Play and Learning Supervisor, Guest Experience Operations

About Chicago Children’s Museum: Chicago Children’s Museum (CCM) is committed to improving children’s lives by creating a community where play and learning connect. We embrace creativity and collaboration, we never stop learning, and we remember to stop and play along the way. CCM’s staff is a dedicated group of curious individuals who embrace the playful spirit of childhood. Every employee is empowered to reach their potential and recognized for the impact they have on our organization, visitors, and the community we serve. Over its 43-year history, Chicago Children’s Museum has provided innovative exhibits, arts programs, STEM experiments, imaginative play, and more to over 11 million children and their caregivers. Located at Navy Pier, the museum is intentionally designed for experimentation, creativity, and the universal pursuits of childhood. CCM focuses on accessibility, inclusion, and learning for all children, ensuring valuable and memorable experiences for all visitors.
 

Position Description: The Play and Learning Supervisor is responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of all exhibits and program facilitation for our museum visitors, including daily scheduling, supervision of staff and supportive training. This position strives to create a welcoming, safe, accessible, playful, and educational experience in the museum to ensure and maintain exemplary guest service for CCM’s families.   

The Play and Learning Supervisor ensures the complete and smooth operation of the museum during public hours, including daily supervision of Play and Learning Facilitators. 

Principal Job Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Supervise daily museum operations. Address visitor concerns or issues; manage rotation of Facilitators through various exhibit posts throughout the day; coordinate daily floor schedule to ensure coverage of visitor experiences as well as required employee breaks. Complete and distribute daily floor report, accident/incident report(s) and any other necessary information after every shift.  Manage any emergency procedures or guest incidents. 
• Supervise daily assigned Play and Learning Facilitators. Provide necessary information/training, establish clear expectations, reinforce good performance, improve unsatisfactory performance, and foster a spirit of cooperation and teamwork. Lead and model staff interaction that supports meaningful Play and Learning for CCM’s guests. 
• Maintain required professional knowledge and core job skills. Maintains employee confidentiality and the highest ethical standards. Understands and supports CCM’s values and strategic vision as demonstrated through staff performance. Attends and participates in required educational programs and staff meetings. Administrative duties as necessary or assigned.  
• Conduct/oversee all established health and safety protocols to ensure that museum spaces remain safe, clean, and healthy for visitors. 
• Manage visitor traffic flow and exhibit capacity, including managing visitor cuing and check-in to exhibits where appropriate and/or including emergency situations. 
• Supports the museum’s work in diversity, equity, access and inclusion (DEAI) and actively ensures that DEAI principles are upheld in all work with fellow staff and with visitors. 
• Attend all staff meetings including daily opening/closing meetings, monthly staff meetings, museum-wide all-staff meetings and other meetings deemed relevant by the VP of Guest Experience Operations. 

Requirements: 

• Minimum 2 years’ experience as a supervisor in a fast-paced customer service environment, preferably serving a family audience. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of the concepts, practices and compliance issues of personnel management 
• Demonstrated skill in effectively resolving difficult customer service and employee relations matters 
• Experience in conducting staff training 
• Comprehensive knowledge of and training in providing exemplary customer service  
• Strong, effective communication (both written and verbal) and organizational skills 
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously 
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in emergency situations and respond with appropriate action 
• Experience working with individuals (staff, children, families) from a variety of backgrounds, abilities, experiences, and perspectives. 
• Experience or willingness to learn Microsoft Excel and Word programs 
• Enthusiasm for learning and mastering new skills on an ongoing basis; willingness to be informed/certified/trained through institution-offered courses and to work within Diversity, Equity, Access, Inclusion (DEAI) frameworks and actively engage in learning about these frameworks. 
• Possess an equity mindset and cultural humility
• Ability to represent Chicago Children's Museum in a professional manner at all times 
• Course work in education, psychology, social work, communications or another relevant field a plus. 
• Bilingual skills a plus 

Physical Requirements of the Position:  

• Stamina and physical endurance to stand on the museum floor all day long, maintaining quality interaction with museum staff and visitors. Crawling and climbing exhibit structures. Bending, lifting, and reaching are required to access supplies. Push, pull, and lift to 40 pounds. 
• Repetitive communication while engaging with visitors and staff and speaking loudly over crowds. 
• Use of PA system and communication radios. 
• Ability to work in and withstand loud spaces/crowded spaces. 
• Dress code is required. Uniform polo shirt(s) provided.  

Hours & Salary: Position is approximately 30 hours per week. $24.22/hour and includes benefits and PTO time.  Museum operates 6/7 days a week, depending on school holiday and breaks. Individuals must be  able to work 3 full days (2 weekend days) and must attend mandatory meetings.  

Position Status: Non-exempt 

Benefits:  

This position is eligible for medical, dental, vision, Life, Long-term Disability, and Short-term Disability insurances, 401k after six months of service with matching contributions pending eligibility, as well as PTO and Sick Days (accrued monthly and the accrual rate increases after 2 years of service).    

Location: This position will work on-site at Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier.