Functions and Parties Manager

Job Title:  Functions and Parties Manager 

Reports to:  Chief Financial Officer

Schedule:  15 hours per week

Location:  Hybrid

Classification:  Part-time regular employee, hourly, non-exempt

Pay:  $18-$20 per hour                                  


Position Overview

The Functions and Parties Manager is responsible for all aspects of rental events and birthday parties at Discovery Museum with an annual goal of increasing events revenue. Interacting with diverse customers, the Manager is responsible for working closely with all departments to coordinate a successful customer experience from the initial contact, through the reservation process, to the Museum experience itself. 

Primary Responsibilities

  • Actively solicit interest, and coordinate promotion and marketing of the Museum’s availability for functions and birthday parties
  • Respond promptly to customer inquiries arriving via online forms, email, and phone; answer questions knowledgeably, and promptly book reservations in the Museum’s online customer relationship management database
  • Maintain accurate reservation records and contracts; follow up with customers to ensure timely payment of rental and party fees
  • Be available for scheduled on-site tours of the Museum campus for prospective clients, and to provide essential advice on event setup logistics and other “use of space” matters 
  • Coordinate with Senior Director of Marketing to adjust advertising, outreach, and customer feedback/review activities as needed
  • Coordinate with Director of Visitor Services to provide appropriate staffing for all functions and parties
  • Coordinate with Director of Facilities to confirm cleaning schedule and to ensure all requested equipment (tables, chairs etc.) is available for function set up
  • Complete birthday party gift bag sales in coordination with the Museum Store Manager
  • Attend some rentals as appropriate, particularly with new clients and for more complex and/or customized functions, to ensure set up runs smoothly, to connect with functions staff and client
  • Collect feedback and notes from staff and guests following each event, to be used with future improvements and changes, in conjunction with supervisor. 
  • Maintain inventory of party materials, including ordering replacement supplies
  • Monitor booked and completed events against annual revenue goals and work with supervisor to adjust availability calendars as appropriate 
  • Work with supervisor to clarify responsibilities of this position as needed

Qualifications and Requirements

  • Direct customer service experience is required; experience working in events, catering or similar strongly valued
  • Outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Strong basic technology skills (Outlook, Word, Excel and comfort with learning new systems, including customer relationship management)
  • Training in CPR/First Aid a plus
  • Availability to be in person for Museum rentals, on occasional evenings and weekends 
  • All positions at Discovery Museum require a satisfactory Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) background check 

Physical Demands and Work Environment

  • Must be able to access all areas of our ADA accessible campus
  • Spend prolonged times operating a computer and other office productivity equipment
  • With approval from supervisor and after demonstrated understanding of the Museum’s mission and values, a significant portion of this position may be performed remotely

Benefits

In addition to a creative, fun, and flexible work environment, Discovery Museum offers free or discounted admission to more than 1,400 museums and cultural institutions and a discounts on museum memberships and museum store items.

About Discovery Museum

Discovery Museum is a hands-on museum that blends science, nature, and play, inspiring families to explore and learn together. Our mission is to spark delight in learning by igniting curiosity and creativity in children and adults, as they discover together the joys of science, nature, and play.

As an organization, we strive to broadly reflect the communities we wish to serve, both in visitors to our campus and our own staff, volunteers, and board members. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive space for all. We believe that a diversity of thoughts, experiences, backgrounds, personalities, and identities helps us think bigger and better, and enables us to reach our goals more effectively. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.

To Apply

Interested candidates please send a cover letter and resume to Ellen Sturgis, Chief Financial Officer, at esturgis [at] discoveryacton.org (esturgis[at]discoveryacton[dot]org). 

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment requirements, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please likewise direct your inquiries to Ellen Sturgis at esturgis [at] discoveryacton.org (esturgis[at]discoveryacton[dot]org).

We respectfully request that you do not call to inquire about the status of your application. Those candidates chosen for interviews will be contacted.