Guest Experience Director

Status: Full-time | Exempt
Reports to: Vice President of Brand Experience 
Supervises: Guest Experience Team

Our Mission:
Inspire all children to wonder and explore their world through play and innovative, hands-on learning experiences.

Become a Valued Member of the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum (BBCM) Team!
We are seeking enthusiastic, positive, and driven team players who are passionate about early childhood education to help us achieve our mission of providing ALL children with high-quality, hands-on, and playful learning experiences. At BBCM, teamwork thrives through supportive and collaborative discussions. We are committed to investing in our team members' professional growth and celebrating curious minds.

Our Team Values: 

• Make Memories: Deliver unforgettable experiences to families. Create a spark and find the magic, helping each guest write their unique story. 
• Raise Your Hand: Jump in, check-in, be all in. Bring your best and work together. Show the team and your guests that they can depend on you. 
• Be an Explorer: Be curious and open. Keep your gears moving. Bring childlike energy to navigating challenges and discover new possibilities. 
• Everyone Counts: Be kind to all. Initiate a positive impact in our community. See the potential in every child and make everyone feel like they are a line leader. 
• Be More Than a Museum: Be a launchpad for life-long learning. Help families create connections and experience opportunities that lead to brighter futures and a stronger Milwaukee. 
• Feel the Fun: Radiate joy and delight in our purpose. Embrace the exciting unpredictability of every day.  

At the Museum, we are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and job applicants. We prohibit any form of discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
 

Position Summary:

The Director of Guest Experience provides proactive leadership and daily management of the frontline teams that shape the museum’s visitor experience. This role ensures that every guest receives an exceptional, engaging, and welcoming experience that reflects the museum’s mission and values. The Director oversees all aspects of daily museum operations, including opening and closing procedures, front desk operations, staffing and scheduling, supply management, responding to guest inquiries, and event bookings.

This role requires a balance of operational excellence, staff development, and creative problem-solving to align guest services with the museum’s mission of inspiring children through play and learning.

If you have a "can-do" attitude, take initiative, and thrive in a collaborative environment, we encourage you to apply. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in customer service and team leadership, with a passion for creating welcoming and family-friendly experiences for children and their families.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Oversee daily guest experience operations to ensure smooth, efficient, and visitor-focused service.
• Oversee daily operations of BBCM gift shop and cafe, including staffing, inventory, POS, purchasing, and vendor relationships
• Monitor cost of goods, pricing, and profitability; prepare and manage annual budgets.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and food-service regulations.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to the Guest Experience team.
• Recruit, train, and develop high-performing staff by setting clear expectations and delivering regular feedback and evaluations.
• Develop staffing plans, schedules, budgets, and performance metrics to support service excellence.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and innovative work culture that emphasizes continuous improvement.
• Serve as a visible leader on the floor, modeling exceptional service standards.
• Maintain and update policies and procedures related to the museum experience.
• Identify opportunities to enhance revenue through guest services, membership sales, and program participation.
• Monitor guest feedback and data to establish standards and protocols for continuous improvement.
• Oversee the departmental budget, including procurement, purchasing, and resource allocation to support guest services initiatives.

Guest Engagement 

• Establish and uphold high standards of service, ensuring all guest interactions are welcoming, inclusive, and memorable.
• Develop and implement service protocols, training programs, and performance benchmarks.
• Resolve escalated guest concerns with professionalism and care.
• Monitor and analyze guest feedback (surveys, comments, social media) to identify trends and drive improvements.
• Collaborate across departments to ensure seamless experiences for visitors at all touchpoints, including daily operations and special events.
• Serve as the museum’s primary contact for visitor feedback, resolving concerns promptly and professionally.
• Manage and track guest satisfaction surveys, report out across the organization to foster accountability, and implement improvements.
• Oversee the departmental budget, including procurement, purchasing, and resource allocation to support guest services initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications 

• Five years of progressive experience leading, supervising, and developing diverse teams, with a strong background in customer service and team leadership. 
• Must be available to work mornings, evenings, and weekends, depending on the needs of the Museum. 

Skills and Abilities

• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop diverse teams to achieve high performance.
• Exceptional customer service skills with a focus on creating welcoming and inclusive guest experiences.
• Strong conflict resolution and problem-solving abilities to manage escalated guest concerns.
• Experience managing daily operations, staffing, scheduling, and workflow efficiency.
• Strategic planning and budgeting skills, including setting performance metrics and departmental goals. 
• Ability to oversee programs and support staff in delivering high-quality experiences.
• Strong collaboration skills to work effectively across departments and initiatives.
• Analytical skills to monitor feedback, track metrics, and drive continuous improvements.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for interacting with staff, leadership, and visitors
•  Experience developing, implementing, and maintaining policies and operational procedures.
• Data-driven decision maker; comfortable using feedback and performance metrics to improve outcomes.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and creating welcoming experiences for all.
• Highly motivated self-starter with strong time management and prioritization skills.
• Strong commitment to advancing the Museum's mission
• Positive, can-do attitude with a strong commitment to exceptional service  
• Must embody and consistently demonstrate the Museum's values in all aspects of their work.

BBCM offers a generous benefits package, including but not limited to the following:

• Medical Insurance (BBCM pays 80-70% of the cost)
• Dental Insurance (BBCM pays 80-70% of the cost)
• Vision, Critical Illness, Accidental Insurance, Supplementary Life, STD and Accidental Death Dismemberment eligibility
• HSA with employer contributions
• Employer-paid plans for Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance &
• Long-Term Disability
• 401 (k) with the Museum contributing 3% at year-end (not matching every pay period)
• 18 days of PTO prorated at hire date
• Separate sick time

Starting salary $68,500

Application Process & Important Information:

• Only candidates who complete the entire application will be considered for this role. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
• Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to respond to individual inquiries regarding the status of applications. If selected for an interview, you will be contacted directly.
• Any employment offer is contingent upon successfully passing a criminal background check and verification of professional references demonstrating excellence.