Visitor Experience Assistant
Reports to
Director of Visitor Experience
Classification
Part-time, hourly, non-exempt (20 hours/week); weekdays, weekends, holidays, and some evenings.
Scope of Position
Visitor Experience Assistants are responsible for visitor orientation, admission and gift shop sales, guided tours, and hands-on demonstrations at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park and Casa de la Guerra. In addition to facilitating the daily operations of these historic sites and museum shops, Visitor Experience Assistants create informal education experiences for visitors.
Duties & Responsibilities
1. Provide welcome and orientation to all visitors, as well as information on SBTHP and its programs.
2. Conduct interpretive and educational programs, demonstrations, and guided tours under the direction of the Director for Visitor Experience.
3. Assist with collecting visitor experience evaluations and visitor demographic information.
4. Participate occasionally in SBTHP’s school tours and public programs, including set up and breakdown, under the direction of SBTHP Programs Department.
5. Assist with opening and closing the park and museum, including flag-raising, setting and disarming alarm systems, and locking and unlocking doors and gates.
6. Conduct light maintenance tasks including dusting, sweeping, cleaning and stocking of public bathrooms.
7. Handle cash and credit card transactions including admission and gift shop sales.
8. Assist with gift shop restocking, displays and inventory.
9. Attend appropriate staff meetings and ongoing training opportunities.
10. Opportunities may arise to work additional hours beyond those scheduled in accordance with this job description to assist with other organizational tasks including facility rentals and visitor center duties.
All work will be consistent with SBTHP’s Strategic Plan and in support of the organization’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan. SBTHP is a diverse organization with a small staff and many activities; all staff members must be versatile and cooperative in carrying out a variety of responsibilities and duties as assigned by the Director of Visitor Experience and the Associate Director for Public Engagement.
Qualifications
High school graduation, experience in customer service and cash handling required. Excellent communication and public speaking skills, demonstrated desire to work with the general public, high level of initiative and ability to work without constant supervision required. Solid organizational and problem-solving skills, and ability to explain complex issues, and diffuse difficult situations required. Interest and experience in informal education, history, and/or museum studies and facility with a second language preferred. Undergraduate or graduate student, or career changer with an emphasis in history, education, museum studies, public history, and/or interpretation preferred.
Start Date
ASAP
Usual Schedule
Hours of operation at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara SHP are 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 7 days a week. At Casa de la Guerra hours are 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, plus additional flexible hours.
Salary
$18/hour
Application Process
A complete application form, cover letter and resume are required. Please send application package to Melanie Magolan.
Event Attendant
Reports to
Director of Membership & Event Rentals
Classification
Regular, part time, non-exempt
Scope of Position
The Event Attendant is scheduled to work private events at Casa de la Guerra and El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park and occasionally for Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) sponsored events.
Duties & Responsibilities
1. Welcome and orient renters/vendors/guests to Presidio or Casa de la Guerra facilities.
2. Assist with event set-up, including moving chairs and tables when needed.
3. Implements the rules and guidelines of SBTHP with the renters, vendors (such as catering, party rentals, music, florists, etc.), and guests during the event, set-up, and tear down.
4. Maintains, protects, and secures the historic properties and structures throughout duration of each event, including opening and closing facilities, and arming/disarming the alarm system.
5. Ensures parking and noise are appropriate to the event and do not conflict with general safety, the visitor experience, or neighboring businesses.
6. Provide staff support/troubleshooting to renters as needed.
7. Light maintenance of sites, including occasional sweeping, raking, picking up trash as necessary.
8. Restock restroom supplies and maintain restrooms in clean condition as needed.
9. Coordinate and maintain communication with SBTHP staff and volunteers during open hours to ensure that event is successful and the public’s enjoyment of SBTHP sites is unhampered.
10. Represent SBTHP as needed to visitors to El Presidio SHP and the Casa by answering questions about general history, site rental, operating hours, etc.
11. Opportunities may arise to work additional hours beyond those scheduled in accordance with this job description to assist with other organizational tasks such as visitor center duties and SBTHP's public programs, as needed.
SBTHP is a diverse organization with a small staff and many activities. All staff members, including the Event Attendant, must be versatile and cooperative in carrying out a variety of responsibilities and duties, as assigned by the Rental and Development Coordinator and/or the Associate Director of Advancement.
Qualifications
Outgoing and confident manner; ability to work independently; to perform well under pressure and deal with awkward situations; excellent human relations skills; good verbal skills; dependable; able to work outdoors; able to understand and follow detailed directions; able to adapt to last minute changes required. Reliable transportation, and availability to work nights, weekends, holidays, and to work varying shifts required. Must be age 21 or over. Interest in history and museums; previous event experience preferred. A high school education/G.E.D., plus two years’ experience in a similar position with a public-facing role preferred.
Physical Requirements
-
Ability to lift 35 lbs.
-
Ability to bend, stoop, and kneel
-
Ability to sit for long periods of time
-
Ability to stand for long periods of time
-
Ability to reach overhead
-
Hearing acuity to perform communication with members of the public via telephone.
Start Date
ASAP
Usual Schedule
A minimum of 10 hours per week (40 hours per month) dependent on rental and organizational activity.
Salary
$18/hour
Application Process
A complete application form, cover letter and resume are required. Please send application package to Andrew Doran.