Seasonal Visitor Services Supervisor at The Trustees of Reservations

Description

Who We Are: 

Founded in 1891 by a group of visionary volunteers, The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is Massachusetts’ premier conservation and preservation organization. The Trustees’ preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. Our properties are open to all, and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in all that we do. We aim to protect special places for future generations to enjoy in perpetuity, and have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 27,000+ acres on more than 120 reservations that are open to the public. As a non-profit conservation organization, we are funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and our 100,000 Member households. We encourage you to learn more about The Trustees on our website, www.thetrustees.org. 

Posting Information: 

Salary/Hourly Rate: $20-22/hour 

Hours per week: 24

Job Classification: Non-exempt, Limited Term, Part-Time 

Job Type: Onsite 

Duration: April through September 2026 

Location: North Andover, MA; Beverly, MA 

What You’ll Do:  

Your Impact:  

Do you love history and museums? Do you have a passion to bring history to life for the public? Are you looking to build your skillset and grow professionally? If so, being the Visitor Services Supervisor for three premier historic house museums / public gardens on the North Shore could be the perfect career opportunity.  

The Role:  

As Visitor Services Supervisor you will help oversee a team of fifteen seasonal employees working in visitor services, retail, and interpretation at two properties: Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens and Long Hill (see descriptions below). Some duties may take place at a third property, Moraine Farm, in Beverly. This limited term, part-time position requires a commitment of three full days for a total of 24 hours per week. The work schedule must include one weekend day. 

Specifically, you’ll be responsible for:  

Visitor Services and Retail 

• Oversee and assist visitor services associates at welcome centers, gatehouses, and giftshops  

• Open and close giftshops 

• Open, operate, and close point-of-sale (POS) systems, including handling money 

• Assist with the merchandising of both stores as needed 

• Stock rack cards, flyers, and promotional material throughout properties 

• Maintain the tidiness of the gatehouses, welcome centers, giftshops, and restroom facilities 

Interpretation 

• Create the monthly work schedule for seasonal staff 

• Oversee and evaluate interpreters  

• Lead house and garden tours when needed  

• Open and close houses 

• Conduct and manage group tours 

• Respond to group tour inquiries 

• Lead group tours of properties 

• Create outreach strategies 

Professional Development Projects 

This position is geared toward those looking to grow professionally in the public history field. As such, it offers opportunities for projects outside of day-to-day duties. Projects are developed in consultation with the Manager of Visitor Services and the property director. These could include: 

• Historical research into the architecture, gardens, or family members associated with the properties. This information could be used to create interpretive pages on our property websites, spotlight talks, or special programs. 

• Researching interpretation strategies and techniques. 

• Creating a website development plan to make the site more informative and user friendly. 

Other 

• Assist with weddings and private events, public programs and special projects. 

• Other duties as assigned. 

The position reports to the Manager of Visitor Services and Retail. 

The Properties: 

Stevens-Coolidge House & Garden: Purchased by James Stevens in 1729, Ashdale Farm (now known as the Stevens-Coolidge House & Garden) remained in the family for six generations, ultimately becoming the property of Helen Granger Stevens and her husband John Gardner Coolidge in 1909. Over the course of its 300-year history the house was transformed from a simple Colonial farmhouse into a Victorian Italianate gentleman’s farm and finally a Colonial-Revival country house with beautiful gardens. 

Long Hill: Long Hill is a 114 acre hill-top property purchased by Ellery and Mable Sedgwick in 1916. Ellery Sedgwick was the publisher and editor of the literary magazine The Atlantic Monthly. Mable Cabot Sedgwick was a talented amateur gardener who transformed the property into a spectacular botanical landscape, filled with perennials, terraces, pagodas, and fountains. In the 1920s the Sedgwicks built a Federal-revival home at the crest of the hill, incorporating elements from an 1802 Charleston, South Carolina, mansion and objects gathered from their world travels. 

Requirements

What You’ll Need: 

Education 

• Minimum of bachelor’s degree in history, education, museum studies, or related field. 

Visitor Service and Interpretation 

• Experience as a museum guide, park ranger, or similar; or Master’s degree in museum studies. 

• Experience with customer service and de-escalation of challenging interactions  

Retail 

• Experience using point-of-sale systems, handling money, tracking merchandise, and other retail responsibilities. Candidates without this experience must be able to demonstrate aptitude. 

Other 

• The ideal candidate will be able to: 

• Demonstrate leadership, direction, and task management. 

• Work independently or in a team. 

• Show excellent interpersonal skills. 

• Communicate goals and achievements with supervisor. 

• Train staff and model behaviors 

• Sell Trustees’ memberships and help set membership sales expectations amongst the staff. 

• Advanced computer skills including video conferencing apps, Word, Excel, Outlook suite, etc. 

• Excellent organization skills. 

Eligibility Criteria: 

• Current authorization to work in the United States – a candidate must have such authorization by his or her first day of employment.  

• A satisfactory criminal background (CORI) check. 

Don’t quite have all the skills and experience listed above? We still want to hear from you! Research shows that historically marginalized groups are less likely to apply if they do not meet every single requirement. We are committed to building a diverse team and encourage you to apply even if you are missing some of the skills and experience above. 

Questions? Contact our People team at [email protected]! 

Benefits

Your Benefits: 

• Sick Time: 40 hours

• Reciprocity: Employees have access to free and discounted admission and membership to more than 50 nearby museums and cultural institutions.  

• Discounts: Enjoy free entry to all Trustees properties, discount event tickets, and discounted merchandise at our stores and on stays at our inns.  

Equal Opportunity and Diversity:

The Trustees is a proud equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any protected status including, but not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual preferences, nation of origin, religion, or disability status and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with varying abilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants. We aspire to reflect and effectively serve the residents and communities of Massachusetts, who are at the core of our mission.

The Trustees’ commitment to advancing the organization’s vision for this work may be found here: Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. To request reasonable accommodations during the application or interview process, please contact us at [email protected].