Guest Engagement Manager

About the role:

The Guest Engagement Manager is an important member of the Operations Leadership Team. This role leads the Guest Engagement team and is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the museum’s front desk, gift shop, birthday party, and gallery programming to ensure a fun, welcoming, educational, and safe guest experience. This position is also responsible for exceptional hospitality including facilitating world-class customer service, creating memorable experiences, and ensuring an unforgettable visit for every Discovery Lab guest.

Primary Leadership Responsibilities:

The GE Manager oversees Discovery Lab’s guest-facing teams. As the team leader, this position ensures the team has clear expectations, appropriate training, and the tools they need to be set up for a successful shift every day. The GE Manager:

• Oversees the daily flow of staffing and programming for the Guest Engagement Team ensuring staff feel supported and prepared to help each visitor have an exceptional experience at the front desk, on the exhibit floor, and in birthday parties.

• Coordinates and schedules to ensure there is always a Manager on Duty present on the floor to support staff. The GE Manager is expected to work as the MOD up to 20 hours each week.

• Leads meetings such as morning meeting, Facilitation and Customer Hospitality Trainings, and other team meetings as necessary.

• Together with the COO, sets strategic goals for the team and manages the tactics necessary for goal achievement.

• Promotes teamwork and collaboration with colleagues and works cross-functionally with other staff.

Primary Operations Responsibilities:

The GE Manager is responsible for museum operations and daily sales. The GE Manager creates and manages an annual budget and carries out strategies to accomplish business plan goals. To achieve these goals the GE Manager:

• Monitors and understands weekly, monthly, and yearly visitation patterns, contributing data and insights to executive leadership. Uses knowledge of visitation patterns to schedule staff appropriately.

• Attends to and follows through on customer complaints, incidents, and accidents.

• Oversees the opening and closing of cash register tills, as well as adherence to cash handling and deposit policies.

• Understands the value of clean, functional, and welcoming spaces and supports front desk staff, gallery staff, and volunteers in maintaining the appearance of the lobby and exhibits throughout the day as needed.

• Manages day-to-day gift shop operations, including sales goals, pricing, vendor relationships, merchandise purchasing, and inventory tracking.

• Partners with the marketing team on product mix and visual merchandising, keeping displays fresh and tied to programming and seasonal promotions so the store feels like an extension of the museum’s mission.

• Coordinates with the other departments/staff during field trip experiences at Discovery Lab—directing and/or facilitating greetings and coordination of groups upon arrival.

• Communicates professionally regarding Discovery Lab’s activities, events, and attractions to visitors in the museum and ensures all staff do the same.

• Maintains a safe and secure environment for guests and staff. Works closely with the Education Manager as the first point of contact for emergency situations, will be tasked to evaluate the situation, respond appropriately, and provide direction to all in the museum at the time the emergency occurs.

• With the GE Assistant Manager, maintains inventory through monitoring and purchasing facilitation equipment and supplies necessary for exhibit facilitation, front desk needs, and birthday party facilitation.

Primary Staff Management Responsibilities:

The GE Manager is responsible for staff oversight and quality performance. This position:

• Trains, coaches, and mentors staff ensuring Discovery Lab is presenting a world-class experience where all guests have a joyful, playful visit.

• Develops, trains staff on and delivers fun and educational exhibit interpretation and exciting pop-up presentations on a regular schedule.

• Hires, schedules, and provides daily operational oversight to all GE staff, including regular one-on-one meetings with direct reports and conducting annual performance reviews.

All positions at Discovery Lab are required to assist with front-line operations as needed and may be assigned other duties as applicable by their direct supervisor. This position description is representative of the major position requirements and is not intended to be all-inclusive.

What you’ll need:

• Knowledge of museum pedagogy and informal education

• Retail or store management experience, including inventory and cash handling

• Excellent people management and problem-solving skills

• Excellent customer service for both internal and external stakeholders

• Organized attention to detail

• Ability to exercise initiative and good judgment in anticipating problems before they arise

• Ability to recognize and respond to safety and security issues

• High energy to facilitate museum experiences and actively move around the museum floor

• 1+ years’ experience in group management and group facilitation

• High School Diploma or GED or equivalent education and experience

• First-aid/CPR certification within the first six months of hire

Whom you’ll support:

• Assistant Guest Engagement Managers

• Guest Engagement Lead

• Guest Engagement Facilitators

This position oversees the daily operations and staffing flow of the front desk, gift shop, birthday party, and museum gallery staff.

All Discovery Lab staff are encouraged to enhance team spirit and support throughout the organization.

How you’ll work:

This position is regular, full-time, and exempt. The typical work schedule for this job varies depending on staffing needs. Weekends are required. Moderate to loud noise environment.

Physical Demands: 20% sitting, 70% standing, 10% lifting/carrying/pushing/pulling 10-30 lbs.

Mental Demands: Flexibility, resilience, reasoning, and decision-making.