Visitor Services Manager (Program Specialist 5)

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Visitor Services Manager serves on the Capitol Security and Visitor Services leadership team and reports to the CSVS Deputy Director. The position leads strategic development and daily operations of Washington State Capitol visitor programs, managing assigned staff and overseeing civic education, public tours, event permitting, and visitor management. The manager promotes continuous improvement through strong customer service practices and technology integration. As the campus subject matter expert on public space use, the manager researches, interprets, and enforces campus rules and policies. The role coordinates Incident Action Plans for major or politically sensitive events and serves as the primary point of contact for First Amendment rights and spontaneous gatherings. The manager represents the agency in a high-profile, fast-paced political environment, mitigating conflicts and fostering a positive, engaging, and accessible experience for Capitol visitors. The position is on-site, Tuesday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The schedule includes partial weekend coverage and occasional holidays. The role may involve leading tours and managing events during staff shortages, and performing other duties as needed.

Requirements

Eight years of progressive experience in any combination of public engagement and public-space management; civics, the legislative process, or Washington State history; FEMA Incident Command System structure or writing safety plans or Incident Action Plans; tours or event operations; staff supervision; navigating political or highly charged groups or customers; interpreting and enforcing rules and regulations; and customer service.
Education in Public Administration, Social Sciences, Communications, or a related field may be substituted for experience on a year-for-year basis.
Demonstrated willingness to learn from new experiences, seek feedback, consider different perspectives, and continually improve knowledge, skills, communication, and work approaches.
Ability 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.
Must complete a background check, including criminal record history, as a condition of employment.
Application requires a letter of interest, current resume, and a current list of at least three professional references with contact information.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Public Administration, Social Sciences, Communications, or a related field.
Two years of related experience in planning, policy analysis, coordination, and consultation with public and private agencies, organizations, or levels of government.
Two years of supervisory experience.
De-escalation training or experience.
Experience working with diverse populations.

Responsibilities

Direct personnel management, including hiring, training, performance evaluations, seven-day staffing schedules, and daily quality control of staff deliverables.
Model and enforce exceptional customer service standards, guiding staff through complex, sensitive, or high-conflict interactions using sound judgment and de-escalation techniques.
Interpret WACs and RCWs, establish time, place, and manner restrictions, and oversee permits to balance public access with government operations.
Serve as the main point of contact for First Amendment rights and spontaneous gatherings, helping groups express their rights safely while minimizing disruption.
Develop Incident Action Plans for large or political events, coordinate cross-agency logistics and staffing, and serve in key Incident Command System roles as needed.
Draft, propose, and refine program policies, decision packages, customer service standards, and contracts.
Build stakeholder relationships and navigate politically sensitive environments with diplomacy, fairness, and consistent application of campus rules.
Attend weekly security briefings and coordinate with partners, security teams, and facilities staff on planning, events, and campus operations.
Partner with emergency teams to develop contingency and evacuation plans for campus visitors and staff, including participation in annual legislative building drills.
Ensure accessibility compliance, lead tours and manage events during staff shortages, and directly assist volunteers and the public.
Perform other duties as needed.