Guest Services Lead Ambassador

Responsibilities:

• Act as floor supervisor and provide on-site supervision of Guest Services staff and point-of sale areas.
• While having a presence on the floor, sell or reserve a variety of tickets (general admission, special exhibitions, films, programs, events) and sell memberships.
• Act as one of the primary Guest Services contacts to troubleshoot member and guest comments and complaints; research complaints and provides follow-up, including escalation to Guest Services managers, or other key employees or heads of departments.
• Proactively identify opportunities to improve on-site
• Monitor inventory of on-site materials such as maps, exhibition cards, and other printed materials that enhance the visitor experience.
• Help to maintain daily resources for the on-site team that provide information about exhibitions, Museum activities, special visitors, reminders about policy and procedures, and other details that provide a positive experience to
• Assist with staff training and onboarding of new hires.
• Perform daily open and close tasks and procedures, including; reconciling sales; reporting sales and attendance figures.
• Understand MFAH visitor policies (photography, touching, etc.) and emergency procedures to assist with evacuations and situations involving guest safety (accidents in museum, lost children, fire alarms, etc.).
• Ensure easy and efficient guest flow through the museum by recognizing issues with signage, way finding, and unintentional obstructions; be watchful of frontline operations and take timely and proactive steps in reporting and resolving any issues.
• Act as a back-up to assist members in the Members Lounge and answer phone lines as needed.
• Assist with oversight of entrances to the Museum, galleries, and special exhibitions. Oversee guest experience in lines, points of sale, and crowd flow during high-traffic exhibitions and events, including scanning tickets and greeting guests
• Participate regularly in curatorial briefings about art and exhibitions, and regular team meetings.
• Other tasks determined by supervisor.

Qualifications & Experience Required:

• Minimum of one-year of experience successfully managing staff or projects
• Minimum of two years of direct customer service experience
• Some related college work or other customer service or project management certifications preferred
• Experience with point of sale and/or ticketing systems, including cash handling and credit card transactions
• Fluency in more than one language preferred (Spanish a plus)

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated strong hospitality and customer service skills, combined with a high degree of tact, diplomacy, and good judgment in dealing with members, guests, and colleagues
• Comfort and ability to handle visitor concerns and operational challenges through resolution
• Exceptional social skills including: active and engaged listening, initiating interactions with guests, making confident eye contact, exhibiting a friendly and welcoming demeanor
• Able to interact with a diverse group of people from a wide variety of ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds, including guests and museum staff at all levels
• Ability to maintain professional composure, tactfully deal with guest feedback, and remain poised during hectic or unexpected situations
• Empathetic, tactful and persuasive communication skills. Able to speak and write clearly when sharing information
• Must be able to work stationary posts or move around public areas of the museum—interior and exterior/outdoors—for extended periods of time as needed (reasonable accommodation will be considered for qualified candidates upon request – see below)
• Demonstrated knowledge of MS Office Suite
• Experience in museum, retail or hospitality industry a plus
• Must be available to work during the Museum’s operating hours, up to or equal to 40 hours per week, Wednesday through Sunday, including Thursday and/or Friday evenings. Plus, certain holidays and special after-hours events as needed.

About the MFAH

The MFAH is an organization comprised of 600+ employees and 1,000+ docents and volunteers. The museum is more than 100 years old and ranks nationally among the top 10 art museums in exhibition space, memberships, endowments, and attendance, with 1M visitors annually. Our multifaceted institution includes multiple gallery buildings, a sculpture garden, two art schools, three eateries and two house museums for decorative arts. The encyclopedic collection numbers more than 70,000 works of art in a wide range of media. As an employer, MFAH offers a supportive, collegial and inclusive work environment and a competitive benefits package.

Position Available:

Title: Guest Services Team Lead

Department: Membership and Guest Services

Classification: Non-Exempt

Schedule: 40-hour work week

Compensation: Please see “Compensation” below

Work Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Campus

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Work will primarily be performed in the galleries of the MFAH. Work will involve extended standing, walking and some computer use. With or without reasonable accommodation, the individual selected must have the physical and mental capacity to perform effectively all essential functions. In addition to the other demands mentioned, the demands of the job may or will include:

• Must undergo and meet company standards for background and reference checks.
• May be required to work overtime without extended advance notice.
• Some computer usage.
• Seeing, hearing, speaking, and writing clearly in order to communicate with staff, guests and others.
• Frequent standing and walking, which may be required for extended periods of time, depending on the project or task.
• May be exposed to or required to handle sensitive and confidential information

Equal Opportunities for All

At the MFAH, we believe that diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusivity are fundamental to our organization. We welcome all candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our organization and our pledge for workplace diversity, inclusion, and excellence.

Our commitment to our policy and practice of nondiscrimination represents more than good intentions. It provides for employment decisions that are made without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established by law or any other reason unrelated to your ability to join and contribute to our organization and support our mission to provide a museum experience for all.

Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that an applicant meets 100% of the qualifications for a given role. Therefore, if much of this job description describes you, then you are highly encouraged to apply for this role.

The MFAH is equally committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals interested in employment with the organization. As part of this commitment, we want to ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation needed to 1) participate in the job application or 2) interview process; 3) perform essential job functions; and/or 4) participate in the benefits and privileges of employment with the MFAH. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the human resources department: HR@mfah.org

Benefits:

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, offers an excellent benefits package that includes:

• Medical Insurance: Employee and dependent coverage through a choice of managed health care programs
• Dental Insurance: Employee and dependent coverage through two plan choices
• Vision Insurance: Employee and dependent coverage through a vision program
• Group health, dental and vision insurance coverage available and effective the first of the month following employment with the MFAH for this role.
• Life Insurance & AD&D: Employee coverage at no cost to the employee
• Long Term Disability: Employee coverage at no cost to the employee

Work & Life balance is important The MFAH provides a generous schedule for time off under the following benefit categories:

• Paid Time Off - Used for absences from work such as vacation, illness of short duration, and personal reasons. Hours are accrued biweekly, based on employment status, length of service, and hours worked
• Reserve Time Off - Used for extended illnesses. Employees accrue up to 6 days per year, up to a maximum of 120 days
• Holidays - Full-time employees receive ten paid holidays per year
• Volunteer Time Off - The MFAH supports activities that enhance and serve the communities in which we live and work. Employees receive up to 40 hours of paid time off annually to give back and volunteer.

Other Benefits

• Staff may contribute to the MFAH Retirement Savings Plan. Eligible staff contributing to the plan may receive up to a 5% matching contribution from the MFAH after one year of service. (We also recognize prior nonprofit service which will provide for an accelerated employer match)
• MFAH Membership – Staff receive a free Family-level membership
• Discounts – Staff receive discounts on purchases at the Museum shop and all on campus eateries and the Glassell School of Art.

Compensation:

Salary will be commensurate with the applicant's experience and the needs and requirements expressed in the job description. The MFAH has set the pay range for this job and level as a general guideline and not a guarantee of the compensation amount or salary. While a salary range for this role has been set, we know additional factors may be considered in extending an offer including (but not limited to) expanded responsibilities of the job, education, candidate experience and unique qualifications, knowledge, skills, and abilities, the needs and requirements expressed in the job description, as well as internal equity, and alignment with market data, and any related regulations or other laws.

Application Procedure

Qualified applicants should apply online, which will be the most effective way to ensure consideration. Application materials should include a cover letter, your resume or CV, and if you prefer, a list of references will be accepted but not required at this early stage in the process.

Applications or letters of interest sent via mail, fax, or direct email to a staff member will not ensure consideration.