Job Description

Expected Schedule: August 26, 2024 – February 9, 2024

Join our team of dedicated Visitor and Gallery Assistants (VGAs) during the fall and winter season at the premier Museum of 20 th and 21 st Century American Art. You will be part of the team supporting operations in the lobby, galleries, and events for Edges of Ailey .

Edges of Ailey is the first large-scale museum exhibition to reflect on the life, work, and legacy of visionary artist Alvin Ailey (b. 1931, Rogers, Texas; d. 1989, New York, New York). Widely recognized for the dance company he founded in 1958, Ailey imagined and cultivated a platform for modern dance through his innovative repertoire, interdisciplinary sensibility, and support of other dancers and choreographers. This multifaceted presentation encompasses a multimedia exhibition presented in the Museum’s 18,000+ square-foot fifth-floor galleries, as well as a performance program and scholarly catalogue to offer a richly layered experience for understanding the artist anew. 

As a Visitor and Member Experience team representative, VGAs engage visitors on their journey throughout the Museum. VGAs promote the Whitney’s broad program and ensure visitors understand and abide by the Museum’s visitor policies in a warm, welcoming, and professional manner. You will play an integral role in keeping our Museum community safe by ensuring visitors understand visitor policies. VGAs partner with Membership to increase museum revenue by implementing onsite fundraising strategies. Team members are expected to provide excellent customer service and deliver a memorable experience for our visitors and members.

General Responsibilities:

• Provide excellent customer service to members and visitors by adhering to the guidelines provided in the Visitor Experience Principles
• Act as an ambassador for the museum by promoting offers like the Shop, membership, program, and the overall exhibition program
• Execute daily logistical operations
• Engage with members and visitors to help promote our mission and create a seamless experience
• Provide support during after–hours events and programs

Supporting Daily Operations:

• Entry validation (ticket scanning) and line management (indoor and outdoor)
• Staff coat check as a part of daily operations and events
• Perform daily duties such as stanchion setup, stocking, tour signs, and other duties as required
• Facilitate and process admissions and membership transactions as needed
• Observe all cash management policies and procedures
• Utilize onsite software systems including Outlook (email), Microsoft Teams (internal communication platform), and WhenToWork (scheduling platform)

In the Galleries:

• Initiate conversations with visitors, anticipate visitor needs, and respond to visitor questions
• Maintain the integrity of the Whitney’s galleries by ensuring that visitors understand appropriate onsite conduct and the Museum’s visitor policies
• Deliver that message in a way that ensures visitors feel welcome
• Keep an open line of communication with colleagues in Security, Facilities, Engineers, AV, Exhibitions, Education, and Retail
• Uphold the highest standards of customer service and professionalism at all times
• Go the extra mile to ensure visitors have an exemplary onsite experience

Requirements:

• Open and friendly attitude
• A minimum of 1-2 years of customer service experience in a public-facing environment
• Must be able to work weekend, holidays, early and evening hours 
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite or comparable software
• Excellent communication and empathetic listening skills
• Works well under pressure in fast-paced environments
• Proficiency in Spanish is preferred; a second language is a plus
• Ability to stand or be in a stationary position at several posts for long periods of time, including outdoors in all weather conditions
• Ability to move objects of up to 25 pounds

Compensation & Benefits:

• This is a part-time position (14 - 27 hours per week) with a starting wage of $23 an hour
• Admission to world-renowned museums across the city and nationally

Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that men apply for jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria. Yet, women and other people who are systematically marginalized tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. We encourage you to apply if you believe you could excel in this role. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse work experiences and backgrounds. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.

About the Whitney

The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.

EEO Statement

The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, partnership status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels. This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment.

Job Tags

Holiday work, Contract work, Temporary work, Part time, Work experience placement, Seasonal work, Winter season, Outdoor, Weekend work, Afternoon shift,

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