Event Hospitality Associate

Eastern State; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site seeks a professional Event Hospitality Associate to support the flawless execution of public programs, donor convenings, and signature special events while upholding program standards and safety. You will help with guest experiences, registration, and on-site operations.

This front-facing role collaborates with the Event Manager to ensure welcoming, inclusive environments, brand consistency, and smooth event workflows across indoor and outdoor spaces.

Qualifications

• 1+ years of experience in live events, hospitality, or guest-facing roles.
• Strong customer service skills mandatory. The ability to greet visitors warmly, engage in positive interactions, and resolve complaints or issues professionally and patiently.
• Reliability and teamwork: Dependability in adhering to assigned schedules and flexibility to work varied shifts, including weekends, holidays, and evenings, while collaborating effectively with other staff members.
• Experience adapting quickly and troubleshooting issues during events.
• Interest in history, museums, criminal justice, justice reform, education, or Eastern State’s mission is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Support the Event Manager and Coordinator in delivering programs, lectures, and special events by implementing event plans and ensuring guest coordination and experience.
• Execute event timelines while ensuring spaces are properly staged, including decor setup, food and beverage arrangements, signage, and overall presentation.
• Support program logistics by managing registration check-in, welcoming, wayfinding, orientation, transitions, audience engagement, and post-event decor breakdown.
• Support the setup of check-in tables, arranging signage, name tags, programs, and materials. Assist with décor, including tablecloths and other accents.
• Help maintain clean, safe event spaces by wiping down chairs and performing other light upkeep tasks as needed such as busing. Occasionally assist with moving furniture or equipment as needed for operations.
• Serve as a visible representative of Eastern State’s brand, tone, and mission.
• Maintain a welcoming, calm, and authoritative presence with diverse public audiences, speakers, donors, educators, and community partners.
• Uphold guest service, accessibility, safety, and inclusion standards at all times.
• Enforce program policies, safety protocols, and site rules consistently and professionally.
• Support crowd flow, accessibility accommodations, emergency response procedures, and risk-management protocols.

Skills

Customer service

Reliability

Teamwork

Public interaction

Problem solving

Job description

Description

Job Summary:

Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site seeks highly professional, mission-aligned Event Hospitality Associate to support the flawless execution of standardized public programs, civic education forums, donor convenings, and signature special events. This is a critical forward facing role responsible for delivering consistent, high-quality guest experiences ensuring adherence to Eastern State’s program standards, safety protocols, and brand expectations.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Event Setup and Operations:

• Support the Event Manager and Coordinator in delivering programs, civic dialogues, lectures, and special events by implementing event plans and ensuring smooth guest coordination and experience.
• Execute event timelines while ensuring spaces are properly staged, including decor setup, food and beverage arrangements, signage, and overall presentation.
• Support program logistics by managing registration check-in, welcoming, wayfinding, orientation, transitions, audience engagement, and post-event decor breakdown
• Support the setup of check-in tables, arranging signage, name tags, programs, and programs or informational materials. Assist with décor, including tablecloths and other accents.
• Help maintain clean, safe event spaces by wiping down chairs and performing other light upkeep tasks as needed such as busing. Occasionally assist with moving furniture or equipment as needed for operations.

Guest Experience Vendor Support & Brand Stewardship

• Serve as a visible representative of Eastern State’s brand, tone, and mission.
• Maintain a welcoming, calm, and authoritative presence with diverse public audiences, speakers, donors, educators, and community partners.
• Uphold guest service, accessibility, safety, and inclusion standards at all times.
• Enforce program policies, safety protocols, and site rules consistently and professionally.
• Support crowd flow, accessibility accommodations, emergency response procedures, and risk-management protocols.

Requirements

Required Skills/Abilities:

• 1+ years of experience in live events, hospitality, or guest-facing roles
• Strong customer service skills mandatory. The ability to greet visitors warmly, engage in positive interactions, and resolve complaints or issues professionally and patiently.
• Reliability and Teamwork: Dependability in adhering to assigned schedules and flexibility to work varied shifts, including weekends, holidays, and evenings, while collaborating effectively with other staff members
• Experience adapting quickly and troubleshooting issues during events
• Interest in history, museums, criminal justice, justice reform, education, or Eastern State’s mission is a plus.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit or stand for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to use a walkie talkie with an earpiece
• Ability to navigate all aspects of the 10 acre site when needed.
• Ability to work in outdoor environments, including in the elements and in indoor or covered spaces where temperatures may vary.
• Ability to lift up to 30 pounds

EEO Statement??

Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, arrest record or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment.??

ESPHS strongly believes in second chances and, as such, is committed to providing appropriate employment opportunities to those who have been incarcerated. As a condition of employment, all individuals who accept an employment offer must complete a criminal background check. Eastern State will review any criminal record and make appropriate employment decisions in accordance with applicable law and its policies.

Other duties

Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Eastern State employees are expected to be flexible and to take on additional duties as assigned, according to the organization’s needs and the staff member’s skills and abilities.