Visitor Services Supervisor

Australian War Memorial; Canberra; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian War Memorial is seeking an experienced Visitor Services Supervisor to support the everyday operation of the Visitor Services team. The role covers supervision of staff and casuals, front-of-house service delivery, and involvement in commemorative events across seven days a week.

The position is based in Campbell, ACT, with responsibilities across the Memorial’s galleries and visitor facilities. The role requires leadership, customer service excellence and the ability to manage

Responsibilities

• Leadership and Operational Coordination: supervise Visitor Services Officers, volunteers and casual staff.
• Provide visible on-floor leadership, mentoring, and ensure consistent visitor service delivery.
• Monitor visitor flow, staffing and escalate issues as needed.
• Assist with opening/closing procedures, cash handling and daily ops.
• Support service delivery standards and staff induction and training.
• Provide guidance to Memorial volunteers for consistent visitor engagement.
• Promote a positive team culture through leadership and collaboration.
• Visitor Service and Stakeholder Engagement: give accurate information about galleries and facilities; manage escalated enquiries and complaints.
• Foster relationships with visitors, volunteers and internal stakeholders to enhance experience.
• Deliver a welcoming, inclusive visitor experience aligned with Memorial values.
• Engage with visitors and support staff in delivering exceptional service.
• Commemorative Events: assist with Last Post Ceremony and rosters; support Anzac Day and Remembrance events.
• Safety and Emergency Response: apply first aid and emergency procedures; support incident response and evacuations.
• Maintain WHS awareness and report hazards and risks.

Job description

Section Overview
The Commemoration and Visitor Engagement (CVE) Section is part of the Public Programs Branch. The Section delivers the Memorial’s visitor experience across commemorative, interpretive and visitor service platforms. The Section comprises four teams: Visitor Services; Education; Events & Ceremonies; and Last Post Ceremony.

Team Overview
The Visitor Services team comprises 34 full-time and up to 75 casual positions, plus more than 100 voluntary guides. As the first point of contact for visitors to the Memorial, the team is committed to delivering world-class service excellence 364 days a year, ensuring every visitor experience is meaningful, engaging, professional and memorable. Visitor Services Officers form the majority of the team and deliver front‑of‑house services across seven days a week. The team is led daily by one of the team's Visitor Services Coordinators, who provide visible frontline leadership, operational oversight and guidance to ensure the consistent delivery of visitor services, commemorative activities and emergency response capability. The Visitor Services team plays a significant role in delivering operational and ceremonial components of the daily Last Post Ceremony, as well as major national commemorative events and ceremonies conducted on Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. Visitor Services staff are also pivotal in the provision of visitor emergency response throughout the Memorial.

Who are we looking for?
We are seeking professional, adaptable and service-focused individuals with a strong commitment to the Memorial's commemorative purpose. Successful candidates will possess the supervisory capability, emotional maturity and interpersonal skills required to support a large and diverse front‑of‑house team while delivering exceptional visitor experiences. The role requires sound judgement, initiative and problem‑solving skills to coordinate daily operational activities, supervise staff, manage competing priorities and respond effectively to visitor enquiries, incidents and emerging operational issues. Successful candidates will communicate confidently, build positive professional relationships and provide visible leadership and support to staff in a dynamic public‑facing environment. They will demonstrate the confidence to make operational decisions within established procedures and maintain service standards in a busy public‑facing environment. Candidates must be capable of maintaining personal resilience to meet the physical, mental and roster demands of the role and demonstrate the adaptability required to support the safe and effective delivery of visitor services across weekends, public holidays and peak visitation periods.

Core Responsibilities

Under general direction, Visitor Services Supervisors are responsible for the following key areas of responsibility:

• Leadership and Operational Coordination
  • Support Visitor Services Coordinators in the daily supervision and coordination of Visitor Services Officers, volunteers and casual staff across the Memorial.
  • Provide visible on‑floor leadership, guidance and mentoring to Visitor Services Officers to support the consistent delivery of visitor service, operational and commemorative outcomes.
  • Monitor visitor flow, staffing requirements and operational activities, escalating significant issues as required.
  • Assist with opening and closing procedures, cash handling processes and other daily operational requirements.
  • Support the implementation of operational priorities, work procedures and service delivery standards across visitor‑facing areas.
  • Contribute to staff induction, training and capability development activities as directed.
  • Support and mentor Visitor Services Officers in developing operational capability, visitor engagement skills and emergency response knowledge.
  • Provide guidance and operational support to Memorial voluntary guides to support consistent visitor service standards and visitor engagement outcomes.
  • Promote a positive team culture through professional leadership, communication and collaboration.
• Visitor Service and Stakeholder Engagement
  • Provide accurate information and interpretation regarding the Memorial's galleries, exhibitions, programs, commemorative areas and visitor facilities.
  • Manage escalated visitor enquiries, complaints and sensitive matters with professionalism, empathy and sound judgement, referring more complex issues where required.
  • Foster positive relationships with visitors, volunteers and internal stakeholders.
  • Promote a welcoming, inclusive and professional visitor experience that supports the Memorial's values and commemorative purpose.
  • Actively engage with visitors in a friendly and approachable manner while supporting Visitor Services Officers in the delivery of exceptional customer service.
• Commemorative Events and Ceremonial Delivery
  • Support the operational delivery of the daily Last Post Ceremony and undertake Master of Ceremonies duties as rostered (to be achieved within three months of engagement).
  • Assist Visitor Services Coordinators in coordinating Visitor Services functions on Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and other commemorative events and ceremonies.
  • Provide guidance and support to Visitor Services Officers undertaking ceremonial responsibilities.
  • Contribute to the successful delivery of commemorative activities while maintaining the dignity and commemorative ethos of the Memorial.
• Emergency Response and Safety
  • Apply first aid and emergency response practices in accordance with mandatory training and accreditation requirements.
  • Assist Visitor Services Coordinators in implementing Visitor Services responses to visitor incidents, emergencies and evacuations in accordance with Memorial procedures.
  • Provide guidance and support to Visitor Services Officers during incidents, emergency situations and operational disruptions.
  • Promote compliance with work health and safety requirements and report hazards, incidents and operational risks.
  • Assist in maintaining staff awareness of emergency response, evacuation and incident management procedures.
• Administration
  • Assist with workforce rostering, staffing allocations and operational planning activities as directed.
  • Maintain accurate operational, staffing and statistical records.
  • Support the preparation of daily staffing documentation, operational reports and other administrative requirements as directed.
  • Undertake performance reviews of Memorial voluntary guide tours as required.
• Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS).
• All applicants external to AWM that are offered employment will be required to successfully undergo a National Police Check, even if they currently hold a security clearance. The check is conducted in accordance with the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework requirements.

• Ongoing - Full Time - APS3&4
• $70,477 to $86,246
• Campbell, ACT