Director, Guest Services & Hospitality

The Paley Center for Media, the world’s leading nonprofit institution dedicated to preserving and engaging the public in the exploration of the powerful culture-shaping influence of media, is hiring a Director, Guest Services & Hospitality, reporting to the VP, Facilities & Special Projects, as an important and valued senior member of the operations and hospitality team. This role is responsible for managing the daily operations of the Guest Services department in both New York and Los Angeles to deliver the highest level of service excellence and a stellar guest experience.  

Responsibilities 

Guest Hospitality 

• Create a welcoming, safe, positive, friendly, and meaningful experience for all members and guests and manage the daily operations of Guest Services to support all Paley programs, exhibits, PaleyGX, special events, group tours, third-party rentals, and library operations 
• Grow and develop the Guest Services team, including managers, part-time staff, and volunteers, by providing strong, dynamic leadership and coaching team members to deliver unforgettable guest and member experiences through unmatched service 
• Oversee the operation and execution of all events, rentals and special projects 
• Demonstrate excellent customer service skills and expert knowledge of the institution, its programming, events and membership, to set the tone for a positive guest experience, effectively and compellingly communicate information to visitors, and exhibit a professional presence and appearance at all times while adhering to Paley policies and procedures 
• Identify opportunities to share, in a professional and “soft sell” manner, information on Paley memberships to convert visitors to Paley membership 
• Develop and implement documentation, training materials and safety guidelines that ensure staff are fully trained to handle customer issues, answer patron inquiries and problem-solve any incidents, alerting the VP of Facility and Special Projects of any issues immediately 
• Enforce safety and health practices, ensuring compliance with operational standards, ADA, and federal, state, local laws and ordinances 

Exhibits, Programming, and Library Support – NY & LA 

• Manage the guest experience and operational flow for all Paley live programming, exhibits, special events, and library operations in both NY and LA (encompassing internal and external events), as well as PaleyGX and group tours in NY, to ensure efficient execution 
• Manage all aspects of the Front Desk operations including timed-ticketed entry and flow of visitors, will call and VIP ticket check-in, seating manifests, customer inquiries, cash management and cash control procedures, attendance reporting, etc.

Own and oversee:  

• All box office operations including the event setup, management, and reporting within the Paley ticketing platform (currently Universe) for all Paley programs, exhibits, and special events 
• The library and its service desk, greeting and assisting guests, and monitoring entrance access and providing general library services and information to internal and external clients while spotlighting the Paley Archive 
• All group tour bookings and reservations, managing the full booking lifecycle from initial inquiry and client communication through scheduling, confirmation, and day-of coordination. 
• Third-party rental sales and ensure we meet or exceed ambitious target goals 
• Coordinate with Paley management team regarding the oversight and distribution of VIP seating and holds for Paley programs and special events 
• Supervise day-to-day management of the gaming and VR experience in the PaleyGX Studio 
• Other 
• Assist in staffing internal areas such as Development and Industry Programs on ad-hoc projects and third-party rentals, as requested 
• Engage as a Paley Ambassador for social media initiatives by actively sharing Paley’s social media posts within one’s own networks, to amplify the organization’s reach and foster community engagement 
• Participate in other duties as assigned 

Core Competencies 

• Our successful employees meet the following criteria:  
• Consistently strives for excellence in all areas 
• Extremely organized with proven ability to meet deadlines and budgets 
• Outstanding leadership skills and ability to lead cross functional teams 
• Outstanding verbal communication and superior business writing skills 
• Ability to take ownership of all tasks and manage simultaneously 
• Positive and professional demeanor with excellent interpersonal, administrative, and managerial skills 
• Ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks while maintaining attention to detail 
• Resourcefulness, creativity, and strong problem-solving and research skills 

Requirements

• 10-15 years of experience managing a team in a service environment, such as guest service experience in a theater, performing arts center, hotel, or other service-oriented organization 
• Due to the museum’s operating hours, the Director, Guest Services regular work schedule is Monday– Friday, 9am-5pm in addition to occasional early mornings, late evenings, and weekends, when necessary, to support Paley events and programs 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively respond to and interact with large crowds, staff and clients to provide the highest quality service level 
• Extremely comfortable in a fast-paced, live events, service-oriented environment  
• Strong work ethic with desire and preference to work in-person as part of a cohesive, collaborative, high-energy, in-the-office environment 
• Experience working with box office ticketing programs such as Universe, a plus 
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office programs 
• Ability to stand, walk, and climb stairs for long periods of time 
• Ability to lift a minimum of 25 lbs 
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university 
• Bilingual fluency in Spanish a plus 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement 

The Paley Center for Media maintains a strong policy of equal opportunity in employment.  It is our objective to recruit, hire, and retain the most qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.  Our equal employment philosophy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, training, promotions, transfers, job benefits, and terminations.