Operations Engagement Director

Louisiana Childrens Museum•New Orleans, LA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Operations Engagement Director is a critical member of the leadership team and provides strategic hands-on direction for all aspects of visitor services and engagement, customer care, support and experience. S/He serves as a strategic partner for strengthening and evolving the standards and best practices of a service-focused visitor experience in a transitioning, fast-paced non-profit organization, while supporting earned revenue goals. This position is responsible for overseeing all front-facing guest operations at the Louisiana Children’s Museum, including the Welcome areas, Talk & Play Center, Front Desk, Museum Store, Public Experiences including exhibits, programs, birthday and field trip experiences. This position leads all aspects of customer service, retail operations, admissions, and daily guest experience to ensure the highest level of service, safety, and engagement. S/He supervises the Visitor Services and Experience team, Retail team, Museum Experience team and is accountable for managing Point-of-Sale (POS) systems, sales goals, staffing, inventory and merchandising. The position is responsible for forecasting visitor trends and tracking and reporting on visitation and maintaining operations budgets. S/He serves to constantly review the entire visitor experience in order to exceed audience expectations. This role works cross-functionally to demonstrate and represent the Museum’s desired culture and brand while driving both operational excellence and profitability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, Education, Hospitality, or related field.
At least 3 years of supervisory experience in retail, customer service, or earned-revenue nonprofit operations.
Strong leadership and coaching ability; excellent interpersonal skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, CRM platforms, and POS systems.
Driven, collaborative, results-oriented, and energetic.
Strategic thinker and dynamic leader demonstrating professionalism, resourcefulness, enthusiasm, and customer focus.
Strong problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making skills.
Excellent research, planning, and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
Exceptional communication, accountability, and efficiency, especially while multitasking.
Self-motivated, forward-thinking, and able to work with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

Lead the daily visitor experience across all front-facing areas, including admissions, memberships, Talk & Play Center, group events, public programs, and experiences.
Monitor and adjust guest flow to ensure seamless and efficient check-in and entry.
Provide resolution for escalated customer service issues with professionalism and urgency.
Support and troubleshoot the POS system, act as a frontline associate during peak times.
Ensure safety, cleanliness, and visual appeal of lobby and entry areas.
Manage the POS system for admissions and retail, oversee reservations, ticketing, and purchases (onsite and online), and lead updates to the system as needed.
Conduct regular assessments of visitor experience and implement data-driven plans to improve visitation, revenue, and satisfaction.
Oversee all aspects of store operations, including inventory purchasing, vendor relations, merchandising, and budgeting.
Select inventory collaboratively to align with LCM’s mission, exhibits, and developmental goals for children (birth to age 8 and older).
Oversee visual merchandising standards to optimize product visibility and drive sales.
Meet or exceed annual retail sales goals (e.g., $250,000) through strategic planning and execution.
Receive, process, and track inventory; maintain organized storage and sales areas.
Develop and oversee visitor engagement services and amenities to deliver efficient, exceptional experiences.
Manage collection and distribution of visitor satisfaction data and comment cards to appropriate staff for resolution.
Develop and implement strategies to increase sales of memberships, admissions, retail, birthday packages, and field trips.
Generate and analyze POS reports to track performance, guide decisions, and ensure accurate cash handling and reconciliation.
Coordinate cash flow and register balancing, report discrepancies to Finance.
Share museum updates, event information, and programming details with customer service and operations teams.
Collaborate with Museum Experience, Visitor & Group Experience, Volunteer Management, and Learning teams to align guest engagement efforts.
Partner with the Facilities Director to ensure safety, maintenance, and alignment across guest engagement, exhibits, and facilities.
Coordinate with Communications, Marketing, and Public Relations to align messaging, promotions, and customer experience.
Work with Finance/Accounting to ensure financial controls are in place and all cash-handling staff are trained in procedures.
Identify and recommend improvements to increase efficiency and visitor experience flow.
Promote LCM’s culture and brand internally and externally, serving as a visible ambassador of its mission.
Successfully complete other responsibilities as assigned.
Work collaboratively with department managers to recruit, onboard, train, and coach Visitor Services, Group Experience, Retail, and Public Experiences team members.
Conduct team and individual meetings, provide ongoing coaching, and deliver timely performance assessments.
Schedule and manage staffing coverage across all customer-facing operations.
Foster a positive, motivated, high-performing, and accountable team culture.