What are the responsibilities and job description for the Visitor Services Manager position at Senator John Heinz History Center?
About the Senator John Heinz History Center
The Senator John Heinz History Center is a Smithsonian-affiliated Museum and a first-day Pittsburgh attraction that presents compelling stories from American history with a Western Pennsylvania connection, all in an interactive and engaging environment for visitors of all ages. The largest history museum in Pennsylvania, the AAM-accredited History Center attracts large and diverse audiences to its 370,000-square-foot facility in Pittsburgh’s historic Strip District that includes six floors of long-term and changing exhibition space along with spectacular spaces for unique events.
The History Center’s family of museums includes the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, a dynamic museum-within-a-museum; the Fort Pitt Museum in Point State Park; and Meadowcroft Rockshelter & Historic Village, a National Historic Landmark located in Avella, Washington County, Pa. The History Center also leads a partnership of more than 125 regional historical societies, museums, and organizations dedicated to preserving local history – the History Center Affiliates Program.
A popular destination for families and visitors to our region, the History Center attracts more than 250,000 visitors annually and reaches millions through virtual programs and digital outreach. The History Center was recently recognized as America’s #1 History Museum by USA TODAY and “Pittsburgh’s Best Museum” by Pittsburgh Magazine.
Job Posting
The Visitor Services Manager is a primary voice in identifying and executing strategic initiatives for the Visitor Services Division and for the overall visitor experience at the Heinz History Center. The Visitor Services Manager is also responsible for ensuring efficient daily frontline operations and delivering extraordinary customer service in all aspects of visitor services including admissions, the museum store, e-store/internet sales, the café, membership, accessibility, visitor information, wholesale operations, the Visit Pittsburgh Welcome Center, and frontline staff management of multiple part-time Visitor Service Associates.
Th Visitor Services Manager will hire, train, and supervise all Visitor Service Associates, continuing to build upon the History Center’s reputation for excellent visitor service.
As a key member of the Visitor Services department the Visitor Services Manager helps to ensure a seamless visitor experience. Duties include, but are not limited to: working closely with the Director of Visitor Services to identify strategic projects, making decisions on behalf of the division in meetings or programs, functioning as the daily “site manager” for frontline operations in the absence of the Visitor Services Coordinator, assisting in shop product development, placing merchandise orders, maintaining meticulous accounting records of expenditures, assisting with product development/fulfillment in wholesale operations, creating the monthly staffing schedule for Visitor Services Coordinators & Associates, troubleshooting issues related to point-of-sale systems, advancing accessibility initiatives, fielding and professionally responding to visitor concerns/complaints, representing the Visitor Services division at various institution-wide meetings and programs, and helping the division achieve its long-term strategic goals.
The Visitor Services Manager is willing and able to cover any type of shift (shop, admissions, café, Visit Pittsburgh Welcome Center, and floater) assigned to Visitor Services Associates or corresponding lunch breaks if the need arises (in the absence of the Visitor Services Coordinator). Functions as the Division Lead when the Director of Visitor Services is unavailable, making necessary decisions using experience and knowledge of Visitor Services best practices as a guide.
This is a full-time, salaried / exempt position reporting to the Director of Visitor Services.
Why Work at the History Center?
- Rewarding, mission-driven work that makes an impact in the community
- Smithsonian-affiliated Museum located in Pittsburgh’s vibrant and historic Strip District
- Voted the #1 history museum in the nation by USA Today
- Voted Best Museum in Pittsburgh by Pittsburgh Magazine
- Highly professional, collegial staff and dedicated volunteers
- Located in Pittsburgh, one of America’s “most livable” cities
- Dynamic workplace in Pittsburgh’s historic Strip District
- Full benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options
- 403(B) retirement plans with employer match
- Paid time off (vacation, personal, and sick days)
- Paid Parental Leave
- Nine (9) paid holidays
- Company paid life insurance / LTD
- Wellness and Employee Assistance Program
- Discounts in the Museum Shop and Cafe
- Public transportation and parking options nearby
The successful candidate will be an energetic, creative, results-oriented professional, who demonstrates outstanding customer service skills, understands the retail business, and can motivate and manage a team. Retail management and computerized sales/inventory experience required; E store design/fulfillment/sales experience is also required. Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel are required. Excellent oral, written, and electronic communication skills are essential. Position requires the ability to foster collaboration with both internal and external customers. Selected candidate will possess retail management experience including merchandising skills, specialty sales experience and a mission-driven work ethic. Previous experience with Shopify and Acme software a plus.
Visitor Services Manager will be scheduled to work from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Flexibility is required due to some events / programs. Additionally, some evenings and holiday hours are required depending upon institutional/departmental need.