Visitor Experience Coordinator

PAY GRADE: 28E

Context Of The Job

The University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press inspires the intellectual, scholarly and creative achievement of our community .  We are strongly committed to fostering safe, welcoming, and inclusive spaces and opportunities where everyone has an equal opportunity to learn, create, and grow. We collaborate with strategic campus partners to achieve these priorities, as well as with a host of national professional organizations.

The University’s Museums, part of the Library, Museums and Press, includes exhibition spaces dedicated to art and minerals. Focus areas of the art collections include the art of the United States with significant representations of African American art; modern and contemporary Indigenous art; photography; European printmaking; sculpture; contemporary and modern art; and examples of work by regional artists including art by alumni and faculty of the University. The University also houses a renowned collection of minerals, as well as meteorites, gems, and carvings, in our Mineralogical Museum.

Reporting initially to the Assistant Director, Museums, the Visitor Experience Coordinator serves as the primary advocate for visitor experience in the Museums, supervises and mentors student employees, and plays a key role in supporting student engagement efforts. One of the primary responsibilities of this position is to manage gallery attendants working in three exhibition spaces located in different campus buildings. Leading by example, the Visitor Experience Coordinator ensures that Museums spaces and events are welcoming, inclusive, and accessible for all visitors. The Visitor Experience Coordinator will also participate in the planning and execution of museum events and activities that focus on visitor engagement, providing logistical support for programs and events. This role requires occasional evening and weekend hours.

Major Responsibilities

Managing Operations of the Museum galleries: 

• Hires, supervises and provides training and mentorship for undergraduate students, part time staff and volunteer gallery attendants. Creates and coordinates attendants’ schedules for three gallery spaces, including occasional Saturday hours and evening events. Serves as primary backup when attendants are unable to work their shift.
• Leads gallery attendants by example in welcoming visitors, making recommendations based on their interests and providing information about exhibitions, collections and events at the Museums. Collaborates with Curators and Education colleagues to train gallery attendants on exhibition content so attendants can confidently engage with visitors. 
• Assures the security of the collection by facilitating access to spaces, enforcing museum policies and reporting inconsistencies, and trains gallery attendants to do the same.
• Collaborates with Museums staff to develop meaningful work for gallery attendants during their shifts, such as by assisting with outreach initiatives or reviewing database records.
• Works to continuously improve gallery attendant training. 
  
  

Visitor Engagement And Public Inquiries

• Responds to general inquiries in person, online, or via telephone, providing visitors with information about the Museums or referring to the appropriate staff.  
• Under the guidance of the Library, Museums and Press Web Content Support Committee and within the digital best practices and policies of the University, maintains content on the Museums website, supporting online exhibitions program, updating gallery hours, descriptions and offerings.
• Contributes to Museums data collection work, including tracking gallery attendance and class visits.
• Evaluate current practices and propose strategies to enhance accessibility for museum visitors
• May assist with administering surveys or other feedback tools.
• Provides tours of exhibitions and/or Museums spaces.
• May represent the Museums at campus events, including new student orientation, new faculty orientation, Homecoming Weekend, and Alumni Weekend.
• Works with museum leadership to assess and improve the visitor experience.
  
  

Student Engagement

• Develops and implements strategies to deepen student engagement with the Museums.
• Fosters a sense of community among gallery attendants.
• Acts as an internal advocate for the interests and perspectives of students.