YAKIMA VALLEY MUSEUM: Job Announcement: Visitor Services Representative Part Time - Yakima, WA
Employer:Yakima Valley Museum
Job Description:
JOB SUMMARY: Yakima Valley Museum is looking for an energetic part-time Visitor
Services Representative with great customer service who will contribute to the
growth of the museum and join a team of professionals dedicated to providing
audiences with fun, engaging, and educational experiences. They are responsible for
providing excellent customer service to all Museum visitors and will support the
Yakima Valley Museum events & rental program. The hours will vary based on
business need, with no more than 20 hours per week, Tuesday-Sunday, and requires
evening and weekend hours based on the museum's programming and events needs.
This position reports directly to the Manager of Operations and Strategic Initiatives.
The ideal candidate will be creative, organized, and dedicated to providing quality and
positive visitor experiences.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM: Founded in 1952, the Yakima Valley Museum provides
residents and visitors with impactful exhibits and programs that focus on central
Washington’s unique cultural and natural history. The Museum is one of only three
museums in Eastern Washington accredited by the American Alliance of Museums,
and with a 65,000 square foot facility, is one of the largest cultural history museums
in the state. The Museum’s collection consists of over 48,000 objects, including an
art collection of 1,400 works, and a large regional archive and library. The Museum
includes several rental spaces used by the community for meetings, parties,
conferences and other events.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Front Desk Operations:
- Perform light maintenance tasks and daily routine cleaning of public areas
and exhibit spaces, reporting any issues with exhibitions to appropriate staff.
- Provide quality customer service to all visitors to the Museum, handle any
escalated visitor issues.
- Operate a point-of-sale system to conduct sales of admissions, memberships
and items in the Museum Store.
- Open and close front desk area.
- Reconcile cash drawers and manage daily deposits.
- Contribute to the growth and success of the Museum Store, assisting with
inventory, merchandising, and product selection.
- Promote and sell museum memberships to visitors, highlighting member
benefits and contributing to annual membership growth goals.
- Assists with routine care and maintenance of live animal exhibits.
- Answer and direct phone calls to the appropriate staff.
Events and Rentals:
- Support the rental program with all rentable spaces at the Yakima Valley
Museum, including Centennial Hall, the Great Hall, Conference Room, and
Jewett Lobby Gallery.
- Ensure events and rentals follow policies and procedures that uphold the
integrity of the Museum and ensure the safety of exhibitions.
- Support the rental program with the successful execution of all internal and
external events that include but are not limited to tasks such as: room set-up
layouts, accepting payments, and all other tasks as assigned.
- Communicates with clients as assigned to schedule events and determine
space, equipment, audio/visual, security, and set up needs.
- Provide support to internal public programs and Museum outreach efforts.
- When appropriate, provide additional technical support for equipment set up
for events.
Other Duties:
- Assist with other tasks as assigned.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Strong interpersonal skills, enthusiasm and ability to contribute to a positive
work culture.
- Ability to work as part of a team and collaborate with colleagues and
stakeholders to reach common goals.
- Ability to work efficiently and courteously with diverse audiences including
members of the public, staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders.
- Ability to prioritize tasks to meet scheduled deadlines.
- This position requires frequently standing and lifting 25 pounds or more.
- Bilingual is preferred, but not required.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Knowledge of non-profit organizations, museums, or arts and cultural
organizations.
- Experience working in a retail and customer service setting.
- Experience working with events.
EMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION:
This is an hourly, part-time position. The hours will vary based on business need, with
no more than 20 hours per week, starting at $17.50 per hour. This position is Tuesday Sunday, and requires evening and weekend hours based on the museum's
programming and events needs.
Yakima Valley Museum is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.
We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Diverse perspectives
and experiences enhance the richness of our work and reflect our community. We
expect that not all candidates will meet every criterion in this job description, and
some candidates may decide not to apply if they do not meet every line in the
description. We encourage you to apply anyway!
Yakima Valley Museum is an equal opportunity employer.
Please submit a resume, letter of interest, and three professional references to Liz
Hobson, Executive Director at liz@yvmuseum.org by Friday, August 14th, 2026.
Interviews will be held the week of August 27th
