Cathedral Guide

Cathedral; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

Washington National Cathedral is seeking a part-time Cathedral Guide to support public tours and engage visitors with informative, engaging experiences. Training is provided and you will work with volunteer docents to welcome groups that have reservations for cathedral visits.

The role requires strong public speaking ability, excellent interpersonal skills, and a genuine interest in sharing cathedral history, art, architecture, worship, and programs. Vaccination is required for all employees.

Qualifications

• Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills.
• Degree, working toward a degree, and/or comparable experience in education, museum education, museum studies, art history, architecture, or related field.
• Willingness to work part-time and weekends; experience guiding groups is a plus.
• COVID-19 vaccination required for all employees.

Responsibilities

• Serve as an interpretive guide for bus groups and visitors ranging from 2–60 people.
• Give engaging guided tours of the Cathedral and answer questions about its mission, history, art, and architecture.
• Work as part of the docent/guide team under the Docent and Tour Manager.
• Perform other visitor services tasks to ensure a welcoming reception; some duties may replace sightseeing hours.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Public speaking

Customer service

Team collaboration

Education

Degree or working toward degree in education or related field

Job description

Description

Washington National Cathedral seeks a part-time Cathedral Guide to support touring by presenting engaging guided tours to the public. As a member of the Cathedral's hospitality and interpretive team in the Department of Guest and Event Management Services, the Cathedral Guide works alongside volunteer docents to welcome groups and individuals that have made reservations for a Cathedral visit. Applicants must be able to speak in front of groups and present accurate information about the Cathedral. Training is provided.

Requirements

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serves as an interpretive guide for bus groups and sightseeing visitors ranging from 2-60 people.
• Gives engaging and informative guided tours of the Cathedral and answers questionsabout Cathedral mission, history, art, architecture, worship, and programs.
• Works as a member of the daily docent/guide team under the direction of the Docent and Tour Manager.
• Performs other visitor service-related duties as needed to ensure a welcoming/hospitable reception for visitors. Some tasks may be in lieu of sightseeing hours.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills;
• Degree, working toward a degree, and/or comparable experience in education, museum education, museum studies, art history, architecture, or a related field;
• Washington National Cathedral requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including any boosters recommended and available to the general public, in the absence of eligibility for medical or religious exemptions.

PREFERRED CHARACTERISTICS OF A CATHEDRAL GUIDE:

• Experience as a tour guide strongly preferred
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills
• Excellent public presentation skills and ability to engage groups and facilitate tours;
• Ability to learn and retain extensive amount of information necessary
• Team-oriented disposition with strong customer service skills
• Enjoyment at working with the public and a sincere and genuine interest in people of all ages, especially middle and high school students
• Flexibility, enthusiasm, and an attitude of respect for working with diverse staff and visitors
• Ability to react to change quickly
• Strong voice and language skills
• Knowledge of, or interest in, art history and architecture a plus.

WORKING CONDITIONS :

SCHEDULE:

• Approximately 10-15 hours per week most weeks.
• During Cathedral peak seasons,, additional hours will be available.
• Times will vary based on tour reservation needs.
• Due to the nature of tour reservations and being a working church, the Cathedral cannot guarantee a minimum or maximum number of weekly hours.
• Occasional Saturdays required. Typically one Saturday per month.
• Please include your schedule availability in your cover letter.

WORKING QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be able to work on feet for extended periods of time, to access stairs, and to walk throughout the Cathedral.
• Must be comfortable working in a religious setting.
• Strength, dexterity, and mobility to perform all duties, including climbing stairs, being at great heights and touring in tight spaces
• Ability to stand and speak for up to 2 hours