Membership & Visitor Services Manager

POSITION SUMMARY 

The Manager of Membership, Visitor Services, and Store (MVS) plays a key role in creating a welcoming, engaging, and seamless experience for all guests at the Bay Area Discovery Museum. Overseeing daily operations of the Entry Pavilion—including the Front Desk, Store, and staff supervision. This role blends customer service, sales, and operational leadership in a vibrant, family-focused environment. 

As a key connector between visitors and the museum, the MVS Manager ensures a smooth and joyful guest experience while driving revenue through memberships, retail sales, and admissions. This role requires a hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced, high-energy setting and is passionate about fostering an inclusive, curiosity-driven environment for children and families. 

Located within the stunning Golden Gate National Recreation Area at Fort Baker, Sausalito, CA, the Bay Area Discovery Museum is a unique place where play, learning, and exploration come together. This position offers an exciting opportunity for a bilingual, retail, membership, or visitor services professional looking to manage front-line operations in an interactive children's museum set within a national park. 

 

The pay rate for this exempt role is $70,000.  

 

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Supervision: 

• Supervises MVS staff including Coordinators. Supervision includes recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, training, scheduling and time management, coaching, and performance assessment. Sets direct reports up for success through clear setting of expectations, developmental and growth opportunities, and clear, consistent, and timely performance management.
• Ensures that the visitor experience is at the forefront of all policies, procedures, and operations. Upholds and models the Museum’s customer service standards. Engages visitors, staff, and partners in a friendly and helpful tone. Resolves visitor issues calmly while working in an active and vibrant environment. Answers visitor and member inquiries via telephone, email, and in person. 
• Educates and trains front desk staff on upcoming promotions, museum programs, and events; ensures staff are knowledgeable in these areas and able to execute promotions within the Point of Sale (POS) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software programs.
• Hosts monthly team meetings and 1:1 check ins with all team members. 

Revenue: 

• Promotes and sells memberships, merchandise, and programs.
• Meets or exceeds monthly membership, group visit, and store revenue goals; models and enforces membership sales best practices. Assists with accurate compilation and reporting of membership and admission data to Museum staff.
• Completes daily/monthly/fiscal year accounting and reporting procedures with a high level of accuracy; produces custom reports as requested.

Administrative Tasks: 

• Maintains a clean and organized Entry Pavilion, including the front desk, store, guest queues, and ticketing areas, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment. Performs cashier duties and manages opening/closing procedures with accurate cash handling.
• Prepares weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual revenue, expense, and operations reports from POS and CRM systems.
• Manages webforms and online ticket sales.
• Supports store inventory management, buying, and annual physical inventory.
• Manages department marketing signage and collaborates with the marketing team on additional requests. Assists with additional marketing needs as required.
• Creates and maintains daily, weekly, and monthly staff schedules using Homebase scheduling software.
• Oversees timecards, accruals, and approval processes.
• Manages the donation request process.
• Handles company credit card management and reconciliation.
• Serves as Duty Officer (trained in first aid and CPR) to ensure guest and visitors’ safety.
• Performs additional duties as assigned by the Associate Director of MVS and/or the Director of Marketing and Membership.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS 

• Availability: Must be able to work one weekend day (both as needed), school holidays, and breaks.
• Experience: Minimum 3 years of supervisory experience managing a team of 5 in an in-person, customer-facing role. Preference for high-volume environments in hospitality, attractions, retail, or attendance-based settings.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in cash handling with the ability to count cash and change accurately. Minimum 3 years of experience with POS or ticketing systems preferred (Acme and Humanitru a plus). Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Suite, with the ability to learn financial and accounting systems. Familiarity with CRM platforms is a plus.
• Customer Service & Leadership: Exceptional conflict resolution and de-escalation skills in person, over the phone, and via email. Strong communication, interpersonal, and diplomatic leadership abilities. Professional, detail-oriented, and capable of handling high visitor volumes while maintaining focus and composure.
• Sales & Revenue Management: Experience driving revenue through memberships, retail sales, and ticketing. Ability to analyze sales trends, set goals, and implement strategies to increase engagement and revenue.
• Commitment to DEAI: Dedicated to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for staff and visitors.
• Work Ethic & Adaptability: Reliable self-starter with excellent time management. Able to work independently and collaboratively across departments to ensure an integrated visitor experience. Adaptable to changing schedules for coverage and special events.
• Professionalism: Comfortable engaging with senior management, donors, and diverse community members. Experience in museum, cultural, or nonprofit settings is a plus.
• Staff Development & Training: Experience recruiting, training, and mentoring staff to deliver exceptional customer service. Ability to create and lead training programs to enhance team performance.
• Safety & Emergency Response: Must complete first aid and CPR certification (training provided). Experience handling guest incidents and ensuring visitor safety is a plus. Adheres to and enforces the Museum’s health and safety protocols. Comfortable enforcing the museum’s Code of Conduct.
• Interpersonal & Engagement Skills: Must be comfortable working in a dynamic, family-friendly environment with children, families, and adults of varying ages and abilities. Ability to interact with visitors in a patient, engaging, and welcoming manner.
• English proficiency required; Spanish-speaking or Cantonese-speaking an asset.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS  

The role requires moving between work areas (Entry Pavilion, Store, museum floor, and administrative offices), frequent use of a computer, phone, and other office equipment with safe ergonomic practices, and the ability to speak, listen, and read documents with text, numbers, and images. Employees must be able to sit for up to 4 hours a day, stand for up to 4 hours a day, reach, stoop, kneel, and lift or carry items up to 50 lbs., such as books, files, and event materials. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to support individuals with disabilities. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT  

Predominantly working in an indoor active museum floor or office environment, moderate to high noise level, an indoor temperate environment, and light levels that are bright and conducive to minimal eye strain. 

TO APPLY  

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity. We encourage those from all backgrounds to apply to allow us to build the most inclusive and creative team possible.    

Please do not remove yourself from contention before you even apply. Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. If much of this job description describes you, then you are highly encouraged to apply.    

ABOUT US  
 At the Bay Area Discovery Museum, we believe that providing children with the high-quality early learning experiences they need to be successful is the best investment we can make as a society.    

Whether at the Museum, online, or in the community, we provide experiences that spark children’s natural curiosity for the world around them, while building their creative problem-solving skills and STEM content knowledge. Both on-site and off-site, we facilitate research-backed learning experiences that are fun and engaging for children and families. At our one-of-a-kind location at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, this includes hands-on exhibits, rich STEM and art programming, an on-site preschool, and camps and classes. Off-site, our museum educators bring hands-on STEM programming to students and families at schools and libraries in all nine Bay Area counties.    

We believe that these research-backed on-site and off-site experiences should be made available to all children and families and offer a variety of access initiatives toward this goal. We are currently working our way back up to our pre-pandemic numbers:  

• 350,000 visitors each year, including nearly 100,000 with free or reduced admission   
• 10,000 member families   
• 26,000 children through our school and community programs   
• 587 schools and 215 libraries through all nine Bay Area counties   

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is committed to being welcoming and inclusive. We are continuously working toward the goal of reflecting the diversity of the Bay Area both within our organization and with those we serve.   

NOTE TO CANDIDATE 
 Due to the sensitivity and requirements of our positions, you should expect to undergo and be cleared of an employment background/criminal check if extended an offer for employment. You may also be asked to provide proof of educational degree(s), licenses, credentials, or vaccinations pertinent to the position.