Travel Counselor

nc; North Carolina; On-site; USD 31,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12 Annual Paid Holidays

State Health Plan (Aetna)

Retirement benefits (TSERS)

Flexible spending accounts

Employee discounts

Job summary

The North Carolina Department of Commerce seeks an Administrative Associate I (S) to support the Visitor Services Program at the I-40 West Welcome Center in Haywood County. You will assist visitors with travel information, route planning, and brochure distribution, ensuring a welcoming, service-focused experience.

Responsibilities include handling inquiries, maintaining displays, and occasionally presenting to groups. This full-time role requires weekend/holiday work and offers state benefits.

Qualifications

• Customer-service oriented hospitality to travelers.
• Clear written and oral communication with the public.
• Experience sharing information about NC attractions, events, and lodging.

Responsibilities

• Provide information about North Carolina’s attractions, events and accommodations to visitors.
• Distribute brochures and route visitors to travel resources.
• Provide highway routing information to travelers.
• Maintain brochure display racks and restock materials.
• Participate in familiarization tours and share experiences with staff.
• Occasionally present information to schools or civic groups.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Hospitality

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Internet search engines

Job description

Agency

Dept of Commerce

Division

Fiscal Management

Job Classification Title

Administrative Associate I (S)

Position Number

60080903

Grade

NC01

About Us

The North Carolina Department of Commerce is the state's lead agency for economic, community and workforce development. The department works with local, regional, national and international organizations to fulfill its mission to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians.

The Department connects businesses with the site locations, workforce and infrastructure they need to succeed in one of the nation's top states for business. We also connect local communities with the grants and funding they need to attract new business and ensure future prosperity.

Description of Work

The Visitor Services Program works in cooperation with strategic partners to strengthen the state's tourism industry by providing customer service and information on travel to and within North Carolina to visitors and potential visitors. It is comprised of four components: North Carolina Welcome Centers, Tourism Call Center, Tourism Fulfillment Center, and Tourism Warehouse. The Welcome Center program maximizes the opportunities to increase visitor expenditures through responsive promotion and marketing initiatives, and by providing excellent customer service at points of entry to the state along interstate highways. Welcome Centers provide multiple travel services, such as providing travel information, planning trips, routing, distributing travel literature, and making reservations for accommodations. Travel Information Counselors must enjoy working with the public and must be able to communicate clearly with the public in oral and written form.

Travel Counselors will:

• Use all available resources to provide visitors with excellent customer service;
• Provide information about the state and its tourist facilities to visitors;
• Distribute information on attractions, events, and accommodations to visitors;
• Provide highway routing information to visitors;
• Maintain brochure display racks, back stock, and order new and replacement brochures;
• Participate in study/familiarization tours and share your experiences with coworkers;
• Occasionally conduct oral presentations to schools or civic groups.

Welcome Centers are open 7 days a week from 8am to 5pm. The work schedule will include weekday, weekend, and holiday work.

This position is located at the I-40 West Welcome Center, Haywood County

Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences

Applicants who possess the following qualifications may receive management preference:

• Ability to provide customer service-focused hospitality to the traveling public.
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Word, MS Excel, and Internet search engines.
• Experience providing information about North Carolina’s attractions, events, accommodations, recreational opportunities, history, and geographic features.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with the public through oral and written communication while assisting visitors with travel-related inquiries.

Recruitment Range

*Recruitment Range: $31,200 - $37,433*

This is a full-time position (40 hours per week) with State Benefits, including health insurance, as well as retirement. The work schedule will include weekday, weekend, and holiday work.

Incentives of NC State Employment

We value our employees and offer a wide variety of competitive and family-friendly benefits. Benefits to include:

• 12 Annual Paid Holidays and monthly accrual of vacation and sick leave
• North Carolina State Health Plan administered by Aetna
• Supplemental Benefits including Flexible Spending Accounts, Accident Insurance, Cancer & Specified Disease, Critical Illness, Dental, and Vision
• NC State Retirement(TSERS), 401(k), and 457 savings plans
• WeSave Employee Discounts
• Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Learn more about new hire resources, safety, health, and wellness information, leave options, employee discounts and more by selecting benefits link.

Re-Entry for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

Our Agency supports the Governor’s Executive Order 303 which seeks to re‑employ individuals that were previously incarcerated. Formerly incarcerated individuals are invited to apply for any vacant Commerce position(s) in which they believe they are qualified.

Minimum Education and Experience

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details.

High school or General Educational Development (GED) diploma; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

EEO Statement

The State of North Carolina is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees with a work environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The state provides reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants with disabilities; known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices.

Veteran's Preference

Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD-214 Form (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their applications.

National Guard Preference

Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach a NGB 23A (RPAS) if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing. If a former member of the NC National Guard who served for at least 6 years and was discharged under honorable conditions, they must attach either a DD256 or NGB 22.

Foreign Degree Evaluation

If applicants earned a foreign degree, foreign degrees require an official evaluation for U.S. equivalency and must be submitted to Human Resources for verification. There are several organizations that perform this specialized service; feel free to use any service of your choosing. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) has several options on their website that can provide credential verification.

Recruiter

Denise Roberts

Recruiter Email

[e-mail]