Manager, Visitor and Member Experience

Join our dedicated Visitor and Member Experience (VME) team at the premier Museum of 20th and 21st Century American Art. As part of the VME team, the Manager maintains the operational integrity and efficiency of all functions, including admissions, ticketing, coat check, and wayfinding throughout the public areas of the Museum that are conducive to a positive visitor experience. The Manager is part of the integrated management team, which includes the Visitor and Gallery Assistants, Visitor and Member Assistants, and volunteers.

The Manager advocates the department's goals of developing audiences and audience experience while growing revenue opportunities and goals. They work closely with staff to ensure excellent and consistent service is delivered across all visitor and member interactions and ensure all operations adhere to museum policies and support museum-wide goals.

The Manager works closely with colleagues across the institution to ensure a customer service approach in exhibition, program, and performance planning.

Successful candidates possess exceptional leadership skills in a team environment and have previous experience managing staff in retail, sales, or other customer service environments. They are excellent communicators, have demonstrated experience with staff scheduling and payroll systems, and are solutions-focused in a fast-paced environment. They use their knowledge of art and attention to detail to support the Whitney's mission and values.

The Manager works full-time Tuesday through Saturday, aligned with Museum operations. Tuesdays may be work-from-home days. Evenings and holidays are required. This position requires scheduling flexibility.

Your Safety

At the Whitney, the safety and security of our staff and visitors are our top priority. Our operational plans align with CDC and state guidance on reducing transmission of Covid-19 and are reviewed on an ongoing basis with an outside medical expert. Public-facing staff are issued PPE daily and must be fully vaccinated. 

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Provide logistical support and serve as manager-on-duty during Museum operating hours
• Serve as manager-on-duty during after-hours events and key conversion moments, particularly during the opening and closing of major exhibitions
• Excellent de-escalation abilities
• Oversee staff on daily operational duties in the lobby, galleries, and coat check
• Responsible for adhering to all cash handling, ticketing, and database protocols
• Perform daily opening and closing procedures
• Partner with the other Managers of Visitor and Member Experience to hire, onboard, and train new staff
• Demonstrate expertise in training staff in the areas of fundraising, customer service, member benefit fulfillment, database protocols, and Visitor Experience Principles
• Instrumental in the development of staff training and mentoring in coordination with the Managers of Visitor and Member Experience
• Responsible for scheduling a team with dynamic schedules, ensuring adequate coverage during peak visitor times and special events.
• Track and manage the departmental budget, ensuring expenses are within budgetary limits and identifying cost-saving opportunities.
• Assist in creating the departmental budget based on upcoming operational needs.

Requirements:

• Full-time schedule is Tuesday through Saturday (Sundays and Mondays off). Evenings and holidays are often required.
• Minimum of 5 years leading staff in a retail, sales, or other customer service environment
• Minimum 5 – 7 years of public-facing customer service experience
• Previous experience in scheduling and payroll for large teams
• Genuine interest in public-facing customer service interactions
• Ability to develop customer relations
• Professional communication skills by phone, email, and in-person
• Excellent cash-handling skills and familiarity with opening and closeout procedures
• Works well under pressure in a fast-paced environment
• Sound judgment and proven problem-solving skills
• Working knowledge of Unions
• Working knowledge of a Microsoft Office Suite or comparable software
• Previous constituent database and POS experience required; previous Raiser's Edge experience preferred
• Interest in art and non-profit management preferred
• BA preferred but not required or equivalent experience
• Bi-lingual a plus
• Interest in visual art is a plus

Compensation & Benefits: 

• Fixed compensation of $72,000 per annum
• Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(B) elections
• Generous Paid Time off benefits
• Commuter benefits - parking and mass transit
• Admission to world-renowned museums across the city and nationally
• Pet insurance and discounted membership for Citibike

About the Whitney

The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney's mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences to celebrate the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.

EEO Statement

The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, partnership status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely based on their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels. This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment.

COVID guidelines:

The health and safety of our Museum community are the highest priority. As such, the Whitney Museum requires all newly hired staff members to be fully vaccinated and boosted with an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment. Requests for reasonable accommodations for medical, religious, or other reasons will be considered in accordance with applicable law.

Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that men apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria. Yet, women and other people who are systematically marginalized tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. We encourage you to apply if you believe you could excel in this role. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse work experiences and backgrounds. Whether you're new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.