Visitor Experience Coordinator (Full-Time, Onsite)

Description

The Visitor Experience Coordinator (VEC) plays a vital role in the overall success of the visitor experience at MASS MoCA, providing a foundation for our guest’s experience in a welcoming, enthusiastic, and engaging way. The primary focus of the VEC position is to provide administrative support to the departments under the Visitor Experience (VE) umbrella. They also play a crucial front-facing role, interacting with a diverse group of visitors, as well as staff, in person and through email and phone communications. The VEC will function as an information hub, collecting and coordinating information from across the museum and sharing it out to all VE staff. They will act as a spokesperson for the museum and an example for all VE staff through their ability to share information about the history of MASS MoCA, current and past exhibitions and performances, establishing connections to promote educational and performing arts programs, encouraging visitors to explore the North Adams community and the Berkshires at large, and imparting other information that provides the best possible experience at the museum and in our community. 

The Visitor Experience Coordinator is a confident and articulate professional who is creative, proactive and detailed oriented, as well as collaborative and team-oriented. This role will require a high level of both internal and external communication and coordination. They will assist the broader VE management team in planning, coordinating logistics, and facilitating guided and self-guided tours and special events, during and outside of regular museum hours including: answering phone or email queries; scheduling visits, calculating processing payments; providing groups all the information they need to streamline their visit; and informing relevant departments of upcoming tours and special events. The VEC will contribute to building audiences by developing comprehensive contact lists, messaging and strategies for outreach to target audiences and will assist in developing partnerships and programs with external partners to attract new visitors and steward current or lapsed audiences. They must be an excellent communicator and relationship builder, skilled at and committed to engaging visitors of all ages, interests and abilities. The VEC is well-organized, flexible and solution oriented, capable of pivoting gracefully in response to changes in details and schedules while maintaining composure in a fast-paced, ever-shifting environment. 

The Visitor Experience Coordinator will work full-time Thursday – Monday and is expected to work holidays, evenings, and festivals when needed. The Visitor Experience Coordinator reports to the Director of Visitor Experience. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide excellent customer service to all members, guests and colleagues throughout the museum 
• Assist VE team in planning, coordinating logistics, and facilitating guided and self-guided tours and special events, during and outside of regular museum hours 
• Assist the VE team in planning daily operations, editing and distributing materials as well as coordinating efforts and events in which the VE Department is involved 
• Assist VE management team in researching and developing outreach strategies in order to attract new visitors, re-invigorate inactive groups, and/or entice return visits
• Assist VE management team in development and marketing of itineraries, packages and marketing materials to distribute to target audience segments, through MASS MoCA channels and in collaboration with external partners 
• Assist VE management team to develop, collect, and analyze visitor data through various channels including Tessitura, surveys, and others 
• Proactively seek and learn information about current and future exhibitions, programs, museum policies, promotions, and events to provide the highest level of guest engagement 
• Complete Museum Attendant training to act as a support in the galleries, particularly in special exhibits that require reservations and crowd control/line management 
• Complete the museum’s tour training course and lead tours when needed 
• Assist management team with strategies to orient guests to the Museum, assist with smooth flow through museum, assess and make suggestions to improve wayfinding throughout museum and engagement tools such as the website and social media
• Develop and maintain supportive resources to enable the museum to become a more welcoming, accessible, and inclusive space 
• Respond immediately to resolve guest, volunteer, and staff inquiries and concerns while supporting museum policies to ensure a positive guest engagement 
• Learn Tessitura ticketing system operations in order to manage reservations, book groups and receive payment for tours, pull visitor lists, run visitor reports and other functions as needed 
• Manage online advance reservations for special exhibits 
• Assist Box Office staff during large concerts, programs, festival weekends, and as needed
• Track inventory and manage restocking of gallery guides 
• Keep public boards cleared of any outdated materials and maintain brochure walls next to box office lobby desk and in cafe 

Requirements

 Qualifications

• A minimum of 2 years customer service and cash drawer experience required; museum/cultural organization preferred 
• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent required 
• Knowledge of Google Suite (Gmail, calendar, sheets, docs, and drive) and confidence with computer programs and software is required. 
• Is capable of working in a fast-paced environment and interface effectively with visitors, and remaining calm and effective during high-traffic times 
• Has outgoing personality and is enthusiastic about interacting with guests and colleagues
• Has commitment to providing excellent and impactful visitor experience in a friendly, respectful, and patient manner 
• Ability to use good judgment and work independently during gallery hours and special events 
• Responds quickly and calmly to emergencies 
• Knowledge of Western Massachusetts/Berkshire tourism and/or interest in rural regional tourism a plus 
• General understanding of contemporary visual and performing arts a plus 

Work Conditions

• This position requires ability to work a flexible schedule, with availability on weekends and holidays, and for events, programs, and festivals, including those after museum hours
• The majority of the workday is spent indoors, but occasional special events, exhibitions, and/or festivals may require working outdoors and in inclement weather

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to stand and walk for long periods of time, on and across various floor types with limited breaks.
• Must be able to confidently communicate with guests
• The employee may be required to climb or balance, squat, kneel, and crouch.
• The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 25+ pounds and move heavy objects as required.
• Must be able to wear PPE when necessary

As defined by the National Labor Relations Act, this position is part of the bargaining unit for UAW Local 2110. 

Compensation and Benefits:

• This is a non-exempt position with an hourly rate of $24.00 an hour
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life insurance
• Long term disability insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Dependent Care Account (DCA)
• Medical deductible reimbursement
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Roth 401(k) option
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Sick Time
• Emergency Assistance Fund (LemonAid)
• Retirement planning support
• Professional development reimbursement
• Educational leave
• Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Student loan repayment assistance
• Discounts at Gift Shop and R&D Store
• Staff appreciation social events year-round
• This position does not offer relocation assistance

Application Process: Interested candidates should apply online with a resume and cover letter. The application also includes a few brief questions to help us better understand your experience and interest in the role. Incomplete applications—including those missing the requested documents—may not be fully considered. 

About MASS MoCA:

MASS MoCA is a vibrant non-collecting art museum with approximately 300,000 square feet of exhibition space dedicated to visual art and projects by contemporary artists. Formerly a 19th century factory, these exhibition spaces are unconventional, vast, soaring galleries spanning multiple buildings. Half of that space is dedicated to rotating 10–16 month exhibitions of which we present 4 to 6 large-scale exhibitions per year, along with smaller projects and commissions. The additional space is dedicated to long-term exhibitions in conjunction with artists, estates, and collections that run from 10 months to 25 years. MASS MoCA frequently works directly with artists on the fabrication of new commissions and large-scale site-specific installations. 

MASS MoCA was founded in 1999, not only as a contemporary art museum and performing arts venue, but also as a creative campus with a regional, national and global impact. MASS MoCA is one of the world's liveliest centers for making and enjoying today's most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA is able to embrace all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. From its beginnings as the major textile mill Arnold Print Works in the mid-19th century, to its days as the Sprague Electric Company in the mid-20th century, to its current iteration as a globally renowned contemporary art museum and fabrication center, the 24-acre MASS MoCA campus has a rich history of serving as the economic engine of the city of North Adams and the surrounding region.