Visitor Experience Associate

Classification: Part-time, non-exempt

Reports to: Education Manager

Compensation: $17-$19 per hour commensurate with experience 

Hours: Approximately 10-15 hours per week

Schedule: One Friday afternoon shift (1-6pm) and one weekend day per week; additional program, event, and substitute hours may be available

Position Summary

The Reher Center for Immigrant Culture and History seeks a warm, dependable, and engaging Visitor Experience Associate to welcome visitors to our historic bakery and gallery in downtown Kingston. The Reher Center is a small cultural organization with a dedicated and cross-functional team.

The Visitor Experience Associate will be one of the first people visitors meet at the Reher Center and thus plays an important role in creating a welcoming, inclusive, and engaging experience. This position opens and closes the museum, welcomes and orients visitors, answers general questions about the Reher Center and its history, and supports the smooth operation of the museum during public hours.

This is a public-facing role well suited to someone who enjoys meeting people, is interested in local history and culture, and is comfortable working independently in a small museum environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for visitors by providing a warm welcome and an engaging introduction to the Reher Center, including its historic bakery, exhibitions, programs, and current offerings.
• Orient visitors to the museum and help them navigate the bakery and gallery spaces.
• Answer general visitor questions using training and interpretive materials provided by the Reher Center.
• Open and close the museum and follow established visitor-services and site procedures.
• Monitor the bakery and gallery during public hours and help maintain a safe, welcoming, and visitor-ready environment.
• Track attendance and other visitor information and support collection of visitor feedback.
• Share information about upcoming tours, programs, membership, and other opportunities to deepen engagement with the Reher Center.
• Maintain visitor materials and notify staff when supplies or materials need to be replenished.
• Support occasional public programs, events, and other visitor-facing activities.
• Communicate visitor questions, feedback, and operational concerns to the Education Manager and other appropriate staff.
• Participate in training related to Reher’s history, exhibitions, visitor experience, and site procedures.
• Desire to work collaboratively as part of a small museum team.
• Perform other visitor-experience duties as needed.

Qualifications

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and a genuine enjoyment of engaging with the public.
• Warm, welcoming, and comfortable interacting with visitors of varied ages and backgrounds.
• Dependable, punctual, and able to work independently.
• Strong judgment and ability to respond calmly and professionally to visitor questions and inquiries and connect with other staff as needed
• Interest in history, museums, culture, education, or the Kingston community.
• Comfort learning and sharing basic information about the Reher Center’s history and mission.
• Previous experience in museums, cultural organizations, hospitality, retail, education, or customer service is helpful but not required.
• Ability to use basic technology and accurately track visitor information and facilitate donations and memberships
• Regular Friday and minimum of one weekend-per-month availability is required.

Work Context and Physical Requirements

• The Reher Center is located in a historic building with stairs and areas that are not fully accessible. The position requires periods of sitting, standing, and moving throughout the museum and the ability to open and close the site independently.