Institute for Contemporary Art Assistant Manager of Visitor Engagement (part-time)

The Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU is seeking two organized, hospitable, and strategic Assistant Managers of Visitor Engagement to support the ICA’s mission of broadening access to contemporary art through creating, listening, and cultivating shared experiences. The Weekend Assistant Manager of Visitor Engagement is a key member of the ICA’s front of house leadership team as they are responsible for ensuring an exceptional visitor experience during the museum’s weekend hours.

Under the direction of the ICA’s Head of Interpretation, these individuals will work collaboratively as front-of-house shift leaders during building hours on Monday through Sunday. One Assistant Manager of Visitor Engagement will be designated to work Sunday through Wednesday. Another Assistant Manager of Visitor Engagement will be designated to work Wednesday - Saturday, both with overlapping shifts on Wednesdays for meetings and team planning. 

Together, both assistant managers will co-lead and support the Visitor Engagement Associate team, ensuring continuity, consistency, and excellence across the ICA’s visitor experience operations. Alongside the Weekday Assistant Manager, the Weekend Assistant Manager will oversee daily front desk and in-gallery operations, serving as an important liaison between the ICA, its part-time staff, and the communities we serve. They will also help to establish and maintain a welcoming, informed, and inclusive front of house culture while supporting the ICA’s broader institutional goals.

The ideal candidate for this role is an affable, thoughtful, and highly-collaborative leader who can inspire and instruct a dynamic team while also confidently managing the practical demands of daily museum operations. They are a sharp thinker and creative problem-solver who can respond thoughtfully to unexpected situations, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop visionary approaches to growing museum visitorship without compromising the quality, accessibility, or integrity of the museum-going experience.

In addition to managing weekend front of house operations, the Weekend Assistant Manager will engage directly with visitors and, as needed, lead tours, workshops, discussions, and other educational experiences.

This position requires a commitment of up to 29 hours per week with partial weekend and holiday commitments most weeks of the year. Availability to work this schedule is a non-negotiable requirement of the position.

• Cultivate an active, inclusive, and welcoming front-of-house culture through which visitors and ICA staff feel valued, supported, and empowered.

• Ensure that visitors receive accurate, accessible, and educational information about ICA exhibitions, programs, events, membership, architecture, and institutional policies.

• Engage directly with visitors in thoughtful conversations about the art on view and encourage meaningful connections between visitors and the ICA’s exhibitions, programs, and mission.

• Ensure adherence to ICA visitor policies, procedures, accessibility standards, and expectations for visitor safety and gallery security.

• Serve as a visible and approachable weekend leader and institutional representative for visitors, staff, artists, students, and community partners.

• Support the recruitment, onboarding, training, evaluation, scheduling, and daily supervision of the Visitor Engagement Associate team.

• Co-develop and distribute Visitor Engagement Associate schedules for regular weekend operations, special events, tours, workshops, and other programming.

• Provide clear direction and constructive feedback to Visitor Engagement Associates and foster a culture of accountability, learning, and professional growth.

• Lead staff in a manner that is inspirational, instructive, collaborative, kind, and responsive.

• Collaborate with the Head of Interpretation and the Weekday Assistant Manager of Visitor Experience to develop opportunities for Visitor Engagement Associates to deepen their knowledge of the ICA’s exhibitions, programs, and audiences, in addition to best practices for visitor engagement.

• Participate in the planning, coordination, and facilitation of VEA staff discussions, field trips, trainings, and other professional development opportunities.

• Work closely with the Weekday Assistant Manager to ensure consistency in training, procedures, communication, scheduling, and team culture across the full week of ICA operations.

• Lead tours, workshops, discussions, and other educational programs as needed.

• Prepare for and facilitate engaging, accessible, and audience-appropriate conversations about ICA exhibitions and contemporary art.

• Support the development of new approaches to visitor engagement that encourage curiosity, participation, learning, and repeat visitation.

• Collaborate with colleagues across the ICA to identify opportunities for Visitor Engagement Associates to participate meaningfully in educational/interpretive initiatives and other professional tasks.

• Delegate daily front-desk and in-gallery responsibilities for all scheduled Visitor Engagement Associates.

• Monitor gallery security and visitor safety and respond appropriately to operational or visitor-related concerns.

• Ensure adherence to ICA incident reporting procedures and policies.

• Provide day-of support and front of house leadership for public and private events.

• Receive shipments at the loading dock and distribute mail to administrative suites.

• Receive and respond to phone inquiries and direct questions or requests to the appropriate ICA staff members.

• Support the smooth operation of the ICA’s public-facing spaces, including coordination with relevant colleagues regarding the café, shop, galleries, and other visitor areas.

• Accurately track daily attendance, tours, programs, events, and other visitor engagement data.

• Log visitor feedback, questions, concerns, and observations and communicate relevant information to appropriate departments.

• Distribute attendance and visitor experience data to colleagues and contribute to institutional reporting and evaluation.

• Identify patterns in visitor feedback and behavior, using this information to recommend improvements to visitor experience and front of house operations.

• Collaborate with staff across the ICA to ensure successful, sustainable, and responsive front of house operations.

• Serve as an important liaison between the ICA, its part-time staff, and the various communities it serves.

• Contribute ideas and initiatives that thoughtfully expand museum visitorship while protecting the quality, accessibility, and character of the ICA’s visitor experience.

Attributes:

• A warm, affable, and welcoming demeanor and a genuine interest in working with the public.

• An inspirational and instructive leadership style grounded in kindness, collaboration, accountability, and respect.

• Creative and visionary thinking about how museums can welcome, engage, and grow audiences without compromising the quality of the visitor experience.

Minimum Qualifications

• Consistent availability to work approx. 29 hours per week (either Sunday through Wednesday or Wednesday through Saturday).

• Previous experience supervising, mentoring, or leading staff in a customer service, cultural, educational, hospitality, or public-facing environment.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to build positive relationships with people from a wide range of backgrounds.

• Strong judgment and the ability to remain calm, thoughtful, and solution-oriented in unexpected or challenging situations.

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities in a dynamic museum environment.

• A collaborative approach to working across departments and with colleagues at all levels of an institution.

• The ability to facilitate engaging conversations with visitors and staff and to adapt communication styles to different audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• An interest in contemporary art and a commitment to creating accessible and inclusive cultural experiences.

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