Visitor Services Manager [The Chinati Foundation]

The Chinati Foundation seeks a Visitor Services Manager to provide leadership and administrative oversight of the museum’s growing Visitor Services department. The Chinati Foundation, a contemporary art museum founded by the artist Donald Judd and located in Marfa, far West Texas, has experienced a rapid increase in visitor attendance over the past three years. The primary objective of the new position will be to ensure the highest quality access, safety, and experience for museum visitors, in alignment with Chinati’s mission and vision. The ideal candidate will be inspired by the opportunity to contribute at an exciting and crucial time for the museum with a minimum two-year commitment.

The Visitor Services Manager will lead an expansion of Chinati’s visitor resources while continuing to facilitate existing programs. S/he will create and implement new strategies and systems, including developing the necessary staff and resources to address continued growth in the museum’s attendance rate.

Successful candidates will be highly organized, positive, and ambitious with the ability to meet unique challenges through team-work, enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, and creative problem solving. An exceptional combination of energy, patience, personnel management, and leadership skills are necessary. Professional verbal and written communication skills and an ability to handle demanding customer service challenges are essential.

The Visitor Services Manager reports to the Executive Director and works closely with program, education, and development staff.

This is a full-time, salaried position with generous employer-provided health benefits and paid time off. Evening, weekend and holiday hours will be required. Salary commensurate with experience.

Responsibilities:

Visitor Reception and Customer Service

-Supervises the visitor services staff responsible for daily tour operations and visitor reception, ensuring a high level of customer service, professionalism, organization, and efficiency at the front desk and bookstore area.

-Schedules and trains Visitor Services Associates.

-Maintains strong working knowledge of the collection, exhibitions, and services provided by the museum in order to educate staff and the general public.

-Responsible for the accurate reporting of admissions revenue and bookstore transactions to the accounting department.

-Advises on the selection of books and other items for the museum store and works closely with the office manager and accounting department regarding ordering and inventory.

Visitor Engagement with the Collection & Exhibitions

-Manages museum docents (paid part-time employees who provide the primary means for visitor access to the collection via guided tours and self-guided viewing hours.)

-Assesses visitor engagement and satisfaction through a variety of evaluative methods, adjusting public tour schedules and visitor offerings accordingly.

-Manages private and group tours of the collection and oversees correspondence with groups needing special arrangements or accommodation. Works closely with the executive director and the development team to facilitate tours for special museum guests.

-Works closely with the Director of Conservation to set policies and procedures to maintain the safety and security of the artwork.

-Acts as an advocate for visitors while serving the mission and wellbeing of Chinati as an institution.

Department Development

-Manages information systems, identifying and addressing technology needs to improve reservation booking, data collection, and visitor reception.

-Implements a technology upgrade to front desk software and admission ticketing system in coordination with the development and financial departments.

-Shapes future planning and benchmarks for visitor engagement, participating as the lead voice in Chinati’s master planning effort in regards to the visitor services area.

-Streamlines day-to-day operations and improves cross-department communication.

-Build upon existing systems for tracking, evaluating and responding to museum visitors.

-Develops and maintains operating policies and procedures related to areas of responsibility.

Membership Program

-Works closely with the Development Manager to promote the museum’s membership program and advancement goals. Sees that appropriate informational materials are available and distributed to visitors via the front desk.

Other Administrative Duties

-Generates monthly visitor reports for executive and development staff, including attendance numbers, geographic information, and other collected data.

-Generates regular financial reports and assists in preparing the annual Visitor Services budget in coordination with the finance office.

The Chinati Foundation

The Chinati Foundation is an art museum based on the ideas of its founder, artist Donald Judd. It is located primarily at the site of former US Army Fort D.A. Russell, on the outskirts of Marfa, Texas. Chinati opened to the public in 1986 as an independent, non-profit, publicly funded institution.  Marfa, the seat of Presidio County, is located 200 miles southeast of El Paso, 60 miles from the Mexican border, close to Big Bend National Park and the Davis Mountains.

Judd’s specific intention was to create permanent installations of contemporary art, insulated from the visual and programmatic distractions of most art museums. He sought a unified experience in which art, architecture and the surrounding natural environment would be inextricably linked. The remote location he chose reinforces the impact of some of the late 20th century’s most extraordinary works of art. The museum, which has a total of 34 buildings, is situated on 340 acres of land in the high Chihuahuan desert, 4,685 feet above sea level. The permanent collection includes works by Carl Andre, Ingólfur Arnarsson, John Chamberlain, Dan Flavin, Roni Horn, Donald Judd, Ilya Kabakov, Richard Long, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, David Rabinowitch and John Wesley. A large-scale installation by artist Robert Irwin will be added to the permanent collection and open to the public in 2016.

The Chinati Foundation organizes annual special exhibitions, related public programs, artists’ residencies, college and university internships, art classes for students and adults, international symposia (the proceedings of which are published), seminars, performances, lectures, concerts and other annual celebrations — setting a standard for artistic excellence while continuing to engage the community and visitors and deepen their appreciation of contemporary art. The museum publishes an award-winning annual newsletter that chronicles its activities and has become one of the most respected publications of its kind in America.

Chinati has a long-range plan that affirms its commitment to preserving its installations, buildings, and land and expanding the collection according to Donald Judd’s vision. The operation of the museum is supported by earned and contributed income, including the proceeds of a growing endowment currently valued at approximately $14 million. The museum is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of 20 voting directors.

Skills and Qualifications:

-Bachelors’ degree with coursework in museum studies, art administration, art history, or related subject. Three to five years of progressive responsibility and experience working in customer service, preferably in an art or other non-profit, cultural institution with at least two years of supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

-Strong computer skills, with knowledge and experience working with ticketing and point of sale systems.

-Proven knowledge of current practices and procedures in visitor services, with understanding and experience working with arts and cultural tourism.

-Excellent record-keeping skills.

-Ability to train, supervise, and motivate staff to thrive in a demanding customer service environment.

-Ability to understand the museum’s mission and activities as well as policies and procedures and effectively provide related talking points to visitor services staff.

-Proven interpersonal, conflict-resolution, and problem-solving skills.

Procedure for Application

Applicants should submit a resume, a cover letter describing interest and experience, and the names of three references.

Send resume and accompanying materials to:

Email: hr@chinati.org
Subject: Visitor Services Manager