oversee a comprehensive facilitator training and certification program for tour guides and volunteersCreate standardized onboarding materials, facilitation resources, and operational training processesLead ongoing professional development workshops, calibration sessions, and facilitation refreshersEnsure all facilitators are trained in inquiry-based learning practices, visitor engagement strategies, classroom management, and Museum pedagogyPartner with Education Content & Learning teams to align facilitation practices with institutional educational goals and updated contentDevelop facilitation rubrics and quality assurance measures to support consistency across all tours and experiencesProgram Operations & Process ManagementOversee operational workflows related to guided tours and visitor experiencesCollaborate with Floor Coordinatordinators on staffing schedules, coverage planning, and daily program logisticsSupport the development of scalable staffing structures that align with tour demand, visitor volume, and budget considerationsImprove operational efficiencies, communication systems, and internal processes related to tour executionEnsure seamless coordination between Education, Museum Operations, Visitor Services, and volunteer teamsHelp maintain operational readiness for approximately 100 weekly tours and educational experiencesVisitor Experience & Facilitation QualityEstablish and uphold high standards for inquiry-driven, emotionally engaging, and historically grounded facilitationEnsure all visitor experiences reflect the Museum’s educational philosophy, mission, and institutional valuesObserve tours regularly and provide actionable coaching and developmental feedbackMonitor visitor feedback and identify opportunities for continuous improvementEnsure facilitators are prepared to engage thoughtfully with diverse audiences and sensitive historical subject matterCross-Functional CollaborationWork collaboratively with the Volunteer Coordinator to support meaningful volunteer engagement within the visitor experience modelPartner with Education leadership, curriculum teams, and content specialists to ensure guides are equipped with current materials and institutional messagingCollaborate with MMOT and broader Education teams to align facilitation standards and best practices across programsServe as a key operational and communication partner across departments supporting visitor engagement initiativesSystems, Reporting & Continuous ImprovementDevelop and maintain systems for tracking tour volume, staffing metrics, visitor feedback, training completion, and facilitation performanceUse data and operational insights to inform staffing recommendations, training priorities, and process improvementsIdentify opportunities to improve consistency, efficiency, and overall visitor experience outcomesSupport departmental planning efforts, including staffing models, workflow improvements, and long-term operational strategyExperience and Skills:5+ years of experience in museum education, experiential learning, visitor engagement, or public-facing educational programmingDemonstrated experience managing educators, facilitators, docent programs, or visitor experience teamsStrong leadership, coaching, and staff development experienceExperience developing training programs, operational processes, or professional development initiativesExcellent organizational, communication, and project management skillsAbility to balance educational quality with operational execution in a fast-paced environmentStrong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate across multiple teams and stakeholder groupsPreferred QualificationsExperience in Holocaust education, social justice education, civic engagement, or dialogue-based programmingFamiliarity with inquiry-based learning, SEL frameworks, experiential education, or facilitation methodologyExperience managing part-time educator teams, volunteer programs, or distributed facilitation staffBackground in visitor experience operations or educational program management within museums or nonprofit institutionsOur Benefits:We value our people and offer a collaborative and engaging culture. As a SWC employee, you will enjoy work/life balance, generous time off and comprehensive benefits and programs. The Simon Wiesenthal Center embraces inclusivity and values our diverse community. We are committed to building a team based on qualifications, merit, and business need. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. #J-18808-Ljbffr