Director OF Events

Director of Visitor and Volunteer Services POSITION SUMMARY The Director of Visitor and Volunteer Services provides strategic leadership for the Museum’s visitor experience, volunteer program, and Museum Store. The Director is responsible for building and leading a high-performing visitor-facing team, establishing exceptional service standards, strengthening the Museum’s volunteer program, and continuously improving the visitor experience. The Director directly supervises the Visitor & Volunteer Services Manager and provides leadership and direction for the broader Visitor and Volunteer Services team. This position works collaboratively across the Museum to ensure that visitor-facing operations, volunteers, and retail services effectively support the Museum’s mission, reputation, and goals. ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Leadership & Team Development Provide strategic direction for Visitor and Volunteer Services, including departmental goals, staffing, service standards, and performance expectations. Lead, coach, and develop the Visitor & Volunteer Services Manager and broader frontline team. Build and maintain a strong workforce through effective recruitment, onboarding, training, scheduling, performance management, and retention. Develop scalable staffing structures and processes to support the Museum’s evolving visitor and program needs. Foster a culture of hospitality, professionalism, accountability, inclusion, and teamwork. Visitor Experience Establish and continuously improve standards for an exceptional, welcoming, and mission-aligned visitor experience. Oversee front-of-house operations through the Visitor & Volunteer Services Manager, including visitor flow, group arrivals, staffing coverage, floor standards, and special events. Monitor visitor feedback and operational data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement. Partner with other Museum departments to coordinate exhibitions, programs, events, and other visitor-facing activities. Serve as a senior point of contact for significant visitor concerns and service issues. Provide strategic leadership for the Museum’s volunteer program, including recruitment, training, engagement, scheduling, recognition, and retention. Evaluate and strengthen volunteer roles, expectations, and training to create a meaningful and effective volunteer experience. Develop strategies to expand and diversify the Museum’s volunteer base and identify opportunities for increased volunteer engagement. Establish and monitor volunteer program goals, metrics, and outcomes. Provide oversight of the Museum Store/bookstore and identify opportunities to improve the retail experience. Evaluate merchandise selection, presentation, pricing, inventory, and sales performance. Develop mission-aligned merchandise strategies that support visitor engagement and revenue goals. Operations & Collaboration Develop and improve systems, processes, and workflows that increase efficiency, consistency, and service quality. Track and report key visitor, volunteer, staffing, and retail metrics and use data to inform decisions. Serve as the primary liaison between Visitor and Volunteer Services and Museum leadership and administrative departments. Collaborate across departments on strategic initiatives, exhibitions, programs, events, and other projects affecting the visitor experience. Manage departmental resources and contribute to budget development and oversight. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE Bachelor’s degree required; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered. Five or more years of progressive leadership experience in visitor services, hospitality, cultural institutions, nonprofit organizations, retail, customer experience, or a related field. Demonstrated success leading and developing teams, including experience managing through supervisors or managers. Experience recruiting, training, and retaining a substantial frontline workforce. Experience developing or significantly improving a volunteer program strongly preferred. Experience with retail operations, merchandising, or bookstore management preferred. Demonstrated ability to use data and performance metrics to improve operations and inform decisions. Experience in a museum, cultural institution, nonprofit, or other mission-driven organization preferred. Interest in Holocaust history, human rights, and the Museum’s mission strongly preferred. REQUIRED SKILLS & COMPETENCIES Exceptional people leadership and talent development skills. Ability to build high-performing teams and develop effective managers and supervisors. Strategic thinker with strong operational and organizational skills. Exceptional customer service and hospitality mindset. Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills. Ability to lead change, improve systems, and implement new initiatives. Strong judgment, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills. Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, public-facing environment. Ability to use data to evaluate performance and drive continuous improvement. Proficiency with standard office, scheduling, database, point-of-sale, and data-tracking technology. Bilingual skills are a plus. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS This position requires the ability to sit or stand for extended periods, work at a computer, and communicate effectively in person, by phone, and electronically. Occasional lifting or moving of materials up to 30 pounds may be required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role. WORK ENVIRONMENT This role operates in a professional office and Museum environment with frequent interaction with staff, volunteers, guests, and visitors. Occasional evenings, weekends, and special events may be required. LEGAL DISCLAIMER This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the responsibilities and requirements of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties. The Museum reserves the right to modify job responsibilities, work schedules, or expectations as needed. Nothing in this description alters the at-will employment relationship between the employee and the Museum. EEO STATEMENT Holocaust Museum Houston is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and are committed to a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace. #J-18808-Ljbffr