Guest Experience Manager

Emerson College•Boston, MA

21h•$66,270 - $81,200•Hybrid

About The Position

The Guest Experience department serves as the “front porch” to the Emerson College campus, acting as its primary public interface, and fostering engagement from visitors across the globe. The Manager, Guest Experience reports to the Senior Marketing Officer and directly manages all aspects of Front of House operation for all 6 of Emerson College’s Office of the Arts Venues, which welcomes over 50,000 patrons annually. The Manager acts as the primary department manager as well as the direct liaison between OA external clients and the Guest Experience House Management staff. The primary responsibilities for the position fall into 4 key categories; Protocol Management, Staff Management, Accessibility Coordination, and Concessions Management.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree or relevant experience required in Theatre, Event Management or Hospitality Management
4-6 years of experience in Front of House operations & customer service required.
Experience in cash handling and performing cash settlements
Crowd Manager training required.
TIPS On-Premise Certification required (or must obtain within first 3 months of hire date)
First Aid/CPR Certification required (or must obtain within first 3 months of hire date)
Detailed knowledge of ABI Workforce Manager, Google Workspace, Microsoft Word, and Excel
Strong knowledge of accessible theater services, including ASL, Audio Description, Open/Closed Captioning, and Sensory Friendly performances
Strong knowledge of Spectrix
Ability to collaborate across a wide range of digital communication platforms, including Google applications, Slack, and Zoom
A dedicated passion for event management and storytelling
Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and problem solve effectively across multiple departments
Demonstrated ability to foster a positive and productive work environment, and a dedication to creating and maintaining a strong customer service culture
Ability to observe, listen, and advocate for the needs of the Guest Experience department and all Guest Experience staff
Strong attention to detail, especially in regards to cash/credit transactions and settlements
Demonstrated ability to create and facilitate meaningful training opportunities for both entry level and seasoned staff
Professional and collaborative team member, with the ability to exercise discretion with sensitive information
Familiarity in best practices for serving patrons with disabilities and from different socio-economic backgrounds
Exercise sound judgment both under pressure and in high volume environments
Ability to prioritize multiple demands and meet deadlines
Strong observational skills with the ability to receive and respond to constructive feedback proactively
Strong organizational skills in a shared workspace

Nice To Haves

Second language skills are a plus

Responsibilities

Identify, develop, and maintain needed active security, safety and emergency protocols for all 6 venues where guest experience is provided. Protocols will include procedures for fire, active shooter, sudden weather, and other emergency response and evacuation needs.
Ensure that communications protocols are developed, regularly updated, and communicated with those internal and external to GE staff.
Ensure proper training of up to 80 part-time intermittent/student employees to ensure that, in event of an emergency, audiences in Emerson’s spaces will receive clear and confident direction. This includes training in de-escalation, CPR/first aid, TIPS training, and crowd management.
Lead all Guest Experience employees, setting a standard of impeccable professionalism, hospitality, and welcome, providing regular and outstanding guidance and training.
Oversee and communicate all employee feedback, promotions, and disciplinary action.
Ensure all necessary external certifications are up to date.
Develop and facilitate a variety of regular training opportunities including New Hire, Evacuation, Accessibility, First Aid, etc.
Organize and lead monthly Guest Experience Senior Staff Meetings
Manage and balance the Guest Experience department budget.
Act as Guest Experience Cost Center Approver.
Manage regular full-time and part-time staff as well as a contingent of part-time Intermittent/Student employees.
Oversee all Accessibility services, which include, but are not limited to, American Sign Language interpretation, Audio Descriptions & Open Captioning for performances.
Manage and coordinate scheduling for consultants and vendors related to events dedicated to Accessibility programming, both on-site and digitally, as well as create awareness of our planned accessibility programming with local leaders within the Deaf/HOH, Blind, HOS communities.
Coordinate guest seating arrangement and placement of closed captioning for dependent audience members and understand costs associated for each program.
Oversee and manage Guest Experience Concessions operations, including managing the full spectrum of the purchasing process, receiving, budget management, inventory management, digital reporting, and logging discrepancies, as well as maintaining on-premises TIPS certification status for all Concessions staff to ensure safe alcohol service across all venues for internal and external events.
Coordinate event requirements with Production & Box Office Departments to ensure smooth event operations.
Coordinate with the Marketing Department and other organizations to facilitate on-time display of signage in lobbies and street-facing window cases at venues
Facilitate annual license renewals, including venue permits, alcohol permits, and annual building inspections
Coordinate and foster the relationship with food and beverage vendors to support a variety of reception events. This includes providing timeline, scheduling information, and detailed explanations of event requirements.
Represent the Office of the Arts as a member of Emerson College’s Emergency Response Team
Manage the Guest Experience team in digital spaces including Zoom, Cinesend & vMix. Continue to build this platform, adding more responsibilities where needed.
Support usher staffing at events as needed
Uphold venue maintenance and appearance in coordination with Production and the Emerson College Facilities department
Oversee and manage daily schedules in ABI scheduling software for employees that work in the Guest Experience department
Represent OA on EC Safety Committee. Implement college-recommended training and procedures.
Complete safety audits of spaces and procedures annually.
Maintain a high-level of consistent safety awareness for OA.
Act as a representative from the Guest Experience department in working groups, committees, caucuses, etc. in cross-departmental initiatives as assigned.