Guest Services Assistant (Museums)

Region of Waterloo; Kitchener; On-site; CAD 36,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

Region of Waterloo is seeking an energetic part-time Museum Assistant to handle reception, admissions, and front-of-house duties at the Doon Museum. The role involves answering inquiries, processing payments, and assisting with gift shop and café operations.

Ideal candidates will have a Grade 12 education with at least one year of related experience, strong Excel/Office skills, and the ability to work weekends and holidays as needed. Training and supportive teamwork are provided.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of customer service, office and bookkeeping procedures (Grade 12 + 1 year experience).
• Strong organization to reconcile accounts and run reports.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills for visitors and staff.

Responsibilities

• Greet visitors and assist with admissions and payments.
• Answer phones, take messages and bookings for programs and events.
• Assist with cashiering, deposits and invoices as required.
• Maintain gift shop/café inventory and assist with promotional activities.
• Support marketing and events setup as needed.
• Record attendance data and assist with membership administration.
• Process mail, reimburse expenses and liaise with Finance.

Skills

Customer service

Reception duties

Cash handling

Office administration

Data entry

Education

Grade 12 education + 1 year related experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

POS system

Job description

Job Number: 4952
Job Type:Casual
Vacancy Reason: Temporary
Location: 10 Huron Rd - Doon - Museum
Job Category: Arts
Number of Positions:1
Department: Integrated Museum Operations
Division: Planning, Development and Legislative Services
Hours of Work: Up to 24 hours per week .
Work Schedule: Hours are generally between 8.30a-4.30p. Open 7 days a week. Some evenings and most weekends required. Union: OTHER
Grade: Part Time/No Full Time Equivalent Grade 003
Salary Range: $26.29 - $29.73 per hour
Internal employees transferring from a bargaining unit to another bargaining unit or a Management/Management Support position will not be eligible for the payout of unused sick leave credits upon resignation, termination, or retirement, as per the collective agreement or HR Policy III-16 (Sick Leave). For more details please contact the Benefit Coordinator via email [e-mail] .

About Us!

The Region of Waterloo is a thriving, diverse community committed to fostering opportunities for current and future generations. Waterloo Region is part of the Dish with One Spoon wampum, a treaty guiding our commitment to:

• Taking only what we need
• Leaving some for others
• Keeping the dish clean

This agreement underpins our vision, mission, and core value, and reinforces our dedication to meaningful reconciliation and equity.
Waterloo Region is home to over 674,000 residents and expected to grow to nearly one million by 2051. Guided by our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan , “Growing with Care,” we prioritize homes for all, climate aligned growth, equitable services and opportunities and a resilient and future ready organization. Our mission is to provide essential services that enhance the quality of life for all residents, while our core value emphasizes caring for people and the land we share. Join us and be part of a team dedicated to making a meaningful difference in our community.

The Role

Performs customer service, reception, café, and gift shop duties at museums.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Performs reception duties (e.g., receives/greets/orients visitors/groups, processes admission fees and payments, provides information).
• Answers phones and general inquiries, updates voicemail message, takes messages, forwards urgent information to staff, and takes bookings and deposits for programs and special events.
• Responds to complaints. Makes service recovery gestures per established guidelines. Notifies management of issues that may require monitoring/follow-up and refers escalated issues.
• Performs security duties with other staff (e.g., locks building, activates alarms).
• Maintains brochure rack, gift shop, and café inventory (e.g., orders/codes/stocks inventory). Sells gift shop and food products. Maintains gift shop and café area (e.g., light cleaning, tidying).
• Assists marketing staff with online promotions (e.g., social media). Assists to set up events, as required.
• Records/maintains visitor attendance data. Assists with annual membership administration.
• Maintains, organizes, and reconciles revenue, petty cash, and cash float and prepares deposits for courier pickup. Prepares and distributes invoices (e.g., schools). Follows up with clients on outstanding invoices.
• Orders office supplies. Prepares and processes purchase orders and obtains approvals, as necessary. Arranges repair/servicing of office equipment. Contacts IT for computer issues.
• Processes mail. Forwards employee expense statements and invoices to Finance.
• Prepares parking passes for volunteers and visitors, as required.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of customer service, office, and bookkeeping procedures acquired through a Grade 12 education plus 1 year of related experience.
• Knowledge of and ability to follow policies and procedures (e.g., financial processes).
• Organization skills to reconcile accounts and investigate and resolve financial discrepancies, maintain spreadsheets, and run reports.
• Communication and customer service skills to relay information and respond to inquiries from the public; exchange information with co-workers; train and write information for volunteers; and participate as an effective team member.
• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office and a point-of-sale system.
• Must provide an acceptable Police Information Check (Level 2) for bondability.
• Ability to work weekends and holidays as part of a set schedule.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.

Region of Waterloo is committed to building a workforce through fair, equitable, and accessible hiring practices that allow us to hire qualified staff who reflect the diversity of the community we serve and to promote a respectful, inclusive, and equitable workplace.

• First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and all other Indigenous peoples;
• members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin;
• persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities;
• persons who identify as women; and persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions

For questions or to request accommodations during your recruitment, onboarding or employment, please contact [e-mail] , or by calling our Service First Contact Centre at phone number [phone].

Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Hiring Process: Region of Waterloo may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance efficiency during the recruitment process. However, applications will also be reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team to ensure a fair and thorough assessment. AI does not make final hiring decisions.

Please note: candidates will be provided an update on their application. Please check your spam or junk folder occasionally as some candidates have noticed our emails in those folders (Gmail and Hotmail in particular).