Guest Services Associate

Guest Services Associate

Bloomfield Hills Schools manages both Bowers School Farm and E.L. Johnson Nature Center as outdoor learning sites to support student learning and community outreach.

Bowers School Farm is a working urban farm with diversified animal, fruit, and vegetable production. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful maintained horticultural gardens, historical relevance, and a unique connection to food production. Purchased in the mid-1960's to be used as a land laboratory, the farm welcomes over 35,000 visitors annually for school field trips, summer camps, community events, and recreational programs. It is housed off of I-75 on 93 acres within Bloomfield Hills.

The E.L. Johnson Nature Center is a 40-acre nature preserve. More than 2-miles of trails and a scenic four-acre inland pond is home to an assortment of fish, a large variety of trees including stands of pine, hardwoods, and a sugar bush, and many native plants and wildflowers foster a safe habitat for a host of wildlife. Red fox, coyote, deer, mink, as well as countless birds, amphibians, and reptiles, have been observed. There are also special wildlife pens that contain orphaned deer and injured hawks and owls that can be observed up close. The Nature Center has hosted educational programming for the schools and surrounding community since 1968.

Reports To: Event Leader

Primary Purpose: As the guest services representative, your main responsibility is to engage visitors.

Depending on the season, duties will vary between the three primary areas of responsibility. This position will support the Event Leader and others as necessary. The ideal candidate is flexible as this is an on-call position with various hours during weekdays, weekends and evenings. The Associate will work varied hours based on need.

Primary Responsibilities

Visitor Center/Farm Store

• Welcoming visitors to the farm and directing them to tours, camp, or other points of interest, making recommendations, and taking front counter orders.
• Keep informed of special events and group program schedules.
• Maintain a neat, clean, and inviting work environment.
• Operate point of sale system, process sales, count, and balance drawer.
• Serve food from the servery, including scooping ice cream, pouring cider, packaging fresh donuts, and preparing ready to serve foods for distribution.
• Assisting customers with purchase of farm-fresh products, food, beverage, and other merchandise.
• Registering participants for workshops, camp, or membership.
• Answering phones and fielding guest inquiries.
• Basic upkeep and watering of plants and animals surrounding the visitor center.
• Support in maintaining inventory of merchandise.
• Serve as an enthusiastic member of the event staff and lead by example for students.
• Assist with the farm stand including preparing the coolers, loading/unloading the shelves, setting up the stand, and manning all sales.
• Other duties as assigned.

Events

• Support weekend events (E.g. Open Barn, Winter Park, Fall Fest.) throughout the year by contributing to the visitors' awareness of agriculture, local food systems, and their surrounding natural environment. Exact duties vary week to week.
• Help foster the appreciation, enjoyment, and sustainable use of our Michigan natural and cultural resources through community education with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Assist Event Leader with client contact, event setup, visual merchandising and inventory control.
• Serve as an enthusiastic member of the event staff and lead by example.
• Provide special services to guests from their check-in time until they check-out.
• Greet guests and take care of their needs at special events, private events, etc.
• Ensure brand standards and customer experiences are consistent and in line with expectations at the store, markets, pop-ups, demonstrations, and other events.
• Connects with Guests by asking open-ended questions to assess guests needs and make appropriate suggestions
• Strong desire and willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done well.
• Clear communication skills and an orientation toward customer satisfaction.
• Promotes a safe working environment.
• Other duties as assigned.

Food Servery

• Adhere to all food safety and quality regulations.
• Work with kitchen manager, garden production manager
• Take inventory of supplies to ensure the front counter is well-stocked
• Handle cash, credit, and debit card transactions, ensure charges are accurate and return correct change to patrons, balance the cash register.
• Maintain a clean work and dining area by removing trash, cleaning tables, and washing glasses, utensils, and equipment.
• Working knowledge of dish machine, temperature logs, cooler rotation, proper food and date labeling
• Attend periodic rollout meetings of seasonal produce, recipes, and food safety training

Qualifications

• Must be outgoing, friendly, tidy and organized.
• Agriculture knowledge and background ideal.
• Interest/knowledge in locally grown foods and farms required.
• Must have the creativity, flexibility, and understanding required to work with a variety of people in a collaborative, team-oriented work environment.
• Must be committed to the mission and purpose of Bowers School Farm, the Johnson Nature Center, and the Bloomfield Hills Schools.
• Strong and effective organization and verbal communication skills required.
• Proficient in computer operation skills (e.g. Google suite, Excel, PowerPoint,
• Ability to meet the physical demands of the position (i.e. lifting up to 25-30 lbs. and occasionally up to 50 lbs., standing for long periods of time)
• Must be willing to occasionally work outdoors.

Status: Position is currently available. This is a Bloomfield Hills Schools Conditions of Employment for Unaffiliated Staff position.

Rate of Pay

• $13.10-$17.40
• Applicants recommended for the position will also be asked to apply through EDUStaff

It is the policy of the Bloomfield Hills Schools not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, marital status, disability, genetic information, or any other reason prohibited by applicable laws, in its programs, services, activities, or employment practices. Inquiries related to discrimination on the basis of disability should be directed to the Section 504 Coordinator: Director of Special Education, 7273 Wing Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301, View phone number on click.appcast.io. Direct all other inquiries related to discrimination to: Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Labor Relations, 7273 Wing Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301, View phone number on click.appcast.io.