Director of Guest Experience

Description

Locations:    Air & Space Museum - 7711 E Academy Blvd, Denver CO, 80230 (primary)

                      Exploration of Flight - 13005 Wings Way, Englewood CO, 80112 (secondary)

Status & Classification:    Regular | Full-Time | Exempt

Salary:    $65,000 ~ $80,000/year (depending on experience)

Work Schedule:    Tuesday ~ Saturday* | 9am ~ 5pm*
*This position must accommodate a flexible work schedule including evenings, weekends, special events, and occasional overnight/out-of-town travel.

Application window:    deadline to submit applications is March 4th, 2024

Organization

Founded in 1994 on the former Lowry Air Force Base in east Denver's historic Lowry Field neighborhood, Wings Over the Rockies is a non-profit community organization dedicated to unlocking dreams of flight through exhibits, local events, and educational programming. We are Colorado’s premier Air & Space Museum having been recognized by CNN Travel as one of their 20 Best aviation museums in the world. Each year we welcome roughly 160,000 visitors representing all 50 states and dozens of countries internationally. Wings is committed to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The Museum boasts more than 100,000 sq. ft. of open hangar space full of iconic aircraft, space vehicles, historical artifacts, and more. Visitors can experience thrilling flight simulators, discover educational programs, and participate in one of our many exciting museum-sponsored events.

Exploration of Flight (EoF) is our flight-focused educational extension. This 15-acre campus is located at the Centennial Airport where we offer showcase events with a variety of aircraft, aviation immersion programs, pilot ground training, and flight experiences. EoF is home to our Blue Sky Gallery exhibit and interactive aviation center featuring an airworthy fleet of civilian and military aircraft.

Summary

The Director of Guest Experience is responsible for overseeing day-to-day Museum operations including logistics, visitor admissions, welcome center, Museum store, group sales/on-site tours, flight simulator attractions, selling memberships, special events, etc. They enhance and facilitate the guest experience by welcoming, informing, processing, guiding, and accommodating Museum visitors. The Director of Guest Experience will lead, manage, and supervise a team of full- and part-time staff with employee training, time/schedule management, accountability, and staff development. This position is critical to promoting the Museum's mission, maintaining our reputation, and preserving the public trust. The Director of Guest Experience is head of the Visitor Services department and a member of the Wings Leadership Team (LT). They report to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and work inter-departmentally with Curatorial, Development, Marketing, Corporate Events, Facilities, and Education.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life/AD&D coverage - 100% employer paid for eligible employees
• $500 annual Health Savings Account (HSA) employer contribution for eligible medical plans
• Generous Vacation, Sick, and paid Personal leave
• 403(b) group retirement plan with company match
• Potential for annual bonuses, merit pay increases, and career advancement
• Voluntary Short-Term Disability, dependent Life/AD&D, Accident, and Critical Illness coverage
• Optional Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Dependent Care (DCA) plan participation
• Museum membership, store discount, and other employee perks

Duties & Responsibilities

Please Note - This list is not all inclusive but intended to be a general guide to the primary duties of this position.

• Produce a superior guest experience that sets Wings Museum apart from other entertainment & cultural options
• Understand, scrutinize, and improve on all dimensions of the Museum experience relating to guests and visitors
• Represent the Museum to the public in a welcoming, energetic, professional, and friendly manner
• Help develop promotional strategies, set sales goals, and create action plans to advance the mission of Wings Museum
• Utilize, monitor, and troubleshoot the Altru (Blackbaud) point-of-sale (POS) system
• Build, manage, and maintain admissions ticket sale programs for the Museum
• Oversee daily operations of the Museum Store, e.g. purchasing, merchandising, pricing, and inventory management
• Demonstrate exemplary customer service, excellent floor presence, and coach team members to ensure quality control 
• Resolve visitor complaints using positive guest experience recovery best practices in a timely and professional manner
• Enforce proper cash handing procedures procedures and transaction etiquette
• Produce, utilize, and analyze operational reports (sales, inventory, visitor traffic, etc.) to evaluate performance
• Research competitors, market trends, retail products, and recommend new opportunities for revenue growth
• Perform traffic control, receive deliveries, check-in large groups, and give tours if needed
• Ensure transaction accuracy for daily admissions, retail sales, exchanges, returns, and gift certificates
• Utilize sales/admissions reports to project trends and make data driven decisions
• Oversee yearly inventory and physical counts in accordance with quarterly and/or annual audit requirements
• Ensure budgets are properly prepared and adhered to throughout the fiscal year
• Collaborate with Corporate Events team to insure seamless customer service for all events
• Oversee scheduling of staff to reflect seasonal variations and departmental budgets
• Train, coach, and develop the Visitor Services team; hold staff accountable and enforce company policies
• Hire and terminate employees when needed to achieve the operating goals of the Museum
• Inspire, motivate, and encourage effective collaboration and teamwork across all Museum departments
• Manage, train, and support staff on best practices and procedures to optimize the guest experience
• Collaborate with the Development team to implement on-site programs, events, and group tour strategies
• Ensure safe operation and maintenance of the Museum’s interactive flight simulator attractions

Working Conditions

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum operates in an 80-year-old aircraft hangar. Exploration of Flight is located at a busy regional airport. Environmental conditions may vary.

If you are an individual with a disability, you may request reasonable accommodations if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on this site. You can request reasonable accommodations by contacting our HR Department at 303-360-5360 for assistance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum of four (4 ) years management and customer service experience
• Minimum of three (3 ) years retail experience including sales and inventory management/control
• Knowledge of the Altru (Blackbaud) POS system is highly preferred
• Non-profit, Museum, or other cultural institution experience a plus
• Demonstrated project management and community outreach experience
• Ethical and reliable with a positive demeanor and proactive outlook
• Expert conflict resolution, communication skills, and leadership abilities
• Knowledge of sales/customer service best practices, e.g. service recovery, cash handling, reconciling shifts/tills
• Phenomenal customer service, professional demeanor, and exemplary interpersonal abilities
• Strong computer and technological skills including CRM and database management experience
• Highly proficient with Microsoft Office 365 suite and Google Workspace
• Skilled at troubleshooting computer software interfaces, web-based applications, including PC/Windows and AppleOS
• Must be able to train and supervise staff, work with diverse teams, and lead by example
• Superb interpersonal, written, phone, and verbal communication skills
• Able to multi-task effectively and communicate in noisy, crowded, or stressful environments
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills with attention to detail
• Familiarity with the mission of Wings Museum including our exhibits and programs
• Able to navigate 100,000 sq. ft. of floor space and stand for up to 8 hours in all (cold/hot/wet/humid/dry) conditions
• Valid Driver’s License and clean motor vehicle record (MVR)