Event Experience Assistant Manager

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium•Omaha, NE

22h•$25•Onsite

About The Position

The Event Experience Assistant Manager is a champion of the guest experience for all events, serving as the leader responsible for ensuring every detail comes together to create seamless, welcoming, and memorable experiences. This role blends operational excellence with hospitality-driven leadership, ensuring that the experience promised (during the sales and planning process or when a guest purchases an event ticket) is fulfilled with precision, care, and consistency. As a key extension of the Event Sales and Experience Manager, the Event Experience Assistant Manager owns the day-to-day operational execution, staff coordination, and service delivery that bring event plans to life. Working in close partnership with the Event Sales team, this position ensures seamless handoffs from sales to operations, clear communication of event details, and alignment between client expectations, staffing plans, and onsite execution. The Event Experience Assistant Manager plays a central role in training, compliance, and service standards, reinforcing operational discipline while leading teams to deliver warm, confident, and memorable guest experiences. This role models and reinforces the level of care, service, and professionalism expected of the entire event team. By ensuring staff are trained and prepared, this role positions event staff as trusted hosts and heroes of every event experience, so guests feel welcomed and genuinely cared for throughout their time at the Zoo.

Requirements

3-5 years of experience working in licensed hospitality or event operations environments, with familiarity in responsible alcohol service and onsite compliance expectations.
Prior experience leading teams or supervising staff; formal management experience preferred but not required.
Deep understanding of hospitality and guest service principles.
Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and follow-through.
Customer-focused mindset with confidence communicating with clients, internal stakeholders and external vendors.
Ability to manage multiple events and priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Calm, confident, and professional leader who thrives in live environments and leads by presence and example.
Demonstrated commitment to inclusive management that fosters belonging, trust, and equitable collaboration across teams.
Comfortable working within established systems while also contributing feedback to improve processes.
Strong written communication and interpersonal skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and event sales, CRM or event management systems preferred.
Valid driver’s license required.
Candidates might be (depending on position) required to pass a pre-employment background check, drug test, negative skin tuberculosis test.

Responsibilities

Guest Experience Leadership and Hospitality Excellence Serve as the lead advocate for the guest experience across all public and private events, ensuring guests feel welcomed, cared for, and confident at every touchpoint.
Champion hospitality-first decision-making, ensuring operational choices are always made in service of guest comfort, clarity and delight.
Set, model, and reinforce service standards that define how events should feel, not just how they function.
Act as a visible, calm and reassuring presence during events, building trust with staff, guests, clients and partners.
Sales and Experience Handoff and Experience Continuity Responsible for the accurate, quality and consistent continuation of client experience from sales to execution.
Partner closely with the Event Sales team to align expectations, timelines, and client priorities; champion the client’s vision during internal planning and execution, ensuring expectations are met or exceeded.
Review event details, BEOs, and client expectations with a guest-centric lens to ensure nothing is lost, misinterpreted or overpromised.
Support high-touch or VIP clients as needed to ensure confidence, clarity and satisfaction through event completion.
Event Execution and Operational Excellence Oversee the planning and execution of private events with exceptional attention to detail, accuracy and flow.
Partner with Public Events Experience Specialist to align and coordinate details through execution.
Ensure timelines, layouts, staffing plans, and logistics are designed to support a smooth, intuitive guest experience.
Coordinate and oversee onsite vendors, performers, and partners to ensure alignment with event plans, service standards, and guest experience expectations.
Lead onsite execution for select events, including evenings and weekends, ensuring teams are prepared, aligned, and confident.
Anticipate challenges and proactively resolve issues before they impact the guest experience.
Team Leadership and Service Standards Lead and inspire Event Experience Captains, Assistants, and Bartenders to deliver warm, polished, and consistent service.
Participate in recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, training, and coaching of event experience team members in partnership with the Event Sales and Experience Manager.
Reinforce expectations for professionalism, hospitality, safety and compliance across the event experience team.
Coach staff in real time, reinforcing service behaviors and recognizing excellence during events.
Reinforce training programs for event execution, consistent service standards and guest experience, ensuring training is treated as a core operational priority through daily operations.
Systems, Process, and Continuous Improvement Responsible for ensuring all event experience staff are trained in and compliance with food and alcohol service standards, county health code, local and state liquor laws, and the Zoo’s liquor license requirements.
Ensure standard operating procedures are followed and understood as tools of support to build confident staff and exceptional guest experiences.
Utilize guest, client, and staff feedback to identify opportunities to elevate service and execution.
Continuously refine workflows, staffing models, and service practices to improve quality, consistency and ease.
Support special projects, new initiatives, and program launches as directed by the Director of Events and Event Sales and Experience Manager.
Cross-Department Collaboration Maintain day-to-day coordination and working relationships with cross-departmental partners including Marketing, IT, Business Systems, Facilities, Education, and Animal Care, as well as cross-functional Guest Experience partners including Food and Beverage, Guest Services, and Retail, to support smooth planning and execution.
Partner closely with the Event Experience Specialist, Internal Event Coordinator and Event Sales team to support detailed planning, clear communication, and excellent execution.
Serve as a collaborative leader within the Events department, reinforcing shared ownership the guest experience and overall event success.