Reporting to the Director of the Museum, the Director of Museum Visitor Engagement is responsible for overall planning and daily oversight of multiple visitor-facing operational departments including visitor services, museum rentals, and the museum store. The Harn’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan includes a goal of becoming a campus and community destination by enhancing the museum’s visibility and visitor experience. The Director of Museum Visitor Engagement is a new position resulting from that goal, and the successful candidate will play a key role in making the museum more engaging by encouraging a sense of belonging through improving the visitor experience. The successful candidate will be working with departments and colleagues across the entire museum to ensure seamless museum operations and to deliver excellence in customer service to all museum visitors.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION
The Director of Museum Visitor Engagement oversees three visitor-facing operational departments: Museum Rentals, Museum Store and Visitor Services, and is responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures within these departments that support the mission of the museum and the university. responsible for the overall effectiveness of visitor engagement. The Director of Museum Visitor Engagement is expected to develop a vision and build strategies and support systems to accomplish programmatic and financial goals.
Management
· Champions the institution’s philosophy regarding Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion (DEAI).
· Develops and documents policies and procedures for departmental staff, ensuring compliance department- and museum-wide.
· Defines performance standards and completes performance evaluations in compliance with museum and university standards.
· Establishes procedural and programmatic training guidelines and criteria with input from multiple departments to ensure a positive experience for staff, volunteers, and visitors.
· Creates and manages a museum-wide calendar of events.
· Responsible for tracking and reporting museum visitor attendance and sales figures for strategic planning and grant reporting.
· Establishes and tracks multiple departmental budgets and annual work plans, adhering to accounting departmental standards.
· Collaborates closely with colleagues interdepartmentally to ensure that departmental and institutional goals are met.
· Anticipates any needs and opportunities that may arise in a fast-changing environment.
· Identifies, troubleshoots, and recommends cost-effective solutions.
Visitor Services
· Provides guidance, support, and training to all visitor-facing staff and volunteers working in the museum within a model that maintains operational and security standards and enhances visitors’ experience wile maintaining outstanding customer service.
· In collaboration with the Education Department and the Manager of Special Projects, develops and implements formal and informal tools and guidelines for visitor observation and feedback
· Supervises and supports the Visitor Services Coordinator in the overall operational effectiveness of the Visitor Services Department
· In conjunction with the Harn’s DEAI working group, identifies and resolves any barriers to accessibility for Harn visitors
· Researches developments in the Visitor Experience sphere, aligning the work of the Harn Museum of Art with best practice across the museum sector; brings knowledge, information and resources to the Harn
· Partners with the Harn’s Development team in promoting and increasing membership
· Oversees all visitor-facing staff and volunteers working in the museum within a model that maintains operational and security standards and enhances visitors’ experience while maintaining outstanding customer service.
· Addresses and resolves guests’ needs, concerns, and complaints, assuring they are settled in a positive, timely, and appropriate manner.
Museum Rentals
Supervises and supports Museum Rental Coordinator to facilitate museum rentals and perform the following duties:
· Working directly with internal and external customers, this position is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Museum Rental program, including customer service, scheduling, coordinating support services and the dissemination of information concerning facility use and related financial management tasks.
· Promotes the Harn Museum as a venue for private, corporate and university functions
· Develops and implements long and short-range plans for meeting the museum’s operational needs, including needs for special exhibitions and those related to before- and after-hours events.
· Coordinates special events at the Harn from start to finish, proactively delivers key information to various stakeholders
· Implements the facility rental program, meeting established revenue goals
· Schedules and facilitates the details required for each booking from contracting to production, coordinating staff and representing the museum in a professional and friendly manner.
· Develops and implements facility rental policies and procedures consistent with the care of the collection and the facility and the safety of staff and visitors
Museum Store
Supervises and supports the part-time Museum Store Manager to perform the following duties:
· Establishes and achieves set sales goals ensuring store profits that will support exhibitions and programs at the Harn Museum of Art.
· Responsible for purchasing, merchandising, inventory control, product development, marketing and budget of the Museum Store
· Supervises part-time staff
· Develops and implements store policies and procedures related to areas of responsibility and implements those approved by the Director.
· Works closely with the finance/business office and with colleagues across the museum as deemed appropriate.
· Develops a vision for retail at the museum and builds strategies and support systems to accomplish long-range goals.
· Oversees execution of institutional strategies to support museum store goals, both financial and programmatic.
· Maintains an efficient and secure cash handling system
· Works closely with the Director of Marketing and Public Relations in product development related to the Harn Museum
Other duties as identified and assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s Degree in an appropriate area of specialization and three years of appropriate experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
· Demonstrated experience and excellence in customer service and operations
· Demonstrated experience in developing/nurturing positive customer interactions
· Experience developing and implementing defined training protocols
· Experience in interviewing, hiring, training, and mentoring emerging professionals
· Bilingual and Multilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply (Spanish, Mandarin, and/or ASL)
· Educational background in Business, Communications, Museum Studies, Art/Art History or a related field of study and or work experience strongly preferred
· Strong leadership and management skills including planning and execution, coaching and conflict resolution.
· Knowledge of standard business principles and practices; ability to manage an operating budget
· Excellent judgment and troubleshooting skills
· Conscientious and detail-oriented
· Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities
· Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills
· Ability to understand operations and the impact across the institution
· Thrives in culturally diverse social settings
· Exercises diplomacy and composure at all times
· Demonstrates resourcefulness and a creative approach to problem solving; uses discretion and best judgment to resolve problems, seeks leadership support and consult
· Displays a high level of support for colleagues, builds professional and respectful relationships with others
· Adaptability and flexibility
APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 27, 2022
Apply directly online at Details – Museum Visitor Engagement Manager (ufl.edu)
The reference number for this openingis 520797.
Salary: $52,000 – $75,000 commensurate with experience.
Classification: Full-time, Teams Exempt
About the Harn Museum of Art (http://www.harn.ufl.edu)
The Harn Museum of Art is committed to the values of equity and inclusion. By striving to be a critical part of every University of Florida student’s academic experience and welcoming all residents of its greater community, the Harn Museum is committing to equitably serving individuals of all racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual identities and ability, and educational and economic backgrounds. The Harn also believes in fostering an inclusive and accessible workplace that celebrates and benefits from diversity.
The Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida is one of the nation’s leading university art museums employing approximately 50 full and part-time staff. The Museum is an 112,800-square-foot-facility, which includes 40,400 square feet of exhibition space, 5 garden spaces, a 250-seat auditorium, study center, museum store, café and classroom spaces. The Harn’s collection totals more than 11,500 objects including African, Asian, modern and contemporary art, and photography with significant representations of Ancient American and oceanic art, as well as a growing collection of natural history works on paper.
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