Associate Director of Hospitality & Visitor Experience

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Associate Director of Hospitality & Visitor Experience serves as the operational leader of the Visitor Experience department, partnering with the Senior Director to translate departmental strategy into coordinated action while cultivating a culture of exceptional hospitality across all visitor-facing operations. This position oversees the Frontline Operations Manager and Manager of Volunteer Programs while providing leadership and guidance to the broader Visitor Experience frontline leadership team, including Frontline Supervisors.

As the Senior Director's primary partner in departmental operations, the Associate Director serves as the department's operational integrator - aligning people, processes, and priorities across Visitor Experience to build organizational capacity and ensure consistent, welcoming, and hospitality-driven visitor experiences across all SAM locations.

ABOUT SAM

As SAM heads into its second century, we are boldly reimagining what we can and should be. Our goal is to be a model for the future of museums - a bold, dynamic hub of creativity, belonging, and cultural leadership, shaping the future of art and community. Embracing new ways of engaging communities and seeking innovative partnerships - all while keeping art and community at the center of what we do. This ambitious effort represents a transformative shift and radically redefining how art museums operate. This is a pivotal moment for SAM, and we are seeking great talent to join us on our journey. Working at SAM is not just a job—it's a chance to be part of a vibrant, creative community.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Partner with the Senior Director to translate departmental strategy into operational priorities, implementation plans, and measurable outcomes

Lead and develop the department's frontline operational leaders, building organizational capacity through consistent leadership practices, coaching, and accountability

Direct the work of the Frontline Operations Manager and Manager of Volunteer Programs, providing coaching, guidance, and accountability while empowering them to lead their respective teams

Serve as the operational integrator for the Visitor Experience department by coordinating initiatives across teams, removing barriers, and ensuring projects, communications, and priorities remain aligned and on track

Lead implementation of departmental priorities and strategic initiatives, ensuring responsibilities are clearly defined, work is coordinated across teams, and progress is monitored

Identify operational challenges and opportunities, recommending solutions that strengthen organizational capacity, departmental effectiveness, and support institutional goals

Represent Visitor Experience on cross-functional committees and institutional initiatives, building collaborative relationships across the museum

Serve as the Senior Director's designee during their absence, ensuring continuity of departmental leadership and operations

Lead the development and implementation of the museum's Radical Hospitality philosophy, establishing customer service standards, training programs, and operational practices that create consistently welcoming and exceptional visitor experiences across all museum locations

Develop and oversee onboarding, customer service training, leadership development, and recognition programs that reinforce the museum's Radical Hospitality philosophy and build a culture of service excellence

Establish consistent performance management practices across frontline operations and volunteer programs, coaching managers to effectively develop staff, address performance concerns, and build high-performing teams

Foster a culture of hospitality, accountability, inclusion, recognition, and continuous learning that supports employee engagement and exceptional visitor experiences

Work closely with the Senior Manager of Audience Research & Insights to leverage visitor feedback, operational data, and frontline observations to evaluate service performance and identify opportunities to enhance the visitor experience

Guide the resolution of complex visitor concerns, using trends and feedback to continuously strengthen hospitality standards, training, and service delivery

Oversee Visitor Experience operations across all museum locations by guiding managers, aligning priorities, and ensuring consistent operational standards

Lead the development and refinement of operational policies, procedures, and workflows that improve efficiency, accessibility, consistency, and service quality

Coordinate operational planning for exhibitions, public programs, institutional initiatives, and special events, ensuring visitor experience considerations are integrated into planning and execution

Collaborate with Frontline Operations, Volunteer Programs, Audience Research & Insights, Security, Facilities, Membership, Public Engagement, Retail, and other museum partners to deliver seamless visitor experiences across all museum locations

Partner with the Senior Director to develop and oversee the frontline compensation budget and departmental operating budgets

Oversee the Volunteer Program budget in collaboration with the Manager of Volunteer Programs

Monitor staffing levels, labor utilization, and departmental expenditures, recommending adjustments that support operational effectiveness and responsible stewardship of resources

Direct department internal communications, leadership meetings, and administrative functions that support effective department operations

Oversee departmental administrative processes and systems, ensuring accurate documentation, effective communication, and efficient coordination across the department

Contribute to an institutional focus of delivering exceptional, welcoming, and inclusive customer service—creating positive, meaningful experiences for all visitors, every time

Participate in institutional learning opportunities to grow our collective understanding and integration of antiracism, cultural competency, and equity values into SAM’s work

WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Required Qualifications