Job Details

Title: Special Exhibit Lead: Butterfly Pavilion

Classification: Temporary Full Time (32-40 hours)

Department: Guest Experience

Reports To: Director of Guest Experience

Schedule: Thursday - Monday

Wage Band: Assistant/Coordinator Level 1

PayRange: $22.72 - $23.50 per hour*

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

Position Summary:

Special Exhibit Lead will support the Manager(s) and Operations team in a variety of tasks including engaging guests throughout campus at multiple stations or roaming positions and providing relief shifts to volunteers and fellow employees. This position will also support USDA containment protocols and perform butterfly maintenance tasks as required. The Special Exhibits Lead will support the Manager(s) through monitoring group booking visitors and supporting after-hour events.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Supports and maintains a culture committed to excellent customer service. Ensures each visitor has a courteous, pleasant, and efficient initial contact with the Museum.
• Ensure fellow staff are performing essential tasks and demonstrating the Guest Experience Values.
• Interacting with the general public, including greeting and welcoming guests, answering questions and providing information about the Museum and its exhibits and programs, promoting visitorship to the museum, and acting as a Museum representative at various exhibit posts.
• Demonstrate a professional demeanor when interacting with guests, trustees, donors, and vendors, both on the phone and in person. Work cohesively with multiple divisions and departments as a friendly, flexible team player.
• Become familiar with the Museum's special exhibits and events. Provide accurate and helpful information to volunteers and visitors about the Museum, its exhibits, and its programs.
• Support daily operations by maintaining signage, ensuring optimal flow, capacity levels, and adherence to safety rules in coordination with Guest Experience Managers.
• Enforce ticketing and entry procedures at the pavilion involving cash handling and the use of POS software (Ticketure.)
• Assist with greeting and hosting group bookings, maintaining pavilion flow, collaborating with internal departments, and ensuring a smooth experience in coordination with the Guest Experience Manager and Director.
• Maintain a neat and orderly environment, accessible to the public.
• Ensures workspace is clean and clear of clutter consistent with Museum and department operations and safety procedures.
• Supports the Museum's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion for fellow staff, guests, and the community.
• Contributes to a positive guest experience by greeting and addressing any questions when encountering guests as they navigate through the Museum and Sea Center.
• Other duties as assigned.

Together with the Pavilion Director (PD):

• Be familiar with the Butterfly Pavilion, including general butterfly biology & behaviors.
• Manage USDA containment protocols among all staff and volunteers involved with the exhibit.
• Manage daily opening and closing exhibit procedures in conjunction with Butterfly Associates, including plant care, proper disposal, and/or disinfection of trash, tools, and work areas.
• In coordination with the GE Manager, ensure that the weekly schedules of pavilion staff include events, attendance trends, and staff availability.
• On duty days, ensure coverage of the Butterfly Pavilion and surrounding areas by utilizing a schedule developed by GE Managers. Actively arrange for substitutes as necessary.
• Aid in exhibit and garden maintenance tasks.
• Support scheduled training for staff and volunteers as assigned.
• Serve as a resource of information to volunteers and visitors about the Museum, its exhibits, programs, and events.
• Serve as point person for Butterfly volunteers on days that the Volunteer Manager is off.
• Maintain a neat and orderly environment that is accessible to the public.
• Consult with PD plant care status as needed. Landscape and care for Pavilion Garden.
• Support special events after normal Museum hours and additional days outside of the regular schedule.

Essential Requirements:

• Must be available for the following weekly schedule:
• Thursday-Monday (May 12-September 30) 9 AM-5:30 PM (plus some evenings).
• Must be available to work every weekend from Memorial Day (May 23-Labor Day Sept 7).
• Must have reliable transportation to arrive at work on time.
• Promptness and reliability.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a strong ability to interact with the public and various types of individuals.
• Be a shining example of positive behavior and high performance.
• Ability to stand, walk, and roam for 8 hours.
• Ability to work outdoors for extended periods in varying weather conditions.
• Ability to work collaboratively and on team projects.
• Working knowledge of personal computers and software programs including MS Office.
• Comfortable calling and/or emailing volunteers and staff in a timely fashion for scheduling purposes.
• Comfortable handling live and dead insects, as well as supplies such as isopropyl alcohol and bleach.
• Excellent organizational and leadership skills.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written).

Work Environment:

• General front office, retail store environment with occasional work throughout the Museum's facilities (galleries, conference rooms, research laboratories, and exhibit halls) and outdoors.
• Extensive interaction with the general public.
• Frequent repetitive movement tasks (typing, door opening/closing).
• Frequent standing, walking, bending, and climbing stairs and ladders with frequent lifting of medium loads (25 lbs.).
• Frequent use of chemicals (bleach, isopropyl alcohol).
• Contact with live and deceased insects and plant materials.

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.

*The pay range above represents the budgeted range for a new hire, encompassing the minimum and maximum rates. Placement within this range will depend on factors such as specific skills, qualifications, relevant years of experience, and alignment with the salaries of current employees in similar roles. In most cases, newly hired employees are placed below the midpoint of the range.