JOB SUMMARY: Yakima Valley Museum is looking for a full-time Visitor Services Manager responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the front desk, gift shop, and event and rental program. This position works Tuesday-Saturday with some evenings as necessary and will supervise part-time staff and volunteers. The ideal candidate will be creative, organized and dedicated to providing quality and positive visitor experiences.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM: Founded in 1952, the Yakima Valley Museum provides residents and visitors with engaging and educational exhibits and programs on central Washington’s cultural and natural history.  The Museum is one of only three museums in Eastern Washington accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and with a 65,000 square foot facility, is one of the largest cultural history museums in the state. The Museum’s collection consists of over 48,000 objects, including an art collection of 1,400 works, and a large regional archive and library.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Front Desk:

• Provide quality customer service to all visitors to the Museum.
• Open and close the Museum daily.
• Handle all customer service and escalated visitor issues.
• Operate a point-of-sale system to conduct sales of admissions and items in the Gift Shop.
• Handle daily deposits and petty cash.
• Record visitor attendance and data to evaluate trends.
• Develop necessary policies and procedures to best reflect industry standards and customer service.
• Train and schedule part-time staff and volunteers to ensure coverage of Front Desk, coordinating lunches and breaks when necessary.
• Manage marketing and promotion areas at Front Desk, including but not limited to outside screen, lobby monitor, brochure racks, and community bulletin board.
• Answer and direct phone calls to appropriate staff.

Events and Rentals:

• Plan, coordinate, and schedule the Yakima Valley Museum rental spaces.
• Ensure all events and rentals are staffed with a member of the Museum staff.

• Be responsible for meeting with potential rental clients.
• Communicate set-up and staffing needs with Museum staff.
• When appropriate, provide additional technical support for equipment set up for events.
• Keep contracts and policies up to date with market trends and industry standards.
• Maintain Museum event calendar.

Gift Shop:

• In partnership with the Executive Director create a merchandising vision for the store that reflects the Museum experience.
• Identify products for the store, increasing the presence of local Yakima Valley artisans and products.
• Complete annual inventory of Gift Shop.
• Contribute to the overall success of the gift shop through suggestive selling and Museum memberships.

Other Duties:

• Provide support to Museum public programs and outreach efforts as assigned.
• Order office supplies on behalf of the Museum.
• With other staff, contribute to the success of the Museum’s social media presence.
• Assist with other tasks as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to contribute to a positive work culture.
• Represent the Museum in a professional manner.
• Ability to work under pressure and in stressful situations.
• Ability to work efficiently and courteously with diverse audiences including members of the public, staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders.
• High level of enthusiasm and willingness to work as a team member.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and work under pressure to meet scheduled and unexpected deadlines.
• This position requires frequently standing and lifting 25 pounds or more.
• Bilingual is preferred, but not required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience supervising staff, volunteers, and/or interns.
• Must understand non-profit organizations, museums, or arts and cultural organizations.
• Must have experience working in a retail and customer service setting.

EMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION:

This position is 40 hours per week, Tuesday-Saturday and is paid $19-$22/hour and includes benefits including health and dental insurance, IRA match, and paid time off, details of which can be discussed during the interview process. This position will need to be flexible to ensure rentals are staffed after-hours. If work was completed outside the standard set schedule, another day during the week can be used as flextime.

TO APPLY: Please send a resume and three references to Liz Hobson, Executive Director at liz@yvmuseum.org. This position is open until filled.