Reception & Bookings Coordinator

Job Summary

The Museum Front Counter Receptionist and Bookings Coordinator is the first point of contact for all incoming calls, queries and visitors to the administration offices at the Museum and is responsible for providing accurate and detailed information in a professional and timely manner. This position is responsible for booking educational programmes, guided tours and self-guided visits for outside groups, as well as internal events and programmes. This position must be familiar with Museum policies and procedures and be able to interpret these to a variety of people including staff, volunteers, students, visitors, First Nations and other community members, teachers, university, business, and government representatives, etc. In addition, this position oversees all room and space bookings and is also involved in the ongoing administrative activities of the museum.

Organizational Status
This position reports directly to the Assistant Director, Administration and works with other Museum staff, volunteers, and students, as well as the public, and others who contact or have business with the Museum, both internal and external to UBC. This position also schedules student guides for tours. This position works independently under general supervision.

Work Performed

This position is the first point of contact for the Museum of Anthropology administrative offices and serves as the central knowledgeable contact person for general MOA information.

General Front Counter Responsibilities:

• Learns, identifies, and interprets Museum policies and procedures in order to answer in-person and written inquiries.
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  Receives all incoming telephone calls, phone messages and emails and responds or redirects as appropriate. Ensures appropriate voicemail messages are recorded.
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  Receives all walk-in visitors and responds to inquiries appropriately.
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  Provides daily and weekly bookings information to Admissions, Security, Café, Custodial, and Volunteer Information Desk departments.
• Creates and maintains weekly calendar of MOA s programming, and provides copies to staff & front line departments.
• Participates as a member of the Health & Safety committee, and checks and maintains first-aid supply.
• Oversees and maintains classroom and space bookings for Oral History Language Lab, Community Lounge and other meeting spaces for staff, volunteers, external and special groups.
• Organizes and maintains the efficient management of incoming and outgoing mail, courier shipments, and notifies recipients accordingly.
• Updates and keeps track of MOA staff contact/phone lists and distributes as necessary.
• Monitors and orders office supplies as necessary and maintains the photocopy/store room tidy and organized.
• Assists MOA staff with general reception-type duties (mail-outs etc.).
• Maintains reception area so that it is tidy and organized.
• Processes credit card payments for in-person transactions.
• Provides back-up and lunch coverage on the admissions desk and shop sales floor as needed.

School Bookings:

• Works with the Curator of Education at the beginning of each school year to determine the school programmes schedule from September through June.
• Communicates directly with educators informing them on programme content, and offers suggestions based on enquiries. Provides information on costs, and availability.
• Responsible for all logistics of reserving, booking and confirming programmes and sending programme preparation materials to educators.
• Ensures MOA instructors and staff are aware of bookings, responds to any conflicts that arise from bookings, and receives educator’s feedback on education programmes.
• Routinely meets with Curator of Education to coordinate special events such as the Coastal First Nations Dance Festival school performances, and the Vancouver School Board First People’s Festival.
• Provides planning, registration and logistical support for special festivals.
• Manages the loan of artifact kits to schools including monitoring of kits, keeping records of loans, and submitting invoice requests to Financial Assistant.

Tour Bookings and Self-guided Visits

• Responds to inquiries regarding visit content, cost, and availability.
• Books groups into available times, and sends confirmations.
• Schedules student guide(s) to host tour groups or arranges for MOA staff to lead tour.
• Directs feedback on guided or self-guided visits to appropriate staff.

All Bookings

• Responsible for compiling, and often adjusting, all schedules for programmes and tours, including information about who is responsible for delivering programmes and tours.
• Ensures notification of upcoming bookings and space uses to all museum staff, security, and, custodial, and troubleshoots when problems arise.
• Provides statistical information for internal annual reports and other inquiries.
• Works with MOA s computerized FileMaker bookings database, compiling statistics and producing reports.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Errors in information given or in judgment would result in loss of credibility and service to the public as well as revenue for the Museum.

Supervision Received
Under direct supervision of the Assistant Director, Administration. Also works with the Curator of Education, the Curator of Public Programmes, and administrative staff.

Supervision Given

This position assists Museum Volunteers who deliver education programmes and other public services.
This position schedules student guides for tours and special events.

Minimum Qualifications

High school graduation, plus one year of related training, plus two years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

University education or equivalent training and experience, plus business training in office procedures, practices, and typing. Completion of courses in Museum Studies or Northwest Coast ethnology and/or archaeology preferred. two years’ experience working in a museum or other related environment or three years relevant UBC experience preferred.

Ability to take responsibility and exercise judgment mandatory. Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. Ability to write clear and concise business English. Effective customer service and interpersonal skills. Effective organizational and multitasking skills. Ability to exercise cultural sensitivity, tact, and discretion. Experience working in environment dealing with First Nations culture preferred. Word processing/computer skills required.