Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center
13470 Dowell Road, Solomons, MD 20688
Title: GUEST SERVICES MANAGER
deadline to apply: March 8, 2026
Salary: $48,000-62,000 per annum; commensurate with experience;
this is an in-person position;
includes health, prescription and dental insurance; retirement plan;
full-time, salaried position; must work some weekends and evenings;
works all major events and markets.
Is this the job for you? There’s a lot of info, please review carefully!
Are you a non-profit or public service professional? Are you looking for a job you can feel passionate about and make a difference in our community? This might be it! We are looking for a Jack or Jill-of-all-trades to help hold our operation together! Someone with the customer service skills of a concierge who can manage the front desk like a pro! Navigate our membership, ticketing, application, and POS software(s) with ease! Recruit and train volunteers. Throw spreadsheets together in a jiffy. Track supplies and keep things stocked. Direct vendor traffic during market set-up. Help direct 170 artists/vendors trying to set-up and break down for Artsfest – and keep your cool. Pitch in and help with housekeeping, when needed. Work with the Gift Shop team to decorate the gallery and put up 30 ornament trees! If you have grit and like to keep busy, multi-task, and get things done, then this might be the job for you! If you crave a job that has a positive impact on the community and will keep your mind and body active, then this might be it! If you have great customer service skills and are a computer master, then this might be it! Are you looking for a job where you are at the center of the action, then this might be it!
Key abilities:
- Must genuinely enjoy talking and meeting people;
- Firm, but kind demeanor; knows how to play nice with others;
- Able to multi-task at least 6 things at once;
- Ability to stay calm in a hectic environment;
- Understands the importance of policies and procedures, but knows that sometime you've got to be flexible and do some creative problem-solving;
- Exceptional administrative and management skills, with tons of common sense;
- Expert user of Excel, Microsoft office, and related software;
- Able to stand on your feet for 8-12 hours straight helping to run the event, guide guests, and direct vendors;
- Skills of a traffic cop, with a heaping amount of tact and over-the-top customer service skills;
- Have a generous portion of emotional intelligence; must be a team player and enjoy seeing co-workers and the team succeed;
- Xerox, printer, computer, and postal machine whisperer;
- Must have good amount of IT know-how;
- Ability to climb a ladder to put up decor in the galleries and decorate trees;
- Love and appreciate art and nature;
- Must be in it to make our community a better place!
Job Summary: This position requires experience working in the non-profit sector, and demands exceptional management, customer service, computer, organization, and administrative skills. On a daily basis, the Guest Services Manager (GSM) is responsible for the operation of the Front Desk, Welcome Booth, and Gift Shop. The GSM also oversees the Volunteer Program, the Market Program, the Food Truck schedule, and provides broad administrative support across departments for a variety of activities, including group tours & field trips, class & summer camp registration, and event planning and production. The GSM ensures smooth daily operation of the Office, Front Desk, Gift Shop, and Welcome Booth, including volunteer scheduling and training, point of sale operations, handling numerous administrative tasks, processing and tracking the paperwork for numerous complicated projects, maintaining important databases, arranging equipment repair and maintenance, purchasing of supplies, admissions, and tracking the many details of a busy program, exhibit, and events calendar. This position works directly with the public and numerous vendors and artists and must possess exceptional customer service skills that include welcoming and orienting visitors, monitoring gallery visitors, answering phones, responding to emails from guests and clients, processing admissions and handling monetary transactions. The GSM works closely with the Business Manager to coordinate several key aspects of garden operations, including admissions and Gift Shop operations. This is a physically active, multi-faceted, and demanding position that requires a friendly, warm, tactful, patient, and organized person, who possesses exceptional computer and communication skills.
Primary Responsibilities:
· Works under Director to help ensure smooth functioning of the office including numerous administrative tasks, filing and maintaining office records, maintaining the master calendar, purchasing supplies, etc;
· Helps Director implement organization policies and procedures. Must be aware and understand organization policies and procedures, from the handling of money to personnel policies, to ticketing and the handling of works of art.
· Manages all aspects of Front Desk and Welcome Booth operations, including greeting visitors, customer service training for all staff and volunteers, handling of monetary transactions, brochure and map distribution, answer phones, monitoring gallery visitors, volunteer training and supervision, and site safety.
· Recruits, screens, trains, schedules, and supervises front desk volunteers and all volunteers and docents for programs, group tours, field trips, events, etc. Creates and distributes volunteer e-newsletter.
· Writes volunteer thank-you notes in a timely manner (and other thank-you notes as requested); tracks volunteers hours and information, generates reports on volunteer numbers, hours, and value of service; works with other staff to identify volunteer needs and work guidelines
· Coordinates, manages, and hosts volunteer programs, including brown bag lunch series, the post-Artsfest luncheon, Friends Holiday Party, Valentine Party, and other volunteer gatherings and events.
· Coordinates the many administrative details of important annual events, including Artsfest, Halloween in the Garden, and Garden In Lights. Tasks include processing and organizing complicated applications and fees, monitoring and communicating with participants, scheduling of vendors, ordering equipment, securing necessary permits, collaborating with various community entities. Works closely with entire staff to ensure well run events.
· Assists with program and event set-up including popping up tents and tables, hang décor and signs, string lights, and arrange holiday displays.
- Manages the Market Program and Food Truck Schedule, creates and posts applications, reviews applications, communicates with all vendors, works all markets.
· During all major events, works with Business Manager to oversee and operate the Admissions booth, Membership Booth, including during weekend events and our month-long, outdoor, holiday light show. During Garden In Lights;
· Works with Business Manager to coordinate the operations of the Gift Shop, including staff management and training, merchandise and inventory control, pricing, and sales;
· Reports directly to Director, but is expected to develop positive and effective relationships with senior and support staff.
-Tallies and maintains monthly and annual visitor counts, reports monthly counts to the county in a timely manner;
· Works with other staff to maintain several important databases, including databases for members, artists, sponsors, organizations, food vendors, performers, etc.
· Monitors and coordinates ordering of various supplies, including office, equipment, janitorial, etc.; assists Director with submitting of maintenance requests
· Serves as the main organization email contact; answers questions or forwards questions to appropriate staff member; handles general inquiries and complaints from the public in an effective and timely manner.
- this is a key leadership position in the organization.
Additional responsibilities:
· Works all major events and markets
· follow direction of Director to monitor the many details of a busy and creative staff
· assists with monitoring security and maintenance of site
· assists with supervising interns, volunteers, community service workers, etc.
· performs a variety of janitorial tasks, as needed; in the absence of the Housekeeper, will perform duties; may assist Housekeeper, as needed;
· other duties as assigned by Director
Required Skills:
·background and experience in the non-profit or public sectors.
-Strong customer service skills; ability to be assertive and manage guests during large events
· Strong communication and organization skills
· Strong management skills
· Advanced computer skills; firm grasp on IT infrastructure and operations best practices
· Strong analytical, critical thinking, decision-making and problem-solving abilities
· Excellent project management skills and strong ability to prioritize
· Experience with a variety of personalities and backgrounds in the workplace
· Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
Working around art and sculpture:
All staff must follow established guidelines for working around works of art and sculpture, including the indoor gallery areas and the outdoor sculpture; all staff must follow policies and procedures for working around loaned works of art as stipulated by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Gallery of Art. These guidelines apply to all Annmarie staff, as everything we do is informed by the art and sculpture that surrounds us on the property.
Critical Operations Position – cross train in all aspects of operations and management
Minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in business, hospitality, or a relevant field, plus two years related experience or a combination of relevant experience and education.
Licenses of Certificates: Valid driver’s license.
Special requirements: Operation of Annmarie owned vehicles; subject to background investigation.
The Work Environment: Annmarie Garden is committed to connecting people to art and nature through a wide variety of exhibits, programs, and classes, as well as the thirty acre sculpture garden. Annmarie has a diverse array of visitors and seeks to provide a welcoming atmosphere for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. A talented person is needed to work under the Director to help manage the Guest Services Department. Given the diverse constituency of Annmarie, including local and state officials, business people, board members, trustees, artists, and the general public, only applicants with exceptional communication skills and a proven ability to work effectively with diverse people will be considered for the position. Applicant must be team and customer-oriented. The work environment at Annmarie is fast-paced, collaborative, and highly creative. Qualified applicants with proven customer service and business skills and an interest in the arts are invited to apply for this critical position.
Physical Demand: this is a physically demanding position that requires someone able to stand for long periods; perform tasks associated with hosting a special event, including working outside setting up a small tent, booth or display, tables and chairs; must be able to climb a ladder to hang décor and holiday decorations; must be able to work outside in all weather; also includes routine office work.
Working at Annmarie: operating a 50 acre park and presenting a wide variety of programs and events requires staff members who can: stand for long periods of time, walk uneven terrain, work outside in all weather, and spend hours preparing for events and programs, as well as working them. Simply put, it is a very physical place to work. Staff must be able to set up tables and chairs, erect pop-up tents, climb ladders to hang decor and lights, and work the demanding hours of a special programs or event. It is hard, but very rewarding!
Unusual demands:
Required to work major outdoor and indoor festival & events; includes some weekend and evening events.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $48,000.00 - $62,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Relocation assistance
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Education:
Experience:
- non-profit: 2 years (Required)
- Customer service: 2 years (Required)
- Management: 2 years (Required)
- Administrative: 2 years (Required)
- Computer skills: 2 years (Required)
- Events management: 2 years (Required)
- Vendor management: 2 years (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Solomons, MD 20688: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
