JOB SUMMARY: Yakima Valley Museum is looking for an energetic Visitor Services Manager with a drive to succeed. The Visitor Services Manager will contribute to the growth of the museum and join a team of professionals dedicated to providing audiences with fun, engaging and educational experiences. They are responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the front desk and the events and rentals program. This position works Tuesday-Saturday with some evenings, as necessary, to ensure staffing at events and rentals. They will supervise part-time staff and volunteers. The ideal candidate will be creative, organized and dedicated to providing high quality, positive visitor experiences.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM: Founded in 1952, the Yakima Valley Museum provides residents and visitors with impactful exhibits and programs that focus on central Washington’s unique 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. The Museum includes several rental spaces used by the community for meetings, parties, conferences and other events.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Front Desk Operations:
– Oversee front desk operations including the opening and closing procedures of the Museum. Perform light maintenance tasks and daily routine cleaning of public areas and exhibit spaces, reporting any issues with exhibitions to appropriate staff.
– Provide quality customer service to all visitors to the Museum; handle any escalated visitor issues.
– Utilize a point-of-sale system to enter and manage sales of admissions, memberships and items in the Museum Store.
– Reconcile cash drawers and manage daily deposits.
– Develop appropriate policies and procedures to best reflect industry standards and customer service.
– Supervise 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.
– Contribute to the growth and success of the Museum Store, assisting with inventory, merchandising, and product selection.
– Answer and direct phone calls to appropriate staff.
Events and Rentals:
– Plan, coordinate, and schedule the Yakima Valley Museum rental spaces, including Centennial Hall, the Great Hall, Conference Room, and Jewett Lobby Gallery.
– Make sure events and rentals follow policies and procedures that uphold the integrity of the Museum and ensure the safety of exhibitions.
– Oversees the successful execution of all internal and external events that includes but is not limited to tasks such as: meeting with potential clients, developing room set-up layouts, managing payments and contracts, and ensuring staff coverage for event setup, duration and breakdown
– Works with clients to schedule events and determine space, equipment, audio/visual, security, and set up needs.
– Provide support to internal public programs and Museum outreach efforts.
– Contribute to the marketing of rental spaces.
– Staff and/or schedule staff to ensure coverage for all events.
– Document in appropriate system and communicate entire event needs to Facility Maintenance Coordinator and other Museum staff.
– When appropriate, provide additional technical support for equipment set up for events.
– Ensure policies, contracts, and pricing are consistent with market trends and industry standards.
– Maintain Museum events calendar.
Other Duties:
– Maintain museum copy room, inventory and 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, enthusiasm and ability to contribute to a positive work culture.
– Ability to work as part of a team and collaborate with colleagues and stakeholders to reach common goals.
– Ability to work efficiently and courteously with diverse audiences including members of the public, staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders.
– Ability to prioritize tasks to meet scheduled deadlines.
– This position requires frequently standing and lifting 25 pounds or more.
– Bilingual is preferred, but not required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
– Experience supervising staff, volunteers, and/or interns.
– Knowledge of non-profit organizations, museums, or arts and cultural organizations.
– Experience working in a retail and customer service setting.

EMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION:
This position is a full-time, 40 hours a week, hourly position paid within the range of $21-23 per hour based on skills and experience. This includes health and dental insurance (paid at 90% for health insurance and 100% for dental), up to 3% contribution match with museum retirement program, and paid time off & sick time which will be discussed during the interview process. This position is Tuesday-Saturday, with occasional evening hours for events and rentals.
Yakima Valley Museum is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Diverse perspectives and experiences enhance the richness of our work and reflect our community. We expect that not all candidates will meet every criterion in this job description, but we encourage you to apply anyway!
Yakima Valley Museum is an equal opportunity employer.
TO APPLY: Please send a resume and cover letter that highlights the skills and experience you bring to this position to Liz Hobson, Executive Director at liz@yvmuseum.org. This position is open until filled.