Tour and Visitor Experience Coordinator (Program Coordinator)

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Tour and Visitor Experience Coordinator welcomes and engages the public by delivering virtual tours and conducting in-person civic tours when needed. The role staffs the Visitor Services window, manages the Lost and Found program, and partners with the Visitor Experience Supervisor to support daily operations. It is also a key point of contact for the building, handling public inquiries, evaluating customer feedback, and escalating security or facility issues to help maintain a safe, high-quality visitor experience. The position is based on-site and is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with partial weekend coverage and occasional holidays. The role supports civic, public, and VIP tours; visitor services; building operations; and coordination with Capitol Security, DES Buildings & Grounds, and other stakeholders.

Requirements

Two years of progressive experience in any combination of community, youth, and public engagement; knowledge of civics, the legislative process, or Washington State history; customer service; or leading tours or presenting information to an audience.
Education in Public Administration, Social Sciences, Communications, or a related field may be substituted for experience on a year-for-year basis.
Demonstrate willingness to learn from new experiences, seek feedback, consider different perspectives, and continuously improve knowledge, skills, communication, and work approaches.
Seek to understand the needs and experiences of customers, coworkers, and communities; identify and address barriers to access and participation; and provide respectful, timely, and effective support.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite.

Responsibilities

Provide welcoming, professional, and responsive customer service to visitors, legislators, state employees, and members of the public at the Visitor Services window.
Deliver virtual civic tours as available and conduct in-person civic education or public tours to cover absences or staffing gaps.
Use independent judgment to resolve unexpected visitor or tour situations and identify, report, or escalate recurring concerns and security issues.
Assist with logistics, staging, coordination, scheduling, and customer support for public, civic, and VIP tours.
Assist with routine tour content review and research.
Manage the shared tour inbox and phone line, answer routine inquiries, refer customers, and assist with reservation-system bookings and maintenance.
Anticipate visitor and event needs and maintain or help develop visitor technology and resources.
Manage the Lost and Found program lifecycle, including intake, storage, reunification, and disposition, in compliance with state regulations and internal policies.
Order shared office supplies, back up the Events Coordinator, and assist with building operations as needed.
Represent DES in enforcing its rules and policies, explain rules to event attendees, employees, and visitors, and resolve conflicts or escalate safety and rule violations to security and supervisors.
Collaborate with Capitol Security, DES Buildings & Grounds, and key stakeholders to manage public spaces and address building issues.
Perform other duties as needed.