Description:
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Visitor Services Coordinator has the following major responsibilities:
- Plan, manage, and implement all elements of Visitor Services operations.
- Provide customer service for Museum visitors, staff, and volunteers.
- Manage the Tours and Reservations Office, including scheduling process and implementation.
- Lead scheduling of guided tours and educational programs.
- Schedule and maintain all statistical data for reserved guided tours and educational programs.
- Establish essential relationships and coordinate across the museum and greater Smithsonian to provide tours and reserved experiences to meet visitor and museum needs.
- Support visitor services volunteer programs.
- Provide direction and logistical management to a diverse group of people, establishing, implementing, and maintaining policies and procedures that ensure the smooth operation of the Visitor Services volunteer program.
- Maintain records of all volunteer activity and provide administrative support to all NASM volunteers.
- Oversee timed-entry operations, providing customer service for the public and support for contract staff team members, at NASM’s Washington, DC location.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for this position, applicants must:
(1) possess a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from an accredited four-year college or university that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position; or
(2) possess a combination of education (at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position) and experience which must have demonstrated (i) a thorough knowledge of the principles underlying the work of this position, and (ii) understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the methods and techniques applied in performing work in this position; or
(3) possess three years of specialized experience, which include volunteer management and training in an informal education setting. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (grade 5 or above).
Required Specialized Experience:
- Skill in providing services and assistance to visitors of a museum, education center, cultural or historical site, recreation site, or similar facility which receives large numbers of public visitors.
- Knowledge and ability to manage and maintain large scale museum programming.
- Knowledge of the logistical, legal and ethical issues associated with managing volunteers.
- Ability to communicate verbally, and in writing, in a manner that is clear and easily understood by audiences of all ages, including an ability to meet and communicate with individuals from museums, cultural organizations and businesses. Oral and written skills are leveraged to provide direction to volunteer staff via e-mail, briefings, presentations, and other methods as assigned.
- Knowledge of NASM’s programs and policies, sufficient to develop programs and visitor services that support initiatives of the Museum.
- Knowledge of program goals, priorities, and commitments in the area of public service, sufficient to operate a volunteer program with maximum efficiency and effectiveness.
- Problem solving skills exercising patience and tact, showing empathy but firmness in order to maintain Museum and Institution standards.
- Knowledge and discretion in seeking the involvement of the professional staff of the Museum and in making use of the various Museums or Institutional facilities.
- Working knowledge and skill of information technology in order to use computer applications to prepare communications, presentation materials, and reports.
- Ability to de-escalate conflict with visitors regarding timed-entry requirements at the Museum’s Washington, DC location.
Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.
Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.
The Smithsonian Institution values and seeks a diverse workforce. Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."