Associate Vice President, Visitor Services & Experience

About the Role

The Associate Vice President, Visitor Services & Experience is a senior organizational leader for the Philadelphia Visitor Center, a mission‑driven nonprofit dedicated to welcoming visitors and connecting them with the city’s experiences, people, and places. Reporting to the Vice President of Experience & Engagement, the role oversees a team of 5+ full‑time Visitor Services Managers and Supervisors and more than 30 full‑ and part‑time Visitor Experience Associates across multiple locations, including Independence Visitor Center, City Hall and LOVE Park Visitor Centers, Parkway Visitor Center and Rocky Shop, Pride Visitor Center, Reading Terminal Market, and Philadelphia International Airport.

Essential Functions

• Responsible for daily visitor‑facing operations for the organization’s portfolio of 5+ visitor centers and temporary pop‑ups.
• Lead, direct, and mentor managers to ensure outstanding visitor experience operations at each site.
• Establish and reinforce a consistent performance‑management culture.
• Set direction and accountability for the Visitor Services Management team.
• Establish consistent operational practices while empowering individual site managers to respond to the unique needs of their locations.
• Hold managers accountable for effectively managing employee performance, addressing workplace concerns, and creating healthy and productive team environments.
• Address employee‑relations matters, performance management, conflict resolution, and other workplace issues in collaboration with leadership.
• Foster a positive workplace culture where employees feel supported, heard, and accountable for delivering exceptional service.
• Oversee recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training, retention, and development strategies for Visitor Services staff and volunteers.
• Anticipate future workforce needs and proactively address staffing gaps and leadership capacity.
• Develop and manage an annual training program for visitor services managers and staff.
• Identify cross‑training opportunities across sites and professional development that increase organizational capacity.
• Oversee management of visitor services staffing schedule, including assigning on‑duty management, call‑out coverage, and fulfilling seasonal, temporary, and extended‑hour operating needs.
• Manage and grow the Visitor Center’s network of 90+ external ticket partnerships.
• Manage and negotiate with third‑party vendors.
• Participate in organizational leadership team meetings.
• Work closely with the Operations team to ensure facility needs are addressed and resolved quickly and to a high standard.
• Oversee employee communications channels to ensure visitor services staff are well informed and ready to support visitors and promote the City and the organization’s partners.
• Support sales, promotion, and timely customer‑service information for the Philly PHLASH at all visitor center locations.
• Assist site staff with organizational tasks and special events as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in the tourism, hospitality, or visitor services sectors.
• Interest in working in a non‑profit environment and advancing the organization’s mission.
• Embodies customer‑service best practices.
• Demonstrated success building and leading high‑performing teams in a multi‑site, hospitality, tourism, visitor services, cultural, nonprofit, or customer‑facing environment.
• Superior leadership, salesmanship, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong understanding of effective people‑management practices.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, coaching, and conflict‑resolution skills.
• Ability to build trust and credibility with employees at all levels.
• Demonstrated ability to create a culture of accountability while maintaining a supportive, inclusive, and collaborative work environment.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects.
• Dedication to Philadelphia and supporting the city’s reputation as a world‑class destination.
• Strong computer and data‑entry skills; comfortable with ticketing platforms, POS (Point of Sale) systems, CMS systems, CRM databases, and staff communication and scheduling platforms.
• Ability to stand or sit for at least 8 hours at a time; lift items weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Valid driver’s license with Real ID.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience preferred.
• Second‑language proficiency is desirable.

Hours and Requirements

• Full‑time role with a variable schedule, including two weekends per month.
• Must be willing to work a flexible schedule, including weekends and holidays; the Philadelphia Visitor Center is open 362 days per year (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year).
• Must be willing and able to travel between all visitor center locations.