Manager of Programs and Experience

National Veterans Memorial and Museum•Columbus, OH

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager of Programs and Experience provides functional leadership for the National Veterans Memorial and Museum’s guest experience operations, aligning daily operations with the Museum’s mission and strategic priorities. The role combines operational oversight with hands-on program delivery, guest engagement, and problem-solving. The Manager leads and develops the Guest Experience Supervisor and Associates and coordinates with colleagues across the Museum to deliver a consistent, welcoming experience for all audiences. Responsibilities extend across the Welcome Desk, Museum spaces and galleries, group visits, onsite and offsite programs, events, volunteer engagement, and other mission-aligned activities. The Manager adjusts team resources to operational needs, maintains service standards and procedures, supports tours and interpretive experiences, and coordinates with the Director of Programs and Experience and other departments. The role also oversees Welcome Desk cash handling and deposits, operational records, staff training, and continuous improvement. Work takes place across the Museum and may include offsite community programs and events. The position is onsite in Columbus, Ohio, with some evening, weekend, and holiday work potentially required, as well as travel as needed. Relocation assistance is not available.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Demonstrated experience in guest services, customer service, visitor operations, retail, hospitality, or a comparable public-facing environment.
Experience using customer relationship management systems (CRMs) to manage guest, customer, member, or constituent information.
Experience in guest services, program operations, events, or a related field.
Experience providing day-to-day direction, coaching, training, or supervision to staff.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to respond professionally to a wide range of guest needs.
Strong attention to detail and ability to follow procedures, maintain accurate records, and handle transactions or funds responsibly.
Ability to maintain confidentiality, follow financial controls, and promptly communicate discrepancies or operational concerns.
Sound judgment, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills in a fast-paced environment.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities while remaining calm and responsive.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office or similar tools and ability to learn point-of-sale, visitor services, scheduling, and other Museum systems.
Ability to work onsite in Columbus, Ohio.
Ability to meet the described physical demands, including occasional lifting of materials up to 20 pounds.
Some evening, weekend, and holiday work may be required; travel as needed for administrative responsibilities and program implementation and promotion.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
Experience with Tessitura or similar ticketing, membership, and constituent management platforms.
Experience in a museum, cultural institution, nonprofit, educational organization, or other mission-driven environment.
Experience leading tours, facilitating group experiences, or delivering interpretive programming in a museum, cultural institution, or similar setting.
Experience engaging, training, or coordinating volunteers in support of programs, tours, events, or guest services.
Experience leading multiple functional areas or programs with interconnected operational responsibilities.
Experience with organizational planning, change management, or organizational development.
Experience using data and evaluation to inform program strategy and resource decisions.
Experience with CRM, audience tracking, learning management, or other program management systems.
Experience developing innovative educational, community, or visitor experiences.
Fluency in more than one language.
Military experience in leadership, logistics, operations, communications, security, or technical roles is recognized as equivalent to relevant civilian experience; military Veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

Coordinate day-to-day guest experience operations across the Museum, including the Welcome Desk, public spaces, galleries, group visits, programs, and events.
Establish and reinforce service standards, operating procedures, and expectations for guest interactions, admissions, questions, and issue resolution.
Assess guest flow, program and event needs, staffing coverage, service quality, and operational priorities; adjust team assignments and communicate issues or trends to the Director.
Resolve guest concerns within established guidelines and escalate sensitive or complex situations appropriately.
Coordinate with Programs and Experience, Events, Membership, Advancement, Safety Services, and other teams to support daily operations, group visits, programs, events, and offsite activities.
Lead tours and facilitate group visits for diverse audiences; partner with the Director to develop training and approaches for tours, storytelling, and interpretive experiences.
Support onsite and offsite programs, events, and other mission-aligned experiences, adapting team assignments to guest and program needs.
Maintain reference materials and procedures so Associates can provide accurate information about Museum operations, exhibitions, programs, events, memberships, services, and offsite opportunities.
Supervise and develop the Guest Experience Supervisor and Associates through onboarding, training, work direction, feedback, coaching, and performance management in partnership with the Director.
Build staff capability in tour leadership, storytelling, interpretive programming, group visit support, and guest engagement across Museum spaces and activities.
Set expectations and accountability for attendance, readiness, guest service, teamwork, accuracy, professionalism, and adherence to Museum policies and procedures.
Coach the Guest Experience Supervisor in daily operations and Associate development; monitor performance, training needs, coverage gaps, and opportunities to improve effectiveness.
Partner with the Volunteer Program and prepare and engage volunteers who support tours, programs, group visits, and guest experience activities.
Foster a welcoming, accountable, collaborative team environment reflecting the Museum’s mission and values.
Oversee and perform Welcome Desk cash-handling procedures in accordance with financial controls; count and reconcile drawers and receipts, verify transaction totals, and document discrepancies.
Prepare and secure deposit bags, complete deposit documentation, and transport and deliver deposits to the designated bank according to security and chain-of-custody procedures.
Maintain accurate cash, reconciliation, deposit, and discrepancy records; report variances or irregularities to the Director and ensure staff handling transactions are trained on procedures and controls.
Protect cash, payment information, and related records, following procedures for access, storage, confidentiality, and incident reporting.
Maintain operational records, shift notes, incident documentation, and other records needed for continuity and accountability.
Identify recurring guest questions, service challenges, process gaps, and opportunities to improve workflows and the overall experience.
Support updated procedures, systems, signage, and guest communications in coordination with relevant departments.
Assist with tracking operational measures, guest feedback, staffing needs, and transaction or deposit issues; provide updates and recommendations to the Director.
Provide operational support for onsite and offsite programs and events, including guest welcome and direction, participant support, staffing coordination, setup or breakdown, and collaboration with program or event leads.
Build effective cross-department relationships, represent the Museum professionally, model its values, and perform other duties as assigned.