What are the responsibilities and job description for the Visitor Services Assistant position at Shofuso?
2025 Visitor Services Assistant (VSA) Position Description
What We Do
Shofuso is a traditional-style Japanese house and nationally ranked garden in West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, administered by the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP). We preserve, maintain, and interpret Shofuso and provide educational programs about Japanese arts, business, and culture. The site is open air with a 1.2 acre garden and a structure with open doors and breezeways in all seasons.
How You Will Contribute
JASGP is seeking temporary, seasonal, part time Visitor Services Assistants (VSAs).
VSAs are an integral part of the day-to-day operations of Shofuso and are our primary contact with visitors. VSAs are responsible for ensuring that all visitors have a positive experience. We are looking for friendly and helpful individuals with a background or interest in Japan and a strong commitment to customer service, who enjoy working with guests of various ages and backgrounds. We will pay to train you about Japanese arts and culture, the architecture of Shofuso, and the connections between Japan and Philadelphia before your first work days at Shofuso.
Specifically, you will...
- Anticipate visitor’s needs to provide quality interactions, including leading formal tours, answering guest questions, and facilitating special programs.
- Staff the admissions window, including ticket and gift shop sales. Cash handling and point-of-sales experience is a plus.
- Assist in preserving and maintaining the historic site, including cleaning and light gardening, as well as promoting visitor compliance with site preservation and other visitation policies.
- Answer phone inquiries.
- Other duties as requested.
Shofuso is a beautiful gem in a natural park setting!
This is an outdoor position in scenic Fairmount Park. As such, working conditions require operating continuously outdoors in nature, including cool spring and fall temperatures and hot summer months. This is a fast-paced, multi-tasking position that requires anticipation of future problems and the ability to make judgment calls without direct supervision. VSAs must have the ability to stand for long periods of time and lift up to 40 lbs. VSAs report to the Shofuso Site Manager.
Schedule
- This position is expected to last March 5th through December 14th.
- Shofuso is open to the public March through December. Hours of operation are Wednesday through Sunday 11:00am – 5:00pm
- This position is expected to average 15 hours per week, 5-8 hours per shift. Weekend and holiday hours, occasional Monday and Tuesday hours, and occasional extended shifts for early morning and/or evening special programs are required with advanced scheduling.
This position pays $16/hr as a part-time, seasonal, benefits-exempt position.
Working Together
We expect every employee to work collaboratively with others in this small, friendly, and close-knit organization. We expect employees to build and maintain strong and positive relationships with coworkers inspired by our shared mission and values. Employees share work spaces and are expected to keep a clean, organized, and professional working environment.
At JASGP, we continually celebrate cultural flexibility and curiosity through ongoing training and professional development. As an equal opportunity employer, we stay true to our mission by ensuring that our staff and board are representative of our varied stakeholders, including our neighbors in Philadelphia’s West Park and the Japanese heritage community in the Philadelphia region.
JASGP is a private nonprofit organization that connects Japan and Philadelphia through: operating and preserving Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, which hosts over 45,000 visitors each year; producing the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival with up to 15,000 attendees; presenting a US-Japan Business & Public Policy Series; and providing Japanese arts, business, and cultural programming for all ages.
Please email your cover letter and resume to Candice Graham, Shofuso Site Manager, at cgraham@japanphilly.org for consideration.
Salary : $16