Tour Guide Consultant

Background

Shangri La is a vibrant compound in Honolulu, Hawaii, located on a 5-acre oceanfront property. It includes a 14,000-square-foot house and various outbuildings, featuring interconnected indoor and outdoor spaces such as rooms, courtyards, lanais, terraces, gardens, and water features. Historically a museum showcasing a collection of 4,500 objects from diverse Muslim cultures, Shangri La is now transforming into a global center for personal and societal transformation. The property is owned and operated by the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF), which also manages five national programs and Duke Farms.

Scope of Services

The Tour Guide Consultant will provide expertise in enhancing public engagement initiatives at Shangri La. They will support public tours, events, and programs. This is a contract position.

Responsibilities

• Provide expertise in facilitating self-guided tours at Shangri La, offering assistance to the Public Engagement team.
• Be on-site at Shangri La during public tour hours, specifically Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Guide small groups including those arriving in their own vehicles, groups from the Halekulani Hotel, school groups, and other community groups, when requested by Shangri La's staff.
• Welcome, direct, and assist visitors in a cheerful, helpful, and professional manner.
• Provide recommendations, support materials, and accurate information to visitors regarding the collection, exhibitions, property, public programs, and mission of DDF.
• Share relevant tour policies and procedures with visitors.
• Maintain organization and cleanliness of public areas.
• Develop and maintain a broad and accurate knowledge of Islamic art, design, and culture as represented at Shangri La, as well as a general understanding of how the collection, museum, and programs relate to the living cultures and communities represented throughout the center.
• Provide knowledgeable responses to visitor inquiries, encouraging the exchange of insights as they relate to the center.
• Aid with events and programming at Shangri La, as requested by the staff.
• Collaborate with Shangri La's staff to ensure safe experiences for visitors.
• Emphasize cultural awareness, humility, and respect for diversity in all interactions, acknowledging the wide range of cultures, backgrounds, generations, and points of view.
• Perform other consultancy projects and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Education programming, teaching, and/or customer service experience.
• Keen passion for making art, culture, and design more accessible to the public through innovative programming and interactive education.
• Knowledge of Islamic art, cultures, and design, and/or Hawaiian culture (a plus).
• Excellent people skills, diplomacy, and public speaking skills in an informal environment.
• Ability to comprehend college-level lectures and reading assignments and to synthesize and present this material for a general audience.
• Ability to move across uneven terrain, navigate stairs, escort visitors through non-climate-controlled areas, speak clearly and audibly, and hear questions/comments from individuals in a group of people.
• While performing the essential duties of this job, the Tour Guide Consultant is regularly and frequently required to stand and walk. The consultant is sometimes required to reach with hands and arms and move or lift up to 20 pounds.
• Ability to act quickly to solve problems and take initiative.
• Team-player mentality to work cooperatively and positively with Shangri La staff and a diverse public.
• Flexibility to work occasional weeknights and weekends as requested.
• Experience working in a museum or other cultural institution is a plus.
• Multilingual candidates are encouraged to apply, with a preference for Japanese fluency.

Compensation

Anticipated hourly rate is $21-$25, and the final rate will depend on experience and language fluency. This engagement is not eligible for employee benefits.