Director of Visitor Services

ESPLANADE ASSOCIATION • Boston, MA

11d • Onsite

About The Position

The Esplanade Association (EA) is seeking a seasoned Director of Visitor Services to guide park visitors’ first impressions, overseeing events, programs, and operations at their new campus and visitor center. This role will prepare EA to open and operate the new Smith Family Pavilion and Charlesbank Campus, which will include reservable spaces, a cafe, year-round programs, and EA’s main office. The position will build new Visitor Services protocols and staffing to handle visitor inquiries and welcome guests. The Director will supervise an Events Manager and existing Programs staff, and will hire a Facilities Manager and an additional programs team member. This role will also serve as the lead liaison with the Pavilion’s Cafe/Catering Partner, approve external event rentals, and coordinate with internal teams on bookings and partnership goals. Key responsibilities include developing and executing welcome and orientation, safety and wellness, reservation and maintenance, and feedback and survey protocols. The Director will track opportunities to hone campus operations and services to improve the visitor experience and build support for EA's impact on the park. The role requires flexible hours, including weekends, evenings, and some holidays. The Director will bring exceptional energy, vision, EQ, and managerial experience to build strategic ideas, processes, trainings, and tracking to improve gatherings in the park and expand EA’s capacity to connect more people to the Esplanade.

Requirements

• B.A./B.S. or equivalent, with 7+ years of exceptional event and venue experience, ideally in a non-profit setting
• Experience in hiring, managing, and working closely with a diverse staff and volunteer pool
• Experience in overseeing the operation of, and visitor services for, an active public space
• Proven track record of reliability, punctuality, efficiency and tact, with ability to serve several people and distinct tasks simultaneously with grace.
• Demonstrated capacity to effectively collaborate with internal and external staff and vendors, direct volunteers, and interact with the public professionally, with a commitment to a positive public experience.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and basic accounting procedures for reconciliations and deposits
• Attention to detail to deliver accurate monthly forecasts and annual budgets of revenue and expenses.
• Networks (potential vendors, clients, attendees) to oversee innovative unforgettable events

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of the Charles River Esplanade and passion for parks, historic landmarks, recreation, culture, education, greenspace and sustainability a plus
• Bilingual or multilingual skills a plus

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a comprehensive visitor services strategy that ensures a welcoming, safe, and engaging experience for all park users, with all services reflecting EA’s standards for accessibility and inclusion.
• Establish systems for tracking visitor experience metrics, including surveys, usage data, and service outcomes.
• Partner with the Executive Director to continuously refine campus operations based on data and feedback.
• Maintain knowledge of all park programs, and events—by EA or otherwise—to provide accurate information, in coordination with EA Communications staff’s newsletter, IG, and posted signage.
• Monitor visitor numbers, trends, common questions for business data or FAQs
• Collect visitor feedback live and track contents of EA’s suggestion box on community needs/desires/ideas.
• Serve as EA’s point-of-sale marketing on ways to support EA, as a volunteer, friend, advocate, partner or donor.
• In coordination with Finance and Programs teams, enable access to and track EA inventory for short-term activity use (recreational equipment) as well as purchase (EA hats, umbrellas, maps, postcards, etc.)
• Maintain inventory and manage supply needs, including recreational inventory, merchandise, uniforms, and safety kits.
• Prepare the annual Visitor Services budget and generate regular financial reports.
• With the Executive Director, serve as Staff Liaison for the EA Board Campus Operations Committee
• Send daily briefs on Charlesbank activity (attendance from day prior, incident reports, upcoming reservations)
• Lead organizational readiness for the opening and ongoing operations of the Smith Family Pavilion & Charlesbank Campus.
• Collaborate on planning and execution of EA’s 25th Anniversary and Campus Opening celebrations.
• Develop operational workflows for shared spaces, including scheduling, maintenance coordination, and visitor flow.
• Collaborate across teams to integrate campus operations into EA’s broader programming, development, and administrative functions.
• Oversee implementation of systems for reservations, rentals, and space utilization.
• Define and document policies and procedures as they relate to EA Visitor Services in a FAQ handbook.
• Support recruitment and onboarding of new Volunteer Ambassadors and EA Staff in partnership with HR.
• Develop and manage schedules of Volunteers and EA Staff to ensure full weekly coverage of the welcome desk.
• Design and lead onboarding and ongoing training programs for Volunteer Ambassadors & all EA Staff, focusing on visitor engagement and customer service best practices, health, safety, and emergency response protocols and Esplanade policies, amenities and history.
• With the Facilities Manager, draft and continuously refine a Campus and Pavilion emergency response plan and procedures for events, keep current with latest code regulations or best practices; and oversee documentation of facility incidents: utility systems issues, equipment failure, site accidents, necessary repairs, ADA compliance, janitorial, security or snow or trash removal vendor concerns, etc.
• Oversee all EA events, external rentals, and public bookings to ensure alignment with organizational goals and visitor experience standards.
• With the Events Manager, guide execution of a seamless, high-quality events portfolio.
• Establish and manage a centralized Campus Calendar and valuation system for prioritizing and scheduling events and rentals.
• Approve external event rentals and coordinate with internal stakeholders (Programs, Development, Administration) on scheduling and logistics.
• Collaborate with Development & External Relations to ensure events support cultivation, engagement, and revenue goals.
• Remain current on local nonprofit events and keep senior leadership informed of potential external issues or market trends that may impact rental and reservation forecasts or planned events outcomes.
• Serve as EA’s primary liaison and negotiator with the Pavilion’s Café/Catering Partner.
• Set standards and processes for collaboration between EA staff, vendors, and catering partner.
• Oversee coordination with external vendors (AV, tenting, furniture, décor, entertainment) to ensure quality and consistency.
• Track and report to the Executive Director and Director of Finance the Operator’s quarterly revenue and trends, capital and maintenance spending updates, and any other partnership items, in keeping with the Cafe/Catering Concessions Agreement Terms.
• Lead and expand EA’s public programs in alignment with new campus capabilities.
• Supervise Programs staff and hire an additional team member focused on stage production, recreational tournaments, and educational programming.
• Strengthen partnerships with community organizations, corporate groups, and program collaborators.
• Ensure all partnerships align with EA’s mission, operational standards, and visitor experience goals.
• Ensure programs are inclusive, diverse, and reflective of the Esplanade’s broad user base
• Lead the Visitor Services Department, which will consist of a Sr Manager of Programs & Partnerships, a Volunteer & Sustainability coordinator, a new Events Manager, Facilities Manager and Programs Manager for campus-focused programming, and a volunteer ambassador corps growing from 15 to over 30.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and performance management for direct reports, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and service excellence.
• Develop internal systems, reporting structures, and workflows to support team efficiency and growth.
• Lead the Events Manager and Facilities Manager to ensure smooth alignment between third-party activities and public visitor access and lead the Programs team on alignment between EA activities and public visitor access.

Benefits

• 15 vacation, 12 sick & 2 personal days per year (after 2 years of service, vacation days increase to 17)
• 11 holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day, MLK Day, and Presidents Day off and the 6 remaining as floating holidays depending on holiday worked, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples Day and Veterans Day.
• Health and dental insurance, 80% of monthly premium paid by EA
• Health savings account with $2,500 EA contribution for those enrolled in EA health plan
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Commuter benefits, pre-tax deduction up to $300/month
• Paid professional development opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees