Welcome Agent (event driven)

Oregonmetro; Oregon; On-site; USD 67,502,000 - 75,768,000; Full time

Job summary

The Oregon Convention Center in Portland seeks Welcome Agents to join the team. You will be the face of OCC, providing information, guiding guests, helping with mobility equipment, lost-and-found, and creating a welcoming experience during major events such as Rose City Comic Con and Portland Auto Show.

This role is indoors with some outdoor work, requires standing and light physical activity, and may include evenings, weekends, and holidays to support events.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• One year of general office and customer service experience.
• Equivalent combination of education, experience, and training.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the welcoming face of the Oregon Convention Center and deliver guest experiences.
• Provide information and guidance about event schedules and amenities to help guests.
• Assist with mobility equipment rentals and lost-and-found services.
• Help guests navigate the Convention Center and locate destinations.
• Create a welcoming and inclusive environment for visitors.

Skills

People skills

Clear communication

Adaptability

Judgment

Relationship building

Teamwork

Professionalism

Customer service

Initiative

Dependable

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Hello, we’re Metro! Metro is dedicated to shaping a better future for the greater Portland region. The work the people of Metro do every day benefits the lives of the people who live here, today, and tomorrow.

The Oregon Convention Center (OCC), one of the largest convention facilities in the Pacific Northwest, is seeking Welcome Agents to join our team. This role is perfect for an enthusiastic, customer-focused individual who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and enjoys connecting with people from all walks of life. If you are outgoing, approachable, passionate about delivering exceptional guest experiences, and excited to share your knowledge of Portland and the surrounding region, we encourage you to apply. As a premier destination for national conventions, trade shows, meetings, and community events, OCC provides a unique opportunity to be at the center of some of Portland’s most exciting experiences.

As a Welcome Agent, you will serve as the face of the Oregon Convention Center, working from welcome desks and throughout the facility to assist guests and attendees. You will provide information, answer questions, highlight what makes OCC special, assist with mobility equipment rentals and lost-and-found services, and help create a welcoming and memorable experience for every visitor. No two days are the same. From the excitement of Rose City Comic Con to major industry conferences and the Portland Auto Show, you'll enjoy a wide variety of events while making a meaningful impact on guests from around the world.

As the Welcome Agent, you will:

• Serve as the welcoming face of the Oregon Convention Center, creating positive first impressions and delivering exceptional guest experiences.
• Build meaningful connections with guests by proactively engaging with visitors throughout the venue and helping make their experience memorable.
• Provide personalized information and guidance about event schedules, activities, and Convention Center amenities to help guests make the most of their visit.
• Share your knowledge and enthusiasm for Portland by recommending local restaurants, hotels, attractions, and activities.
• Assist guests with navigating the Convention Center and ensure they can easily find their destinations.
• Support accessibility and guest comfort by coordinating the checkout and return of mobility equipment, including scooters and wheelchairs.
• Assist guests with recovering lost items by maintaining lost-and-found records and facilitating item retrieval.
• Gather guest feedback and insights to help enhance the overall visitor experience.
• Create and place guest-facing signage to improve wayfinding and support successful events.
• Play an important role in creating a welcoming, inclusive, and service-oriented environment for visitors from around the world.

Attributes for success:

• Enjoys interacting with people and creating welcoming, positive experiences for guests from diverse backgrounds.
• Communicates clearly, professionally, and confidently when providing information, directions, and assistance.
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment and can adapt quickly to changing priorities and guest needs.
• Uses sound judgment and problem-solving skills to address questions, concerns, and unexpected situations.
• Builds positive relationships with guests, coworkers, event partners, and community members.
• Works effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Maintains a high level of professionalism, organization, and attention to detail.
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to customer service and helping others.
• Takes initiative to identify guest needs and provide proactive, solutions-focused support.
• Must be dependable.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At Metro, we strive to cultivate diversity, advance equity, and practice inclusion in all of its work. This means attracting and empowering a workforce that is inclusive of a broad range of human qualities. Workplace diversity is both a moral imperative and a business strength, essential to providing quality support and services to our region. Metro’s goal is to hire, develop, and retain highly skilled and talented individuals across all departments and programs who best reflect the diversity of our community.

Learn more about Metro’s Diversity Action Plan

TO QUALIFY

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific in your application materials on how your background is relevant.

Minimum qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED, and
• One year of general office and specialized customer service experience OR
• An equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that would provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the successful performance of the essential job duties.

Working Schedule:

This role will work at the Oregon Convention Center and the Portland Expo Center. This position is mostly indoors with the possibility of working outdoors occasionally. This role requires prolonged periods of standing, walking, and physical activities such as pushing and pulling, bending, and lifting.

Additionally, this role is considered event driven based on the events, so working evenings, weekends and holidays may be required.

If this statement is true for you, then you may be ineligible to apply:

If you were terminated for cause during any employment with Metro, or resigned in lieu of termination, you may be ineligible for rehire for a minimum of 3 years.

Like to have qualifications:

You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates. Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience, including the military, or life experience that are relevant for this position.

• Experience assisting guests with diverse needs and abilities
• One year fast paced, high volume customer service experience

COMPENSATION AND REPRESENTATION

The rate of pay for this position is $23.97 per hour.

This position is eligible for overtime and is represented by AFSCME 3580 union. It is classified as an Administrative Specialist I.

Classification descriptions are typically written broadly and do not include the specific duties and responsibilities of the positions.

SCREENING AND EVALUATION

The application packet: The application packet consists of the following documents. Please ensure that you upload these documents in your online application. Make sure your application is complete; missing any part of these items could result in an incomplete application and will not be moved forward in the recruitment.

• A completed online application
• Answer to supplemental question

The selection process: We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows. The selection process is subject to change.

• Initial review of minimum qualifications
• In-depth evaluation of application materials to identify the most qualified candidates
• Consideration of top candidates/interviews
• Reference check

Questions?

Recruiter: Megan Warneke

Email: [e-mail]

Equal employment opportunity

All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability for which a reasonable accommodation can be made, or any other status protected by law.

Non-discrimination in hiring decisions

Metro is committed to equal employment opportunity and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local civil rights laws. Metro employment decisions – including recruitment, screening, interviewing, selection, promotion, compensation, and separation – must not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected class.

Accommodation

Metro will gladly provide a reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing this application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter outlined in the job announcement in advance to request assistance.

Veterans' preference

Under Oregon Law, qualified veterans may be eligible for veterans' preference when applying for Metro positions. If you are a veteran and would like to be considered for a veterans' preference for this job, please provide qualifying documents as instructed during the application process.

Pay equity at Metro

No matter who you are or where you work at Metro, you deserve to be paid fairly for the work you do. Every worker must get equal pay for equal work regardless of your gender, race, age, or other protected characteristics