Visitor Experience Associate

Job Title: Visitor Experience Associate

Department: Visitor Experience

Hourly Pay Rate:  $22.51

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Employment Status: Part-Time

Union Position: Yes

Reports to: Visitor Experience Manager and Retail Manager

POSITION DESCRIPTION           

Visitor Experience Associates (VEA) are part of the front-line staff of the New Museum, providing a professional, warm and welcoming experience to museum visitors. As ambassadors for the Museum, VEAs will provide exceptional customer service by engaging with guests in the lobby, at the visitor services desk, and in the New Museum Store. Specific job functions include: engaging with guests; providing wayfinding; selling admission, public programming tickets and memberships; and New Museum Store sales. Work hours include weekends, evenings, holidays, and may encompass staffing at offsite events and projects. VEAs are overseen by Senior Visitor Experience Associates and report to the Visitor Experience Manager and Retail Manager. 

This position is a union-represented position subject to terms of the Museum’s agreement with Local 2110, UAW, and is eligible for the New Museum’s employee benefits programs. This is a part-time position with 22-24 hours/week and a pay rate of $22.51 per hour. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Visitor Engagement

• Proactively greets and engages visitors, providing enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and friendly service to museum visitors. Monitors and when necessary, assists with visitor flow. Informs visitors of museum policies and safety protocols. 
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of museum exhibitions, programming, membership benefits, events, store products, store promotions and museum policies.
• Accurately and professionally responds to visitor inquiries in person, and on the phone. Follow through on customer sales including mail and special orders.
• Assists with check-in and admissions for public programming and special events (exhibition openings, donor receptions and events, store pop-ups and events…etc.). Provides support in Store special events, promotions and other related activities both on and off site.
• Provides some reception services for administrative staff.
• Other duties as assigned relating to the operations of visitor experience.

Sales and Maintenance

• Works to meet individual and team store sales goals on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis.
• Sells tickets for exhibitions, public programming, and special events. Sells memberships and provides member support.   
• Accurately perform cashier duties, process cash and credit card transactions with precision in accordance with museum policies and procedures.
• Accurately count register drawer and prepare daily sales deposit. 
• Monitors Store supply and inventory levels, notify Retail Manger of low stock and supply levels. 
• Assists with checking in, unpacking and replenishing inventory and new stock.
• Assists with visual merchandising and daily maintenance of the store.
• Assists with annual physical inventory count and other duties as assigned relating to retail operations.

QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants must be eager to provide professional, welcoming, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and friendly service to museum visitors. Previous experience interacting with the public in a museum, gallery, retail, hospitality or cultural institution is required. Attention to detail and the ability to prioritize, follow through and complete assigned tasks is essential for this position. Familiarity and comfort with computers and technology is important. VEAs must be able to occasionally lift 25-pound boxes and be physically active in the lobby, Store and storage areas. A passion for contemporary art is highly desired, and fluency in a foreign language is a plus. Visitor Experience Associates report to the Visitor Experience Manager and Retail Manager. 

Weekends and holidays required. A varying shift availability of early and evening hours may be required.

BENEFITS 

We offer a benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Reimbursement Program through the Difference Card, Commuter Benefits Program through the Difference Card, Voluntary Short Term Disability Plan and Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance, Retirement Plan, and other voluntary benefits.  7 sick days off and 13 holidays off as applicable through the fiscal year.

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role. If much of this Job Description describes you, then please apply for this role.  

ABOUT THE MUSEUM 

The New Museum's mission is simply "New Art, New Ideas."  Founded in 1977 by curator Marcia Tucker with a bold vision of presenting contemporary culture in a critical and scholarly context, the New Museum has been a leader among contemporary art museums for over 40 years, and is among the most respected internationally for its risk-taking curatorial program. The New Museum is a center for exhibitions, information, and documentation about living artists from around the world, focusing on emerging and under-recognized voices, and providing a platform for the artists who are defining our cultural moment.  In 2007, the New Museum made history with the inauguration of its first permanent building at 235 Bowery designed by the Tokyo-based firm SANAA. Since that time, over 4 million have visited or attended programs and events, and the Museum has 155 exhibitions featuring over 600 artists from 60+ countries in our galleries, as well as over 1,200 public programs ranging from live performances, conferences, residencies, screening, after-school programs, and family days. For more information about the New Museum and its programs, please visit www.newmuseum.org. 

Equal Opportunity Employer

The New Museum of Contemporary Art believes that all persons are entitled to Equal Employment Opportunity and we do not discriminate against our staff members or applicants for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender identity and expression, sex, age, disability, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, genetic information, or veteran or citizenship status provided they are qualified and meet the requirements for the job. The New Museum provides reasonable accommodation to candidates with disabilities. As per New York State Guidelines, all candidates hired must be vaccinated with the COVID vaccine.