Lead Visitor Associate

ROME GROUP; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 20,457 - 29,136; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off accrues hourly

Flexibility with shifts

Job summary

ROME GROUP is seeking a Lead Visitor Associate in St. Louis, MO to manage exhibition hubs for the Counterpublic 2026 exhibition. This part-time position requires excellent customer service skills and a passion for the arts while ensuring a welcoming atmosphere for visitors.

The role involves acting as Manager on Duty, supporting Visitor Associates, providing information to visitors, and ensuring artwork safety. Applicants should possess a high school diploma and relevant experience in customer service or retail.

Qualifications

• Customer service and/or retail experience is required.
• Ability to interact easily with the public is essential.
• Dependability and punctuality are important.

Responsibilities

• Act as the Manager on Duty for all exhibition locations.
• Provide leadership to the Visitor Associates in the absence of the Managing Director.
• Ensure safety of the artwork during open hours.

Skills

Customer service experience

Retail experience

Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite

Strong interest in the arts

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Lead Visitor Associate

Counterpublic is seeking a welcoming Lead Visitor Associate to provide excellent customer service and ensure artwork safety for the Counterpublic 2026 exhibition. You will support the Managing Director with day-to-day operations of the exhibition hubs. As part of a visitor experience team, you will take full ownership of the exhibition hub locations to ensure staffing, overseeing the welcome desk, merchandise sales, and artwork safety while managing ensuring Counterpublic is always prepared to welcome visitors. This position is part of the front of house team and requires interaction with the public through open exhibition hours and public tours.

Reports to: Managing Director

Status: Part-Time/ Non-Exempt; minimum of 16 hours per week from September 2-December 13, 2026.

Hours: Standard working hours are Wed-Sun, 9:30am-5:30pm and will require flexibility with periodic weekends and evenings for public events.

Location: The exhibition sites are located throughout St. Louis and include: the Counterpublic Carriage House located in the Grand Center Arts District; The Ville neighborhood; The International Institute of St. Louis; and Laclede’s and Chouteau’s Landing.

Compensation: $18/ hour

Benefits: Part-time staff benefits include Paid Time Off accrues hourly at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked.

About Counterpublic

Counterpublic is a triennial exhibition reimagining the role of art in public life. Located in St. Louis, Counterpublic connects art with lasting impact by bringing together bold ideas with the region’s most pressing challenges. As one of the largest public art exhibitions in the nation, Counterpublic celebrates and spotlights the St. Louis region as an epicenter of art and culture through ongoing partnerships and artistic programming. The focal point is a three-month, citywide exhibition with dozens of the world’s leading artists.

Our next exhibition opens in September 2026 and will engage artists, institutions, and communities across the region.

Learn more at www.counterpublic.org

Your Responsibilities

A service-oriented specialist, you will support exhibition visitors and ensure a warm and welcoming environment for all visitors to Counterpublic 2026. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Act as the Manager on Duty for all exhibition locations, ensure that all exhibition locations are staffed during open hours.
• Provide leadership to the Visitor Associates when the Managing Director is not available.
• File facilities and visitor incident reports to submit to the Managing Director.
• Staff the exhibition hubs during open hours and events to provide information to visitors and ensure safety of the artwork.
• Maintain basic knowledge of Counterpublic, artwork on view, and programs.
• Perform duties at the welcome desk at each exhibition hub by providing exhibition information to visitors, collecting visitor information, operating the point of sale system for merchandise.
• Monitor visitor interaction with the art and maintain an alert presence to ensure safety of the artwork.
• Provide a welcoming environment while also enforcing exhibition guidelines in a polite and respectful manner.
  Provide visitors exhibition resources and amenities and be a champion of St. Louis hospitality.
• Open and close the exhibition at different locations and troubleshoot minor malfunctions for artwork or facilities, as needed.
• Perform duties to assist with special events and programs including assistance.
• Perform daily housekeeping tasks as needed.
• Participate in ongoing staff training on exhibition policies and practices.
• Maintain open communication with colleagues and report meaningful visitor interactions, incidents, and concerns to appropriate staff.
• Adhere to all Counterpublic policies and procedures as set forth in the visitor experience training manual and exhibition-specific protocols.

What We’re Looking For

• High school diploma or GED
• Customer service and/ or retail experience and the ability to interact easily with the public
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite or Google Suite
• Prior experience as a visitor associate or gallery attendance preferred but not required
• Strong interest in the arts
• Available to work open hour shifts and events including evenings, weekends and some holidays
• Dependability and punctuality
• Ability to perform light physical tasks associated with maintenance

Equal Opportunity Statement

Counterpublic is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, marital status, or veteran status.

We are committed to building a team that reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We strongly encourage individuals from historically marginalized communities—including Black, Indigenous, and people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, and others to apply.

Counterpublic is committed to transparency and to principles of anti-racism, anti-oppression, equity, and inclusion and is putting these principles into practice at all levels of the organization.

Apply

Submit your resume and a brief cover letter to Jess Bellomo, Managing Director, at [e-mail] by July 22 for guaranteed consideration.

Please note if you live or work in The Ville or Tower Grove Neighborhoods or have specific relationships to The International Institute St. Louis.

Applications will be received through July 22 or until all positions are filled.