Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience

The-Isamu-Noguchi-Foundation-and-Garden-Museum; New York (NY); On-site; USD 55,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, NY is seeking a full-time Assistant Manager in the Visitor Experience department to oversee daily operations, membership sales, staff training, and guest services during museum hours, with occasional evening or weekend shifts.

Reporting to the Manager of Visitor Experience, you will lead front desk operations, manage cash handling, support education programs, and coordinate with Security and Gallery Attendants to ensure a welcoming, efficient museum

Qualifications

• At least 3 years’ experience in a public-facing hospitality or customer service role.
• Ability to work collaboratively and provide feedback to staff at all levels.
• Experience in museums, galleries, or performing arts venues preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong computer skills and quick learning of new systems.
• Foreign language fluency (Japanese, Spanish, Mandarin) is a strong advantage.

Responsibilities

• With Manager, supervise daily operations; open/close museum and oversee cash handling.
• Ensure hospitality and customer service; resolve inquiries and maintain welcoming environment.
• Propose and develop projects for museum operations, staff morale, and culture.
• Lead membership sales at Front Desk; train staff on membership levels and soft selling techniques.
• Manage Front Desk materials, POS, and related systems.
• Know ticketing partners; assist public with info.
• Handle phone and email inquiries.
• Attend special events outside hours.
• Coordinate Education and Visitor Experience teams sharing knowledge.
• Ensure cooperation between Gallery Attendants and Security.
• Cover Gallery Attendant posts as needed.
• Assist Education Programs, Group Tours; manage payments and crowd control.
• Be department point person for day-of operations for special events.
• Ensure in-gallery signage up-to-date; communicate with Communications.
• Use Incident Reporting System.
• Attend and, when necessary, lead department meetings.

Skills

Public-facing hospitality

Customer service

Team collaboration

Communication skills

Multilingual advantage

Tools

POS systems

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Full Time Long Island city, NY, US

8 days ago Requisition ID: 1002

Salary Range: $55,000.00 To $57,000.00 Annually

The Department of Visitor Experience at The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum seeks a full-time Assistant Manager to assist in overseeing daily operations, membership sales, team building and training, and customer service. Reporting to the Manager of Visitor Experience, the Assistant Manager is an ambassador for the Museum and a mentor for the Visitor Services staff, working during the Museum’s operating hours and occasionally outside of those hours as necessary.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

With Manager, and in their absence: prepare rotation slips, assign posts, prepare Daily Sheet; lead morning huddles with Visitor Services and Security staff, open and close the Museum, oversee cash handling.

Ensure that staff provide excellent hospitality and customer service, addressing inquiries and resolving issues while creating a welcoming and supportive environment.

Propose, maintain and develop projects related to museum operations, customer service, staff morale, and workplace culture.

Lead membership sales and processing at Front Desk: keep track of membership sales; update staff regularly on monthly sales; train Gallery Attendants on membership levels and soft selling techniques.

Manage Front Desk materials and systems including, but not limited to, POS and peripherals, printed matter, coat check, lost and found, Gallery Attendant training materials, and first aid kit.

Have in-depth knowledge of the museum’s ticketing partners and programs and assist the public on these matters when necessary.

Answer incoming phone calls to the Museum and emails that come through [e-mail] and [e-mail].

Attend special events outside of normal office hours.

Facilitate opportunities for Education and Visitor Experience teams to share knowledge and experience.

Ensure cooperative operations between Gallery Attendants and Security Officers.

Cover Gallery Attendant posts as needed.

Assist with Education Programs, Group Tours and Group Visits, greeting participants, accepting payment, managing coat check, and assisting with crowd control.

Be the department’s point person for day of operations relating to special events.

Ensure that in-gallery signage and resources are up-to-date and communicate needs directly to the Communications department.

Use and maintain the Incident Reporting System.

Attend and, when necessary, lead Department and inter-Department meetings.

Qualifications

At least 3 years’ experience in a public-facing hospitality / customer service position.

Ability to work collaboratively and deliver feedback to staff at all levels.

Previous museum, gallery, or performing arts venue experience preferred.

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

Strong computer skills including ability to learn new systems quickly.

Written and/or verbal fluency in Japanese, Spanish, Mandarin, or another language in addition to English is a strong advantage.

The Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience is a full-time, in-person position and is located in The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, Queens. The hours are 5 days a week, 9 am–5 pm, Wednesday–Sunday. The position requires occasional work outside regular hours, including evenings, Mondays/Tuesdays, holidays, or emergencies as needed.

This position is represented by the Technical, Office & Professional Union, Local 2110, UAW, AFL-CIO.

The Noguchi Museum is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, citizenship status, veteran status, disability or any other criterion specified by federal, state or local laws, in the administration of its employment policy. The Museum considers the diversity of its workforce to be vital to our organization’s success in meeting its mission. We strongly encourage applicants from all cultures, races, educational backgrounds, life experiences, socio-economic classes, sexual orientations, age, gender, and physical abilities to apply.

About the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum

Founded in 1985 by category-defying artist Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988), The Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum (now known as The Noguchi Museum), was the first museum in the United States to be established, designed, and installed by a living artist to show their own work. Located in the vibrant neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens, the Museum itself is widely viewed as among the artist’s greatest achievements. Holding the world’s largest collection of his works, the Museum features open air and indoor galleries in a repurposed 1920s industrial building and a serene outdoor sculpture garden. Since its founding, it has served as an international hub for Noguchi research and appreciation. In addition to managing the artist’s archives and catalogue raisonné, the Museum exhibits a comprehensive selection of Noguchi’s material culture, from sculpture, models, and drawings to his personal possessions. Provocative installations drawn from the permanent collection, together with diverse special exhibitions and collaborations with contemporary practitioners across disciplines, offer a multifaceted view of Noguchi’s art and illuminate his enduring influence as an innovator. Through its rich collection, exhibitions, and programming, the Museum facilitates scholarship and learning for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.