Full-Time Guest Services Host

Guest Services Host

As one of the country's largest history museums and one of the leading museums serving families, The Strong places the highest priority on providing outstanding service to its guests. Although guest service is the responsibility of each staff member, the full-time guest services host is responsible for providing frontline exceptional visitor service and completing gallery assignments in accordance with established team and museum standards. This includes interacting with guests of all ages to anticipate and respond quickly and effectively to their questions and concerns, as well as to meet and exceed their expectations to provide an exceptional museum experience. To maximize staff flexibility and improve our ability to meet the needs of museum guests, the full-time guest services host will be trained, and is expected to be fully competent, in all museum exhibits which may include the admissions desk and podium, facilitation of group visits and operation of the ropes course.

This position requires a patient, relentlessly positive, friendly, and approachable individual who is passionate about making a difference in a guest's day and knowledgeable about the museum. The full-time guest services host is required to expend such personal efforts as may be needed to keep up with advances in subject matter information related to this position.

The full-time guest services host serves as a role model to the part-time hosts and therefore is expected to consistently, in both words and actions, follow all established processes and procedures and project a positive image of the guest services team, as well as the museum as a whole.

All museum staff are expected to cooperate with one another in furthering the museum's general objectives and in completing museum projects. Similarly, all staff consistently maintain a positive and enthusiastic attitude, act with integrity and in accordance with the highest ethical standards and demonstrate a loyalty to the museum in all public contacts. Guests and colleagues deserve our best efforts every day.

Essential Functions:

• Understand the importance the museum places on extraordinary guest service and treat everyone with dignity and respect. Greet, welcome, and interact with museum guests.
• Provide extraordinary guest service, regardless of specific assignment, and work within given authority to go above and beyond expectations as appropriate.
• Effectively handle guests' needs, questions, and expectations in a manner consistent with museum service goals.
• Resolve guest complaints quickly and effectively utilizing service recovery techniques.
• Use initiative and enthusiasm to create exceptional guest experiences.
• Maintain an overall awareness and knowledge of the museum's mission, history, programs, and special events as they affect museum visitation, and effectively communicate this information to guests when asked.
• Report to work on time, as scheduled. May be scheduled to work prior to the regular host starting time to assist with opening activities, such as daily inspection of the ropes course.
• Always remain in assigned area unless permission is granted by a member of the guest services supervisory team.
• Participate in frequent cleaning and dusting of gallery spaces, as assigned.
• Operate, monitor, and communicate via a two-way radio connecting various museum teams including guest services, security, environmental services, and public programs. The radio must always be worn when working.
• Clearly communicate ropes course processes and procedures to guests, including pricing, admission, capacity, safety requirements, use of lockers, harnessing protocols, and completion of the liability waiver.
• Oversee the progress of guests on the course. Move safely, and assist guests as needed and appropriate, across ropes course obstacles comprised of various materials and surfaces at heights exceeding 30 feet on a consistent basis, for extended periods and at an acceptable pace.
• Demonstrate the ability to safely navigate each individual course element forwards, backwards, and one-handed, and to fall from each element and independently pull oneself back up.
• Anticipate situations and respond quickly and effectively, especially in matters involving the safety of people. Must be comfortable handling and successfully coordinating emergency take downs and similar emergency situations specific to the ropes course.
• Maintain integrity of assigned areas by diligently following both museum and RCI safety and operating procedures and standards at all times and with no exceptions.
• Provide assistance to guests who ask for directions within the museum or have been separated from their party, and provide back-up to other gallery staff to reunite lost visitors.
• Maintain integrity of assigned areas by consistently following guest service and safety procedures and standards.
• Maintain appearance and functionality of assigned area by cleaning up after guest activity and periods of high traffic. This may include cleaning up trash, food, residue, and bodily fluids.
• Together with the guest services supervisory team, identify and develop ways to improve work processes, efficiency, and quality.
• Take initiative to identify and solve problems. Publicly support team decisions, even if they conflict with personal opinions.
• Participate in, and successfully complete, all required museum and RCI training.
• Welcome new staff and create a positive work environment. Continuously and consistently project a positive image of the guest services team and its commitment to providing outstanding experiences.
• Identify and act on opportunities to help and support the efforts of coworkers and staff from other teams.
• Ability to work weekends or extended schedules during peak periods, including early opening and after-hours events and facility rentals.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Comfort with and ability to switch assignments frequently throughout the day as needed, and with little notice, to different exhibits and guest services roles.
• May be required to assist with answering host radio calls in the absence of a member of the guest services supervisory team.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Open availability to work any day of the week including the willingness to work Fridays and Saturdays until 8 p.m. as well as holidays.
• High school diploma, GED, or CDOS.
• Ability to be successfully trained to work competently in all exhibit spaces as well as the admissions area and/or ropes course. Candidates must be willing to be trained and work at the ropes course.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively in a team environment.
• Prior guest services experience in a fast-paced entertainment venue is a plus.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

The Strong is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of The Strong to provide equal employment opportunity to all persons without regard to gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, military, or marital status. This policy of nondiscrimination applies to all aspects of the employment relationship, including but not limited to: recruitment, selection, advancement, compensation, benefits, layoff, recall, transfer, and termination.

Pre-Employment Requirements:

Must consent to and pass a reference check, drug screen and criminal background check.