Associate, Gallery Guide (Full-Time) - Milken Institute : Job Details

About the Milken Institute The Milken Institute is a globally minded, publicly supported, non-partisan, and nonprofit think tank headquartered in Santa Monica, with offices in Washington, DC, New York, London, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore. For the past three decades, the Milken Institute has served as a catalyst for practical, scalable solutions to global challenges by connecting human, financial, and educational resources to those who need them. Guided by a conviction that the best ideas, under-resourced, cannot succeed, we conduct research and analysis and convene top experts, innovators, and influencers from different backgrounds and competing viewpoints. We leverage this expertise and insight to construct programs and policy initiatives. These activities are designed to help people build meaningful lives, in which they can experience health and well-being, pursue effective education and gainful employment, and access the resources required to create ever-expanding opportunities for themselves and their broader communities. The Milken Institute's events and programmatic activities, involve the exchange of ideas with leaders from around the world. The Institute hosts more than 200 events each year, with our annual flagship event, Global Conference, bringing together 4,500+ participants from around the world, featuring more than 900+ speakers throughout 200+ sessions over the course of the event. About the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD) at the Milken Institute is building its Visitor Experience team for a new visitor center opening this year. We are seeking Gallery Guides to help bring the center to life and connect our new exhibition with visitors. Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD), the newest center within the Institute, is catalyzing this work by building a new type of cultural center in the heart of Washington, DC. At MCAAD we celebrate the ideal of the American Dream and explore the ongoing challenges people face in pursuing opportunity, through exhibitions and programs. To accomplish this, we focus on four pillars of the American Dream: education, health, finance, and entrepreneurship. MCAAD's physical home, with a planned opening in 2025, is a remarkable renovation of several 120-year-old historic bank buildings, including Riggs Bank, known as the Bank of Presidents. The Center's main halls are in the National Register of Historic Places, and our stewardship of the property-along with adjacent buildings on 15th St NW-will showcase and honor the history of these buildings while adapting them for use as a modern cultural center with immersive exhibition galleries. There will also be a state-of-the-art theater, events and lecture spaces, a holodeck experience, store and an atrium with café. The six-building complex featuring nearly 300,000 square feet of space will also include a conference center, recording and broadcast studios, and the Washington, D.C., headquarters of five centers of the Milken Institute. About the Position WE are a dynamic, collaborative, and motivated team working to reopen the soaring halls of the Riggs Bank buildings as a place to imagine, explore, and expand the American Dream. YOU are a friendly professional with a knack for providing stellar visitor service. You like talking to all kinds of people and sharing what you know. You can follow a plan but are also flexible when circumstances shift. You're communicative and like working on a team. Gallery Guides are the face of our visitor center, working directly with our visitors on the exhibition floor. From greeting guests upon arrival to sharing compelling stories on tours, Gallery Guides ensure that all visitors have a welcoming, safe, and fun experience. This role not only works with our visitors, but also with staff across departments to ensure the smooth daily operations. Gallery Guides will receive comprehensive training that includes exhibition content, operational processes, visitor experience best practices, and more. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with some experience in visitor services or someone who is just beginning their visitor experience career. Select Gallery Guides with an inclination for and experience in performance, character portrayal, or theater will be trained to operate our Holodeck Experience, an immersive digital experience exploring American Dream stories. Responsibilities Welcome and Entry Flow

• Provide a welcoming, engaging, and excellent visitor experience from entry to exit for all visitors.
• Actively greet visitors and provide an orientation to the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream and help plan their visit through the American Dream Experience.
• Distribute, sell, and validate tickets for general admission, special experiences, and public programs through ticketing system.
• Support visitors through security screening and support the security team as needed and appropriate to keep our spaces safe.
• Monitor and manage visitor flow through main entrances and exits, as well as galleries and exhibition spaces.
• Assist in welcoming group visits and perform line management outside of the building.

Tour and Activity Facilitation

• Facilitate a variety of visitor engagements including tours, pop up activities, and flash talks.
• Engage visitors in informal conversation about the exhibition and its content throughout visiting hours.
• Help lead hands-on activities for public programs.
• Support facilitated group visits with the education team.

Gallery and Exhibition Support

• Communicate MCAAD gallery guidelines with visitors as necessary.
• Support security staff in ensuring the safety and security of all visitors and staff throughout public spaces.
• Report any issues (exhibit repair, facility maintenance, other concerns) within galleries to team manager.
• Connect visitors with accessibility features and offerings

Daily Operations

• Attend daily morning meeting to receive notes, schedule, and other happenings that require visitor experience attention.
• Report key notes and metrics from the day including tour and talk attendance numbers, memorable visitor quotes, and operational successes or challenges.
• Follow daily rotation schedule closely and perform all duties specific to assigned posts.
• Support the day-to-day operations of the Center, including opening and closing duties and collaboration with other departments and gallery or interactive care.
• Support check in and visitor flow for public programs and special events.
• Troubleshoot routine visitor-related issues and escalate challenging situations to a manager.
• Adhere to uniform guidelines.
• Stay up to date with communications from colleagues.
• Duties as assigned.

Holodeck Experience Facilitation Select team members with a flair for performance will be trained to operate our Holodeck Experience.

• Facilitate the state of the art digital, immersive Holodeck Experience for visitors.
• Bring the experience to life with character portrayal, performance skills, and improvisational interactions. Previous experience with theater, interpretation, and performance welcome.
• Engage with visitors in a lively, friendly, and welcoming manner.
• Facilitate ticket sales, check in, and visitor inquiries about the experience.
• Cue consecutive stages of digital experience through a tablet according to script, timing, and visitor group dynamics.
• Adhere to safety and security guidelines for staff and visitors.
• Work with and clearly communicate with colleagues also supporting the Holodeck Experience, as well as the team at large including Visitor Experience, Exhibition AV, and more.

Requirements

• The ideal candidate has a healthy sense of humor, a passion for engaging with others and thrives in a highly collaborative environment while taking ownership of own duties.
• You will thrive in this role if you are an enthusiastic communicator committed to providing outstanding customer service and passionate about offering best-in-class experiences.
• Ideal candidates have experience in visitor service at a museum, history center, science center, or public-facing cultural organization. Customer service experience in other fields also welcome. Bonus if one has experience leading tours or facilitating experiences for visitors or guests. Internship experience will be considered.
• A background in performing arts is encouraged for applicants interested in facilitating the Holodeck Experience.
• A high level of adaptability to support the changing needs of visitors, groups, and the organization.
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills are required.
• MCAAD's topical focus means a background and special interest in its mission and pillars is beneficial: health and science, education and learning, finance, entrepreneurship, plus unique aspects of the American journey (U.S. history, immigration, aspiration and inspiration, advocacy, democracy, civic engagement, community development, and more).
• The ability to quickly develop positive working relationships, support colleagues, be flexible, and thrive in a fast-paced, fun and creative environment is a must.

Working Conditions All work will take place on site in our public visitor center. Availability on weekends, occasional evenings, and holidays is required. Physical aspects of the role include ability to stand or be on one's feet for extended periods of time and move equipment, such as signage, chairs, or stanchions on a cart. All Gallery Guides must adhere to a team dress code. This role may require occasional work outdoors during busy seasons. Note We are interested in qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. Please note, we are not sponsoring visas at this time, being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment. The statements herein are intended to describe the overall nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer. Please submit resume and cover letter illustrating how your experience and skills will contribute to the department and any unique qualities you bring to the position. If applying via Indeed, please upload your resume and any supporting documentation as one attachment. Any application that does not include both a resume and cover letter will be rejected. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact our Human Resources department to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process. Our Culture The Milken Institute is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran. Every person at the Milken Institute is treated with respect, supported with resources and training, and exposed to a broad range of experiences. We foster a space for growth with opportunities to share knowledge and passion with both clients and colleagues. We are committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Our leadership is actively involved in our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and fostering a culture that creates opportunities for everyone.