Guest Experience Manager

Join our community and experience Emerson College !

The Guest Experience department serves as the "front porch" to the Emerson College campus, acting as its primary public interface, and fostering engagement from visitors across the globe. The Manager, Guest Experience reports to the Senior Marketing Officer and directly manages all aspects of Front of House operation for all 6 of Emerson College's Office of the Arts Venues, which welcomes over 50,000 patrons annually. The Manager acts as the primary department manager as well as the direct liaison between OA external clients and the Guest Experience House Management staff. The primary responsibilities for the position fall into 4 key categories; Protocol Management, Staff Management, Accessibility Coordination, and Concessions Management.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Identify, develop, and maintain needed active security, safety and emergency protocols for all 6 venues where guest experience is provided. Protocols will include procedures for fire, active shooter, sudden weather, and other emergency response and evacuation needs. While the Manager will collaborate with OA leadership and Emerson's Emergency Management division, the Guest Experience Manager will provide independent, event-space-specific protocols to complement Emerson College's broader approach. This independent work will require extensive knowledge of theatrical norms and processes (examples: visiting company staffing hierarchy, front of house/back of house coordination, risks of theatrical haze/fog, etc) so that the safety of up to 1200 patrons can be guaranteed at any point in an event's life-cycle. The Manager will also ensure that communications protocols are developed, regularly updated, and communicated with those internal and external to GE staff.
• In alignment with the Director, Emergency Management and Director, Risk Management, Manager is responsible for exclusively ensuring proper training of up to 80 part-time intermittent/student employees to ensure that, in event of an emergency, audiences in Emerson's spaces will receive clear and confident direction. This includes training in de-escalation, CPR/first aid, TIPS training, and crowd management.
• Lead all Guest Experience employees, setting a standard of impeccable professionalism, hospitality, and welcome, providing regular and outstanding guidance and training.
• Oversee and communicate all employee feedback, promotions, and disciplinary action.
• Ensure all necessary external certifications are up to date.
• Develop and facilitate a variety of regular training opportunities including New Hire, Evacuation, Accessibility, First Aid, etc.
• Organize and lead monthly Guest Experience Senior Staff Meetings
• Manage and balance the Guest Experience department budget. Act as Guest Experience Cost Center Approver.
• Manage regular full-time and part-time staff as well as a contingent of part-time Intermittent/Student employees.
• Oversee all Accessibility services, which include, but are not limited to, American Sign Language interpretation, Audio Descriptions & Open Captioning for performances. Manage and coordinate scheduling for consultants and vendors related to events dedicated to Accessibility programming, both on-site and digitally, as well as create awareness of our planned accessibility programming with local leaders within the Deaf/HOH, Blind, HOS communities. Coordinate guest seating arrangement and placement of closed captioning for dependent audience members and understand costs associated for each program.
• Oversee and manage Guest Experience Concessions operations, including managing the full spectrum of the purchasing process, receiving, budget management, inventory management, digital reporting, and logging discrepancies, as well as maintaining on-premises TIPS certification status for all Concessions staff to ensure safe alcohol service across all venues for internal and external events.
• Coordinate event requirements with Production & Box Office Departments to ensure smooth event operations.
• Coordinate with the Marketing Department and other organizations to facilitate on-time display of signage in lobbies and street-facing window cases at venues
• Facilitate annual license renewals, including venue permits, alcohol permits, and annual building inspections
• Coordinate and foster the relationship with food and beverage vendors to support a variety of reception events. This includes providing timeline, scheduling information, and detailed explanations of event requirements.
• Represent the Office of the Arts as a member of Emerson College's Emergency Response Team
• Manage the Guest Experience team in digital spaces including Zoom, Cinesend & vMix. Continue to build this platform, adding more responsibilities where needed.
• Support usher staffing at events as needed
• Uphold venue maintenance and appearance in coordination with Production and the Emerson College Facilities department
• Oversee and manage daily schedules in ABI scheduling software for employees that work in the Guest Experience department
• Represent OA on EC Safety Committee. Implement college-recommended training and procedures. Complete safety audits of spaces and procedures annually. Maintain a high-level of consistent safety awareness for OA.
• Act as a representative from the Guest Experience department in working groups, committees, caucuses, etc. in cross-departmental initiatives as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS - Qualifications are deemed required or preferred and represent what is needed to effectively perform job.

• Bachelor's Degree or relevant experience required in Theatre, Event Management or Hospitality Management,
• 4-6 years of experience in Front of House operations & customer service required.
• Experience in cash handling and performing cash settlements
• Crowd Manager training required. TIPS On-Premise Certification required (or must obtain within first 3 months of hire date)
• First Aid/CPR Certification required (or must obtain within first 3 months of hire date)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES - May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills, and abilities commonly associated with the job.

• Detailed knowledge of ABI Workforce Manager, Google Workspace, Microsoft Word, and Excel
• Strong knowledge of accessible theater services, including ASL, Audio Description, Open/Closed Captioning, and Sensory Friendly performances
• Strong knowledge of Spectrix
• Ability to collaborate across a wide range of digital communication platforms, including Google applications, Slack, and Zoom
• A dedicated passion for event management and storytelling
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and problem solve effectively across multiple departments
• Demonstrated ability to foster a positive and productive work environment, and a dedication to creating and maintaining a strong customer service culture
• Ability to observe, listen, and advocate for the needs of the Guest Experience department and all Guest Experience staff
• Strong attention to detail, especially in regards to cash/credit transactions and settlements
• Demonstrated ability to create and facilitate meaningful training opportunities for both entry level and seasoned staff
• Professional and collaborative team member, with the ability to exercise discretion with sensitive information
• Familiarity in best practices for serving patrons with disabilities and from different socio-economic backgrounds
• Exercise sound judgment both under pressure and in high volume environments
• Ability to prioritize multiple demands and meet deadlines
• Strong observational skills with the ability to receive and respond to constructive feedback proactively
• Strong organizational skills in a shared workspace
• Second language skills are a plus

PHYSICAL ABILITIES - Activities commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Frequently required to move or lift objects
• Required to stand for extended periods
• Ability to work nights and weekends as needed

WORK ENVIRONMENT - Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job.

• Works in an office and theatre environment which may have no natural light Standard office conditions
• Requires the constant coordination of mental and visual attention
• Moderate Travel
• Exposed to moderate noise levels

IN-OFFICE EXPECTATIONS

This position is primarily a hybrid role with expected days in the office each week.

The hybrid arrangement will be made upon hire. Candidates must reside within a reasonable commuting distance of the Boston campus to ensure operational effectiveness. This arrangement must be approved as outlined in the Remote Work Policy.

Compensation: $66,270.00 - $81,200.00 annually, commensurate with experience.


Grade of Position: 23-08E

Employment Category: Regular

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 36.25

Division of Office of the Arts

In addition to a competitive salary, Emerson College is committed to the health and well-being of our employees and family members. We offer a generous benefits package to regular staff scheduled to work 20+ hours per week.


Emerson Employment Categories influence work schedules, benefits eligibility, and time off policies. Benefits include outstanding health plans with limited out-of-pocket expenses, dental plans, generous time-off programs, and a 403(b) retirement benefit with a 9% employer contribution once eligible. Additional benefits, such as life and disability coverage and commuter offerings, are available.

Please refer to our benefits website for a full list of benefits and eligibility requirements.