Visitor and Member Assistant

Join our team of dedicated Visitor and Member Assistants (VMAs) at the premier Museum of the 20th and 21st Century American Art. We’re looking for a friendly and outgoing person with sales experience to join our team comprised of attentive, empathetic and enthusiastic individuals, eager and committed to promoting the Whitney experience and the benefits of Whitney membership.

Visitor and Member Assistants (VMAs) are the customer-facing representatives of the Visitor and Member Experience team. VMAs respond to the needs of members and visitors with a positive attitude, and act as the first point of contact for members by phone, by email, and in person. VMAs are tasked with creating a warm, engaging environment that supports developing audiences and audience experience, allowing the department to grow revenue opportunities and reach revenue goals. They demonstrate excellent customer service standards and sales best practices to promote the benefits of Whitney membership and generate membership sales.

VMAs work in the lobby and in the Whitney Information Office, in partnership with Visitor and Member Experience staff to promote membership sales, process admission tickets, and provide member and visitor services in support of the Whitney experience and aligned with admissions and revenue goals. This customer-facing role requires a professional, flexible, and positive demeanor necessary for the Whitney’s diverse community of members and visitors. 

Responsibilities

• Pitch membership to all visitors, including canvassing outdoor admissions line, the Museum lobby and shop, and other public areas of the Museum, as well as by phone in the Whitney Information Office
• Meet sales goals by acquiring new members
• Serve as the first point of contact for Museum members and visitors in the Whitney Information Office, outdoors on the Museum largo, inside the Museum lobby and shop, and in other public areas of the Museum
• Provide excellent customer service to members, prospects, and visitors by adhering to the guidelines provided in the Visitor and Member Experience Principles
• Act as an ambassador for the Museum by promoting offerings like the Whitney Shop, Whitney Membership, Frenchette Bakery at the Whitney, and the overall exhibition program
• Observe all cash management policies and procedures
• Utilize POS ticketing and membership software, customer service ticketing tools and customer relationship manager software.
• Efficiently resolve customer service requests
• Assist during membership events 

Requirements

• Must be able to work weekend, holidays, early and evening hours
• A minimum of 1-2 years of sales & customer service experience in a public-facing service environment
• Friendly, outgoing, and professional attitude
• Strong sales acumen and cash handling skills
• Interest in public facing customer service interactions
• Ability to develop customer relations
• Excellent communication and empathetic listening skills
• Proficiency in Spanish is preferred; a second language is a plus
• Works well under pressure in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to stand for extended periods of time, including outdoors in all weather conditions
• Previous POS experience and/or CRM database experience a plus
• Working knowledge of a Microsoft Office Suite or comparable software
• Interest in arts and cultural institutions is a plus
• B.A. preferred but not required 

Compensation & Benefits

• This is a part-time position (up to 27 hours per week) with a starting wage of $24.16 an hour
• Admission to world-renowned museums across the city and nationally
• This position may be covered by UAW Local 2110   

The advertised pay rate is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or take the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role. 

About the Whitney
The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.

EEO Statement
The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, pregnancy, partnership status, caregiver status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other factor prohibited by law.  The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.