Guest and Member Services Manager (2985)

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum•Tucson, AZ

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Join the Adventure at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum! Passionate about people and wildlife? Do you have what it takes to transform ordinary visits into extraordinary memories? Merge your interests as our Guest and Member Services Manager, where you and your team will create a welcoming environment and shape the first and lasting impressions of our valued guests. The Guest and Member Services Manager is responsible for leading front-of-house operations and defining the standard for guest experience at the Desert Museum. This role ensures that daily operations at the point of entry are efficient, welcoming, and well-coordinated, while actively identifying and addressing opportunities to improve flow, reduce friction, and elevate service. It includes responsibility for how the membership program is presented and facilitated. The Manager builds and maintains a high-performing team through clear expectations, structured onboarding and training, and consistent accountability. This position plays a key role in shaping how guests experience the Museum from their first interaction, ensuring staff are prepared, supported, and delivering service that reflects organizational values. The role is primarily operational, with a strong presence in the field, balanced with planning and administrative responsibilities necessary to support staffing, training, and overall effectiveness of the operation.

Requirements

A minimum of 5 years of related experience required.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
Strong written communications skills; ability to write and edit clear, structured, articulate, and persuasive proposals, reports, and public communications.
Outstanding guest service skills including the ability to successfully perform sensitive, high-level service recovery.
Ability to support and manage organization change - leading the "people side" of departmental/business changes and the techniques of minimizing negative outcomes.
Knowledge of membership and related marketing techniques and strategies.
Knowledge of POS/CRM, database, spreadsheet, and word processing software.
Understands business implications of decisions; displays orientation to profitability; demonstrates knowledge of market and competition; aligns work with strategic goals.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Employment experience in a cultural attraction setting preferred.
Experience with Raisers Edge preferred.

Responsibilities

Oversee daily guest entry operations, including admissions, membership, and guest entry flow, ensuring an efficient, and welcoming experience.
Actively monitor and manage guest flow, identifying and addressing confusion or inefficiencies.
Maintain ownership of the front entrance area, ensuring spaces are organized, functional, and meeting guest experience standards.
Serve as primary Manager on Duty (MOD), acting as the main point of contact for operational support and escalated issues.
Maintain working knowledge of ticketing and POS systems and processes sufficient to properly support staff and ensure smooth daily operations.
Establish clear, practical expectations for the Guest Services team and ensure consistent execution.
Lead by example in guest interactions, demonstrating strong communication, professionalism, and effective service recovery.
Address service breakdowns directly and coach staff to improve performance.
Ensure guest-facing communication, including in-person and written responses, is clear, professional, and aligned with Museum standards.
Oversee all aspects of Guest Services staffing, including scheduling, onboarding, training, and performance management.
Develop and implement structured onboarding and training processes to ensure new staff are prepared and supported from day one.
Provide ongoing coaching and feedback to continually reinforce expectations and support employee success.
Supervise and train department volunteers, holding them to the same service and operational standards.
Support staff in communicating professionally and consistently in ways that enhance the guest experience, including membership as a value-based option when appropriate.
Ensure effective execution of membership programs and promotions in coordination with senior leadership and marketing.
Provide feedback on guest and member interactions to inform membership strategy and improve messaging.
Train and reinforce simple, effective communication approaches that facilitate awareness and understanding, without creating a high-pressure sales environment.
Monitor and improve how staff engage with guests to ensure interactions are helpful and aligned with established service standards.
Regularly observe staff interactions and provide timely, constructive feedback and coaching to underscore expectations and improve overall performance.
Periodically review and share guest service resources and materials, model best practices.
Develop and manage complex staff schedules across a 7-day operation, balancing attendance patterns, staffing levels, employee classifications (full-time, part-time, temporary), and individual availability to ensure appropriate coverage and efficient use of resources.
Adjust staffing plans as needed to respond to changing operational demands, including peak periods and evening events.
Awareness of staffing for peak membership opportunities and fulfillment periods.
Ensure operations are effectively planned and supported during periods when the Manager is not on site, with clear expectations and coverage in place.
Oversee other administrative functions including payroll processing, cashiering procedures and related documentation, and digital check deposit processes.
Coordinate group reservations and logistics.
Maintain appropriate inventory of operational supplies, establishing systems to ensure critical items are consistently available.
Run and distribute standard reports as needed.
Regularly assess operations, staffing, and guest interactions and takes initiative to identify areas for improvement and adjust processes.
Take initiative to adjust processes, staffing approaches, and workflows to improve efficiency and guest experience.
Ensure operational issues within the assigned area are identified and addressed proactively, without reliance on direction from others.
Support cross-department coordination when operational changes impact the guest experience.
Directly supervises multiple employees and volunteers with a variety of job functions.
Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.
Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.