Head of Visitor Services

Company: New York Foundation for the Arts
Location: New Haven
Posted on: November 8, 2024

Job Description:

Position Focus:Reporting to the Deputy Director for Advancement and External Affairs, the Head of Visitor Services leads the team of employees and activities of the Yale Center for British Art's newly-formed Visitor Services department. The Visitor Services department is the first point of contact for museum visitors and sets a welcoming and positive tone supporting the educational mission of the museum. The Head of Visitor Services also oversees and operates the YCBA's retail Museum Shop. The Head of Visitor Services:

• Sets a high standard for face-to-face interaction and customer service for the team.
• Sets and implements policy, training, procedures, etc.
• Motivates and coaches staff.
• Is responsible for annual departmental budget.
• Recruits, hires, trains, and administers discipline as necessary.
• Serves as primary expert on point-of-sale and other software applications and generates and analyzes related reports.
• Participates in museum-wide committees as appropriate.
• Interprets and enforces museum policies.
• Sets and implements departmental policies under which museum-wide staff must operate.
• Responds to non-routine inquiries from visitors and staff.
• Is adept at conflict resolution and de-escalation.This position is responsible for the management of both full-time, part-time and student employees.Dept/Section URL: Essential Duties:
• Supervises the day-to-day activities of support staff.
• Assesses and resolves or escalates problems arising within the unit.
• Assists in the development of policies and procedures in support of the unit.
• Assists in long-range planning for work unit needs.
• Participates in unit budget planning.
• Evaluates work requests to determine if they are appropriate to the unit or another area.
• Ensures that work flow is organized and staffed for quality efficient completion.
• Communicates deadlines and special circumstances to staff.
• Maintains equipment and supplies for the unit.
• Completes evaluations of direct report employees.
• Interacts with University personnel to define work assignments and requirements, communicate progress of work, and plan and coordinate projects.
• Interacts with external sources to coordinate work necessary to fulfill projects, keep abreast of new products and technologies, or arrange for subcontractors.
• Supervises a staff of exempt and non-exempt employees.
• Performs other duties as assigned.Required Education and Experience:Minimum requirement of Bachelor's Degree in related field and three years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.Required Skills/Abilities:
• Ability to interact effectively and represent the museum with a variety of guests including high-profile visitors, individuals with special needs, and the general public. Exercise good judgment, remain calm, and act diplomatically in stressful situations.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and mentor staff and provide immediate feedback to improve performance in order to support the visitor experience at the museum.
• Flexible and friendly team player with a professional manner (in-person, phone, email, etc.). Professional appearance and manner combined with a high standard of customer service.
• Knowledge of art history with the ability to answer general questions about the works on view and/or direct visitors to the appropriate exhibitions and displays. Willingness to acquire greater knowledge of the YCBA's collection, exhibitions, and publications, and resources.
• Proven ability to work in customer-facing retail, preferably in a museum or cultural environment. Enthusiasm for the YCBA's collections and programs, and knowledgeable advocate for broader cultural offerings within Yale and New Haven. Ability to use Clover POS software, EMS Event Management System, and The Museum System database, Excel, or equivalent applications.Preferred Education, Experience and Skills:Customer facing in a museum or cultural organization. Willingness to acquire greater knowledge of the museum's collections, special exhibitions, and programs. Four years of face-to-face customer service or hospitality and retail experience preferably in a museum or cultural environment; Retail experience using Clover POS, and any online retail application.Weekend Hours Required? YesEvening Hours Required? OccasionalApplication Instructions / Public Contact Information:To apply please use this , which will bring you to the job posting on Yale University's Careers at Yale site (your.yale.edu/work-yale/careers). Press the blue "apply to job" button at the bottom of the posting page. Please be sure to reference this website when applying for this position.
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Keywords: New York Foundation for the Arts, Westport , Head of Visitor Services, Other , New Haven, Connecticut