Gallery Associate

Job Title: Gallery Associate

Department: Visitor Experience

Reports To: Director of Visitor Experience

Base Pay rate: $14.56/hour

FLSA Status: non-exempt (full-time or part-time)

Work schedule: Variable including evenings, weekends, and occasional holidays

Prepared/Revised Date: 12/2024            ______________________________________________________________________

Please note that this position is a bargaining unit position represented by a labor union and a collective bargaining agreement.

Job Summary: The primary focus of this role is to support the Visitor Experience Department by interacting with guests in a unique environment. Gallery Associates monitor CMA’s galleries to ensure a positive visitor experience while maintaining the wellbeing of people and art. Gallery Associates greet guests, share information, answer questions, provide directions, uphold policies, protect art, and work together to make CMA a fun and safe place to visit. Candidates must be able to uphold a variety of policies while providing a positive experience. 

Candidates must possess a flexible schedule, including a combination of weekday, weekend, and evening hours. Regular museum hours are 10am to 5pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and 10am to 9pm Thursdays. Hours are subject to change based on events and holidays. Special events may begin as early as 6am or may end as late as 1am.

Each associate is asked to submit their personal availability, but availability on Thursday evenings from 4:45pm-9:15pm and Sundays from 9:30am to 5:15pm is a must. Associates are expected to work at both CMA locations (the Columbus Museum of Art at 480 East Broad St. and the Pizzuti Collection of the Columbus Museum of Art at 632 North Park St.)

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Creating an environment of welcome and warmth for all visitors. This includes: 
  1. Greeting all guests that enter your section.
  2. Approaching situations with a willingness to help and the assumption of good intentions.
  3. Answering questions knowledgably and with patience.
  4. Maintaining a polite tone and body language even in stressful situations.
  5. Initiating conversations with guests to provide necessary information and an engaging gallery experience.
  6. Treating all guests regardless of race, religion, political affiliation, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other personal characteristic with openness and respect.
• Maintaining the wellbeing of people and art in the museum. This includes:
  1. Being knowledgeable of all museum policies and able to explain those policies to others.
  2. Circulating through your designated space being attentive and situationally aware.
  3. Being aware of guests in your space and proactively communicating policies to those guests directly, friendly, and respectfully.
  4. Approaching and correcting visitors who are not following museum policies respectfully and professionally.
  5. Approaching situations with a willingness to help and offering solutions that maintain a positive visitor experience while complying with museum policies.
  6. Being self-aware and maintaining a polite tone and body language even in stressful situations.
• Communicating and collaborating regularly with colleagues within Visitor Experience and in other departments. This includes:
  1. Being respectful and professional, approaching situations with a willingness to help.
  2. Having a team-focused attitude, working with others toward common goals, and supporting a cooperative environment.
  3. Using good listening skills and asking questions to understand museum policies, procedures, operations, and how various departments interact and support each other.
  4. Being observant of people, spaces and proactively communicating as instructed any issues that may arise.
  5. Using a two-way radio (walkie-talkie) as instructed to relay information. 
     1. Participating in meetings and trainings as scheduled; understanding and using the information communicated in those meetings and trainings.
     2. Answering a multi-extension telephone system respectfully and professionally.
     3. Responding efficiently and correctly to a wide variety of museum-related questions and requests for information. 
     4. Maintaining knowledge of museum departments and staff to connect callers and guests as required.
     5. Maintaining confidential information or restricted gallery access.
        1. Handling cash transactions appropriately and efficiently. 
           1. Using a computer-based ticketing system to properly process transactions.
           2. Entering and tracking information accurately.

Qualifications:

• Excellent interpersonal skills, with great awareness of both verbal and nonverbal communication.
• Must have the ability to be physically present (stationary and mobile), attentive, and engaged for extended periods of time while monitoring galleries.
• Willingness and capacity to acquire new skills and knowledge; intellectually curious.
• Ability to assert oneself to enforce policies.
• Can manage crowds and lines politely and professionally.
• Ability to self-manage time and follow a daily schedule.
• Responsible, dependable, and trustworthy.
• Cooperative, flexible, friendly, empathetic, and a positive attitude.
• Must maintain a high level of confidentiality, regarding the museum’s policies and procedures, employees, events, clients, and all related matters.
• Can handle a loud and stimulating environment with multiple needs demanding attention, including crowds, phone calls, and radio communication.
• Capacity to exercise critical thinking and good judgement.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas is a strong plus: educational/teaching, hospitality, security, retail, visitor/customer service.
• Able to work Thursday evenings from 4:45pm-9:15pm and Sundays from 9:30am to 5:15pm, and additional day, evening, and weekend hours.

Uniform Requirements: This position does require maintaining a dress code and a clean, professional personal appearance.

Physical Demands: Staff members must have the ability to be physically present (stationary and mobile), attentive, and engaged for extended periods of time while monitoring galleries. Must be able to deliver understandable instructions to assist visitors even in stressful situations. Must be able to read, communicate, and comprehend. Must be able to understand and follow verbal and written instructions.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment: Expect a cooperative, team-focused environment working directly with visitors of all ages and backgrounds. CMA galleries experience a full range of activity from quiet and slow paced to loud and crowded. All work is focused on providing a positive visitor experience while also upholding museum policies. 

Salary : $15