Travel Counselor

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

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

State retirement (TSERS)

Paid holidays

Vacation and sick leave accrual

Employee discounts

Job summary

The North Carolina Department of Commerce is hiring for a full-time Visitor Services role at the Welcome Center in Haywood County. You will deliver excellent customer service, share travel information, and help visitors plan trips and routes across North Carolina.

Responsibilities include assisting visitors, maintaining displays, and occasionally presenting to groups. The schedule includes weekdays, weekends, and holidays with state benefits and retirement options.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Customer service

Public speaking

Information about NC attractions

Clear oral & written communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Microsoft Word

MS Excel

Internet search engines

Job description

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.

Agency

Dept of Commerce

Division

Fiscal Management

Job Classification Title

Administrative Associate I (S)

Position Number

60080903

Grade

NC01

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

To receive credit for your work history and credentials, you must provide the information on the application form. Any information omitted from the application form, listed as general statements, or on an attachment will not be considered for qualifying credit. We will not review resumes in lieu of Experience and Education listed on the application (additional statement below under Supplemental and Contact Information).

• 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.

The posting will close and stop accepting applications at 11:59 pm on the night prior to the closing date posted above.

• 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 the benefits link.

Supplemental And Contact Information

The North Carolina Department of Commerce is an Equal Opportunity Employer who embraces an Employment First philosophy which consists of complying with all federal laws, state laws, and Executive Orders. We are committed to reviewing requests for reasonable accommodation at any time during the hiring process or while on the job. Commerce does not provide employment visa sponsorship. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and throughout employment.

We are committed to reviewing requests for reasonable accommodation at any time during the hiring process and throughout employment. Applicants requesting and receiving an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are eligible to submit paper applications via mail or by fax by the vacancy closing date.

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

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.

Our Agency uses the OSHR Recruiting and Posting of Vacancies Policy to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals. All applicants must complete and submit a state application for employment using the Careers with the State of NC portal.

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.

By providing the requested information, you certify that you have given true, accurate and complete information on this attachment to the best of your knowledge. In the event confirmation is needed in connection with your work, you authorize educational institutions, associations, registration and licensing boards, and others to furnish whatever detail is available concerning your qualifications. You authorize investigation of all statements made in this application and understand that false information or documentation, or a failure to disclose relevant information may be grounds for rejection of your application, disciplinary action or dismissal if you are employed, and(or) criminal action. You further understand that dismissal upon employment shall be mandatory if fraudulent disclosures are given to meet position qualifications (Authority: GS 126-30, GS 14- 122.1).

Minimum Education And Experience

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

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.