Job Details

Title: Sea Center Operations Manager

Classification: Full Time, Exempt

Department: Sea Center

Reports To: Sea Center Director

Wage Band: Managers

Compensation: $70,304 annually

Schedule: Tuesday - Saturday

Mission: The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History inspires a thirst for discovery and a passion for the natural world.

Position Summary: This position is responsible for day-to-day operations, including admissions, retail store, private event rentals, and daily operations. Supports Sea Center staff in carrying out their duties.?This position requires excellent communication, organization, teamwork, and a positive can-do attitude.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Hire, train, and support Guest Experience staff, ensuring delivery of exemplary customer service across all areas of responsibility.
• Oversee store and retail operations, including POS troubleshooting, inventory management, and store merchandising; recommend new products to the Director of Guest Experience.
• Assists with daily opening and closing routines for the Sea Center exhibit areas.
• In coordination with the Director of Guest Experience, maintain consistent policy for Admissions, Store, and Membership operations.
• Monitor visitation patterns and visitor flow, while prioritizing staff, visitor, and animal safety.
• Engage proactively with the public by welcoming visitors, answering questions, providing information about the Sea Center, its exhibits and programs, the Museum's Mission Canyon Campus, and the surrounding area, and responding diplomatically to visitor concerns.
• Oversee admissions transactions and membership sales; collaborate with the Membership Manager to stay current on offerings and communicate updates to staff to support membership goals.
• Supports the Sea Center Director with ongoing maintenance projects throughout the Sea Center.
• Promote efficient store operations, including stocking and organizing merchandise, maintaining clean and visually appealing displays, monitoring inventory, and managing multiple customer needs.
• Lead coordination of Sea Center Event Rental programs (6-10 annually), including responding to inquiries, conducting tours, managing reservations and payments, scheduling events, communicating with staff, and overseeing event setup, logistics, and cleanup.
• Assist staff in maintaining clean, safe, and organized facilities and workspaces, including public areas, while contributing as a collaborative team member.
• Assists with other Sea Center duties as assigned.

In coordination with Sea Center Director

• Partner with the Sea Center Director to support smooth and effective daily operations.
• Oversee day-to-day facility operations, including staff and volunteer scheduling, supervision, and performance support.
• Foster a culture of excellent customer service by modeling standards and supporting staff development.
• Assist in coordinating facility maintenance, including plumbing, electrical, lighting, aquarium life support systems, and preventative maintenance.
• Communicate policies, procedures, service standards, and operational information clearly and professionally with visitors, trustees, donors, vendors, and staff, both in person and by phone.
• Monitor facilities, inside and out, for unsafe or hazardous conditions or maintenance needs, and notify appropriate staff to ensure timely resolution.

Organization-Wide

• Maintain clean, safe, and organized workspaces.
• Follow opening/closing procedures and uphold safety and emergency protocols.
• Supports the Museum's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion for fellow staff, guests, and the community.
• Fosters a spirit of teamwork and collaboration by actively supporting colleagues, sharing knowledge, and contributing to a positive work culture.
• Contributes to a positive guest experience by greeting and addressing any questions when encountering guests as they navigate through the Museum and Sea Center.
• Assist with other Museum educational and special events as needed and approved by the supervisor.
• Other duties as assigned.

Essential Requirements:

• 3 -5 years related experience with a basic knowledge of marine science required.
• Excellent customer service, communication, interpersonal and problem-solving skills; ability to interact with varied individuals and groups of diverse backgrounds and ages.
• Strong organizational and leadership skills, ability to multitask with proven track record as an effective team member.
• Friendly, enthusiastic, energetic, and professional demeanor.
• Dependable and punctual; available to work weekends, evenings, extended Sea Center hours and occasional holidays.
• Mechanical aptitude.
• Comfortable working in various work environments, including outdoors.
• Proficient MS Office skills; Knowledge of Point-of-Sale systems.
• Available to work Tuesday - Saturday and occasional evenings for events.

Preferred Requirements:

• Bilingual fluency, written and oral, a plus.
• College Degree in related field preferred.
• Background in marine science.
• SCUBA certification.

Work Environment:

• Aquarium environment frequent contact with saltwater and scientific instruments.
• Extensive daily contact and interaction with the general public.
• Climbing of ladders and work in tight spaces.
• Significant computer work (repetitive movement - typing) and occasional phone work.
• Frequent sitting, standing, walking, bending and climbing stairs.
• Frequent lifting 30+ lbs.
• Walking on the wharf uneven surfaces.
• Moderate noise levels high energy public aquarium.

The incumbent must be able to perform each requirement of the position as outlined in the job description. Essential Requirements are representative and are essential for satisfactory job performance. The Work Environment characteristics are representative of those that may be encountered while on the job. The Museum will make reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.