Senior Specialist, Group Tour Sales & Guest Support [Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Philadelphia, PA]

Description

Senior Specialist, Group Tour Sales & Guest Support

Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) seeks an energetic, self-motivated, highly organized team player with strong communication skills, the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment, a passion for the arts, and a sense of humor for the position of Senior Specialist, Group Tour Sales & Guest Support.

This position oversees the day-to-day operations of the group sales program (both for the daytime prison tour program and the annual haunted attraction fundraiser—Terror Behind the Walls) and provides guest support for individuals contacting the organization via phone or email.

This position is responsible for cultivating sincere, lasting relationships with group leaders and tour operators and is the primary contact and key processor for all group visits.  (Approximately 1,000 group visits annually totaling about 40,000 individual guests).

Responsibilities include answering all group inquiries, scheduling tours, creating all group correspondence and collateral, sending confirmations and receipts, maintaining the group tour databases, communicating changes with the frontline management team, preparing/processing payments and refunds, and ticket packets, personally following up with each group after their visit, analyzing group sales data and trends, as well as the direct supervision of the Specialist, Guest Support and two seasonal assistants.

Other responsibilities include maintaining the organization’s master calendar, ordering and organizing office supplies, coordinating maintenance for the organization’s printers and office equipment, hiring, training and scheduling the seasonal assistants, communicating with staff across the organization, and working closely with the operations, visitor services and marketing teams.

Salary and benefits:

Competitive salary and benefits.

To Apply:

Please send a resume and cover letter to Brett Bertolino, Director of Operations, at bb@easternstate.org. In your letter, explain why you are passionate about guest support and group sales. The deadline for applications is Friday, January 29, 2016 at 5 PM. No phone calls please.

About ESPHS:

When Eastern State opened more than 180 years ago, it changed the world. The first prison of its kind – a penitentiary – it was designed to inspire true regret in the hearts of criminals. The building itself was an architectural wonder; it had running water and central heat before the White House, and attracted visitors from around the globe. Although the prison now stands in ruin, its story remains relevant today.

Eastern State Penitentiary opened as a historic site in 1994, and attracted just over 10,000 daytime visitors – in 2015 it was visited by more than 200,000.  The penitentiary is open every day, year-round from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  For more information please visit easternstate.org.

About Terror Behind the Walls:

2016 will mark the 26th year that Eastern State Penitentiary has held a Halloween fundraiser.  Since 1991, Terror Behind the Walls has grown to become one of the largest and most sophisticated haunted attractions in the country. Today, Terror Behind the Walls is the single largest source of revenue for Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Inc., the 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization that administers both the daytime prison tour program and the Halloween fundraiser.

Terror Behind the Walls runs on select evenings from mid-September through mid-November and does not affect operation of the historic site, which remains open for daytime tours seven days a week, year round.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree.  Course work in hospitality, hotel management, business or arts administration preferred.
• A minimum of two years of experience working for a mid to large size museum or attraction, preferably in group sales or Visitor Services; or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Commitment to team process and fostering a collaborative working environment.
• Passion for working with visitors from a wide range of ages, backgrounds and interests.
• Comfortable communicating via phone and email.
• Ability to be an energetic leader that models best practices for staff.
• Skilled in problem-solving, multitasking and time management.
• Knowledge of group sales principles, practices, and procedures; knowledge of arts and/or leisure audiences preferred.
• Experience representing an attraction or organization at events and tradeshows like RSAA or ABA MarketPlace is preferred.