Guide - Full-Time

Position
Guide – Full-time, 36 hours

Reports To
Managers of Visitor Experience

An Introduction to Glenstone Museum
Founded with the mission to seamlessly integrate art, architecture, and landscape, Glenstone is an art museum located on nearly 300 acres of rolling hills and unspoiled woodland in Potomac, Maryland. The museum, opened in 2006 and expanded in 2018, offers nearly 60,000 square feet of exhibition space to showcase its collection of more than 1300 works by 200 contemporary artists. With its expansion, Glenstone now has the ability to welcome 100,000 visitors each year, and admission is always free.

Position Overview
Reporting to the Managers of Visitor Experience, Guides are responsible for warmly welcoming visitors; delivering authentic, consistent information about Glenstone’s mission, core values, collections, campus and programs, learned through intensive training; and engaging visitors in dialogue about art, architecture, and landscape. Full-time Guides also complete opening checklists for museum buildings and oversee closing procedures, both scheduled on a rotating basis.

A 36-hour full-time Guide works 5 days a week, Wednesday through Sunday. On Wednesdays they work an abbreviated day (4 hours, typically between 12–4 PM) in order to complete any administrative work, expand their knowledge of the collection through reading and research, attend Glenstone All Staff meetings, or special meetings and training of the Visitor Experience department. Thursday through Sunday, when the museum is open to visitors, scheduled hours for Guides vary according to season and when the Museum and Grounds are open to visitors. Typically, hours are 9 AM–5:30 PM during Fall, Winter and Spring months, and scheduled work hours may start according to a staggered schedule and end later in Summer months. , with occasional requests for schedule adjustments to accommodate special events and trainings. Days off are Monday and Tuesday. This position is non-exempt and eligible for overtime.

Desired Attributes & Characteristics
The ideal candidate possesses a genuine enthusiasm for art, architecture, culture, and sustainability; and is passionate about working with people. Guides are expected to be dependable, self-motivated, eager to learn, intellectually curious, and intuitive. Exceptional communication and customer service skills are of paramount importance. Interest in working collaboratively as part of a team, patience and flexibility are also crucial to performing well in the role. Successful candidates exhibit advanced emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and the ability to think quickly on their feet. Guides will be trained in and must adhere to Glenstone’s inquiry/dialogue method of engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the tone of the Glenstone visitor experience.
• Warmly welcome each visitor, respect their intentions for visiting Glenstone, invite their perspectives, and respond appropriately to their levels of knowledge of art, architecture, and nature.
• Create a contemplative, dialogic experience for individuals and groups by engaging in an inquiry-based engagement rather than a scripted tour.
• Present policies, guidelines and general wayfinding tools to visitors in an understandable and kind way.
• Deliver authentic and consistent information to visitors about Glenstone, including the art and artists on view and in the collection, Glenstone’s buildings, grounds and history.
• Quickly achieve proficiency in Glenstone’s mission, history, collections, changing programmatic content, and campus through intensive study and training.
• Learn and adhere to Glenstone’s visitor experience principles and operating guidelines.
• Staff a variety of positions across the property, sometimes moving between multiple locations across the site each day.
• Engage in a variety of operational tasks such as driving carts, accessibility assistance, equipment assistance, arrival check-in and retail check-out.
• Direct and coordinate staff movement when in the Security office rotation.
• Support functions of other visitor-facing departments (Café, Services) as assigned.
• Opportunity to interact with student visitors by participating on the team of dedicated school visit guides.
• Opportunity to lead or co-lead discussions/walks with visitors, informing them about Glenstone’s mission of seamlessly integrating art, architecture, nature and sustainability.
• Know and follow emergency safety procedures including guiding visitors to safety during emergency operations. Notify and coordinate with appropriate staff (EMTs) for medical emergencies.
• Monitor the safety of the collection, coordinating with Security, Conservation and Visitor Experience as appropriate whenever stationed in art spaces, including outdoor sculptures.
• Skillfully engage with visitors who are not following the art safety guidelines.
• Oversee art safety monitoring and reporting when in the Security office rotation.
• Continue reading and researching to learn and deepen understanding of Glenstone’s areas of focus.
• Share knowledge with Glenstone visitors through conversation.
• Review opening and closing checklists for the museum that encompasses a range of tasks, ensuring aesthetic compliance, functionality, and safety throughout the day, collaborating and communicating with Security, Operations, Grounds and Visitor Experience managers and team.
• Provide administrative support during scheduled blocks, such as answering the phone, data entry, answering emails in the Info and Visit accounts, and other assigned tasks.
• Read and respond to internal emails; stay informed.
• Attend and schedule meetings.
• Collaborate respectfully with all Glenstone colleagues.
• Guide for special events and VIP visits that may occur outside of normal operating hours.
• Ability to stay physically and mentally engaged for extended periods of time (excluding scheduled breaks and lunches) in all-weather conditions, outdoors and indoors, during normal operating hours and/or for special events.
• Ability to work flexible hours between 9 AM and 8 PM during the summer months.

Required Skills & Experience

• COVID-19 vaccination.
• Experience and passion for successfully interacting with the public in customer service roles.
• Exceptional social and communications skills.
• Ability to make visitors of all backgrounds feel welcome, comfortable, and engaged.
• Ability to navigate difficult topics such as race, politics, and emotions that surface during discussions about art.
• Ability to communicate necessary information swiftly and clearly with fellow Glenstone team members.
• Problem-solving skills and the ability to think quickly.
• Critical thinking skills.
• Intellectual curiosity about and familiarity with the modern and contemporary art and architecture.
• Desire to learn and implement organizational and museum best practices, including those unique to Glenstone.
• Research skills and demonstrated ability to learn unfamiliar content in a specific time frame.
• Adaptability to Glenstone’s core values.
• Discernment to treat sensitive information with discretion and to respect confidentiality.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Computer access and skills necessary to stay informed via email, conduct research using online systems and databases, and access daily and weekly schedules.
• Adaptability to work in a fluid, dynamic work environment, including flexible meal and break times.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with peers, other associates, and external professionals, both as an individual or a team member.
• Ability to stand or walk for an extended period; comfort working outside in all seasons, rain or shine.
• Adherence to Glenstone’s required uniform guidelines; ability to wear and use a radio with earpiece to remain in contact with other team members throughout the day.
• Dependability and punctuality. Ability to report to work daily at Glenstone in Potomac, MD.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Commitment to working Wednesday–Sunday each week for up to 36-hours per week.

Preferred Qualifications

• College or advanced degree, or currently pursuing a degree.
• Public speaking experience.
• Multi-lingual.
• Prior tour guide experience.
• Prior museum experience, or experience working in the arts and/or cultural fields.

Salary and Benefits
This is a full-time position. Glenstone offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and provides a total benefits package that helps you manage your health, protect your income, and prepare for the future. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; life, long-term disability and AD&D insurance, a Flexible Spending Account (FSA); a 401(k)-retirement account with a matching contribution; an Employee Assistance Program (EAP); and tuition reimbursement.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Job Type: Full-time