General Summary of Job Duties
The Guest Experience Lead supports the daily operations of the Guest Experience team, with a focus on ticketing, admissions, guest flow, staff coordination and front-line service. This position helps ensure Guest Experience Associates are prepared, informed and equipped to provide each guest with a welcoming, fun and educational visit to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. The Guest Experience Lead serves as a hands-on resource for staff and guests while supporting efficient operations, accurate transactions and consistently high-quality service.
Essential Job Responsibilities and Duties
- Partner with the Director of Guest Experience to recruit, hire, schedule and guide Guest Experience Associates, keeping daily operations, events and guest-facing areas running smoothly with informed, confident team members.
- Guide Guest Experience Associates in following operational procedures while modeling professional, positive and guest-focused service.
- Reconcile ticketing revenue, cash drawers, system reports and daily deposits accurately and in accordance with established procedures.
- Support admissions, memberships, renewals, events, programs and gift card sales by processing transactions accurately, promoting membership benefits and helping meet department goals.
- Respond to guest care needs, including first aid, emergency evacuations and lost and found.
- Maintain safe, clean and organized guest-facing workspaces; replenish supplies as needed and identify service, presentation, maintenance, safety, signage or cleanliness concerns for follow-up.
- Stay active on the floor by monitoring guest-facing areas and guest flow during peak periods, school groups, events and high-volume days; engage with guests, resolve concerns when appropriate and adjust coverage needs as needed.
- Conduct vault audits, maintain cash-handling documentation and submit change order requests to support daily operational cash needs.
- Share operational issues, guest feedback and improvement opportunities with leadership.
- Demonstrate sound judgment, flexibility and problem-solving skills in a fast-paced guest environment.
- Assist with opening and closing procedures for Guest Experience areas, including readiness checks, cash drawers, equipment and guest-facing spaces.
- Communicate daily updates, policy reminders and operational priorities.
Skills, Education and Other Requirements
- High school diploma required; related college degree preferred.
- Two years of customer service experience required; supervisory and cash-handling experience preferred.
- Comfortable in a fast-paced, guest-facing environment with strong communication, public speaking and informal guest engagement skills.
- Able to accurately process transactions, count revenue, reconcile totals and maintain attention to detail when handling reports and deposits.
- Proficient with computers, Windows-based applications and point-of-sale software.
- Courteous, flexible, dependable, solution-focused and able to manage multiple priorities with initiative.
- Enjoys teamwork, guest interaction and learning about conservation, aquatic animals and interpretation.
- Committed to enthusiastic, guest-focused service and appropriate handling of confidential information.
- Available to work weekends, evenings and holidays as assigned.
- Willing to become certified in First Aid, CPR and AED use.
- Demonstrated leadership, coaching and team coordination skills, including the ability to share timely information with team members and leadership.
- Able to calmly resolve guest concerns, use conflict resolution and de-escalation skills, and make sound decisions during busy periods, emergencies or high-volume situations.
- Must carry and use a radio while on duty.
Pay: From $14.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid sick time
- Paid time off
- Paid training
- Referral program
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
