Guest Experience Associate (Box Office, Bar/Concessions, Building Manager)

City of Kirkwood, Missouri; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 19,000 - 28,000; Part time

Job summary

City of Kirkwood is seeking a Guest Experience Associate for KPAC to deliver safe, welcoming service during performances. You will handle guest relations, ticketing, concessions, and event operations, with potential to lead events on special occasions.

This role requires strong communication, calm under pressure, and the ability to work evenings and weekends. Training will cover KPAC policies, safety procedures, and customer service standards.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering customer service in fast-paced venues.
• Ability to answer phones and provide event information.
• Ability to handle cash and electronic payments.
• Knowledge of safety and crowd management basics.
• Comfort working evenings and weekends.
• Ability to communicate clearly with diverse guests.

Responsibilities

• Welcome guests and provide professional, courteous service.
• Answer phones and provide information about performances, tickets, accessibility, parking, policies, and KPAC services.
• Assist guests with seating, directions, accessibility needs, and routine concerns.
• Monitor guest areas for safety, cleanliness, crowding, spills, damaged equipment.
• Sell tickets in person and by phone using the designated ticketing system.
• Process exchanges, refunds, discounts, and complimentary tickets.
• Safeguard cash and patron information and complete required ticketing reports.
• Assist with event setup and teardown, ticket scanning, seating, parking, signage, lobby operations, and crowd management.

Skills

Customer service

Verbal & written

Conflict resolution

Cash handling

Teamwork

Adaptability

Job description

Primary Purpose

The Guest Experience Associate provides a safe, welcoming, and efficient experience for visitors to the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (KPAC). This position provides customer service, supports ticketing and concessions, maintains guest-facing areas, and assists with event operations. When trained and designated, the employee may serve as Event Lead or Manager on Duty and provide functional direction to staff and volunteers while making routine operational decisions within KPAC policies and procedures.

Supervision

Reports to the Assistant General Manager, General Manager, or designated supervisor. This position does not have regular formal supervisory authority. When serving as Event Lead or Manager on Duty, the employee may direct part-time staff and volunteers, adjust assignments, coordinate event operations, and address routine guest or facility concerns. Significant issues, including emergencies, patron removal, contract disputes, refunds or fee waivers, major cash discrepancies, event cancellations, building-system failures, and policy exceptions must be referred to KPAC management, the on‑call supervisor, or emergency services as appropriate.

Essential Functions

Guest Relations

• Welcome guests and provide professional, courteous, and accessible customer service.
• Answer phones and provide information about performances, tickets, accessibility, parking, policies, and KPAC services.
• Assist guests with seating, directions, accessibility needs, and routine concerns.
• Monitor guest areas for safety, cleanliness, crowding, spills, damaged equipment, and service needs.

Concessions

• Assist with concession setup, stocking, sales, cleaning, closing, and restocking.
• Prepare and serve alcoholic and non‑alcoholic beverages and prepackaged food in accordance with KPAC procedures.
• Verify identification and follow responsible alcohol‑service requirements.
• Follow food‑safety and sanitation requirements.
• Accurately process cash and electronic payments and report discrepancies.

Ticketing

• Sell tickets in person and by phone using the designated ticketing system.
• Assist guests with performances, seating, transactions, and ticketing questions.
• Process exchanges, refunds, discounts, and complimentary tickets according to established procedures.
• Safeguard cash and patron information and complete required ticketing reports.

Event Operations

• Assist with event setup and teardown, ticket scanning, seating, parking, signage, lobby operations, and crowd management.
• Coordinate with box office, concessions, technical staff, security, custodial staff, parking, volunteers, vendors, and event representatives.
• Maintain assigned guest‑facing areas and report maintenance or custodial needs.
• Follow opening, closing, safety, emergency, evacuation, severe‑weather, and incident‑reporting procedures.
• Complete required event, incident, accident, damage, and guest‑service reports.

Event Lead/Manager on Duty

• Serve as the on‑site operational contact for an event.
• Conduct pre‑event walk‑throughs and confirm staffing and facility readiness.
• Direct staff and volunteers and adjust assignments as needed.
• Coordinate guest flow, doors, accessibility, ticketing, concessions, and front‑of‑house operations.
• Enforce KPAC policies, occupancy limits, restricted‑area rules, alcohol requirements, and event plans.
• Address routine operational issues and elevate significant concerns to management.
• Initiate emergency procedures and contact 911 when necessary.
• Complete event closeout and document incidents, damages, and follow‑up needs.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to remain calm and professional in difficult situations.
• Sound judgment and ability to recognize when issues require escalation.
• Ability to learn and use ticketing, point‑of‑sale, radio, telephone, and computer systems.
• Ability to accurately handle cash and electronic payments.
• Ability to follow event plans, safety procedures, food‑safety requirements, alcohol‑service rules, and KPAC policies.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and work effectively as part of a team.
• Dependability, punctuality, and flexibility.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, or sit for extended periods, including during events lasting up to six hours.
• Ability to regularly lift and carry up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to bend, reach, stoop, grasp, climb stairs, and push or pull carts.
• Ability to communicate effectively in busy or noisy environments.
• Ability to safely use concession, ticketing, and approved cleaning equipment and products.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of the position.

Working Conditions

Work is primarily performed inside KPAC with occasional outdoor event responsibilities. The position may involve crowds, noise, low‑light areas, changing temperatures, alcohol and food service, cleaning products, and changing event demands. Employees may be assigned to guest services, ticketing, concessions, parking, or other event‑support duties based on operational needs and training.

Schedule

This is an event‑based position. Employees must be available to work evenings, weekends, and other times based on the KPAC event schedule. This job description is not intended to include every duty or responsibility. Employees may be assigned other related duties necessary for the safe and effective operation of KPAC.

PERSONS REQUIRING AN ACCOMMODATION TO APPLY FOR A JOB OPENING SHOULD CONTACT HUMAN RESOURCES AT 314-822-5809.

THE CITY OF KIRKWOOD IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND PARTICIPATES IN E-VERIFY.