Box Office & Guest Services Manager

MARYVILLE COLLEGE STAFF POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Box Office & Guest Services Manager

Department: Clayton Center for the Arts

Title of Immediate Supervisor: Executive Director, Clayton Center for the Arts

Funded Term / Work Cycle: 12 Months

Expected Daily Work Hours: 8 hours; schedule varies based on performances, rentals, and events

Expected Weekly Work Schedule: Full-time; regular business hours with evening and weekend responsibilities as required

Pay Grade: 7S

Starting Salary Expectations: $47,721.53 - $57,265.84, with starting salary determined based on relevant experience, qualifications, and demonstrated competencies.

About Maryville College:

Maryville College is a nationally ranked institution of higher learning and one of America’s oldest colleges. For more than 200 years, we’ve educated students to be giving citizens and gifted leaders to study everything so that they are prepared for anything. Our graduates are equipped to address complex problems, engage with diverse communities, and launch meaningful careers.

Nestled in Maryville, Tennessee, between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the city of Knoxville, our campus combines the beauty of a rural setting with the advantages of an urban center. With a wide range of academic programs and a strong tradition of career preparation, our alumni live “strong of mind and brave of heart,” carrying forward our Presbyterian founder’s charge to do good on the largest possible scale.

Mission

At Maryville College, we offer more than a mission—we offer support. Our employees receive a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage; a generous paid time off program; a retirement plan with an employer match of up to 5%; tuition benefits for employees, spouses, and dependents; and the opportunity to grow in a collaborative community that values professional excellence and personal well-being.

“Maryville College prepares students for lives of citizenship and leadership as we challenge each one to search for truth, grow in wisdom, work for justice and dedicate a life of creativity and service to the peoples of the world.”

Values:

• Scholarship: We commit ourselves to lifelong curiosity and learning, to the search for knowledge, and to intellectual creativity.
• Respect: We commit ourselves to honor the worth, dignity, and freedom of ourselves and all creation, and to treat others as we wish to be treated.
• Integrity: We commit ourselves to truth, honesty, dependability, and responsibility in all our actions and relationships.

Position Purpose

The Box Office & Guest Services Manager leads box office, front-of-house, patron service, and volunteer usher operations for the Clayton Center for the Arts. The position ensures that performances, rentals, and special events are accurately built in ticketing and event-management systems and are appropriately staffed and prepared to deliver safe, welcoming, and professional patron and rental-client experiences.

SUMMARY

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Manager oversees box office and front-of-house operations; supervises the Guest Services Assistant(s); manages the volunteer usher program; coordinates security, bartending, concessions, and other front-of-house staffing; and serves as the primary ticketing and front-of-house connector for rental clients. The Manager works closely with Artistic Programming and Audience Development, Technical Operations, and administrative staff to ensure accurate event information, effective advance planning, and successful event execution.

Education and Experience required to ensure success in this position:

Education required to ensure success in this position:

Bachelor's degree preferred; equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience will be considered.

Experience required to ensure success in this position:

Experience in box office operations, performing arts, venue or event management, hospitality, customer service, or a related environment required. Experience with ticketing and event-management software, front-of-house operations, volunteer coordination, concessions, security staffing, and employee supervision preferred.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Leadership and Collaboration:

• Supervise, train, schedule, coach, and evaluate the Guest Services Assistant (s) and establish clear service and operational expectations.

• Recruit, train, schedule, communicate with, and retain a reliable corps of volunteer ushers.

• Coordinate part-time, student, temporary, contracted, and event-based personnel supporting front-of-house operations, including security, bartenders, concessions staff, and house-management coverage.

• Collaborate with Artistic Programming and Audience Development, Technical Operations, administration, and rental clients to ensure coordinated event planning and execution.

• Promote a culture of professionalism, hospitality, accountability, safety, and exceptional guest service.

Data, Technology, and Compliance

• Build and maintain performances, rentals, and ticketed events in the Center’s ticketing software, including event details, seating configurations, ticket prices, holds, sales schedules, and approved promotions.

• Maintain accurate and timely front-of-house information in EMS, including ticketing, staffing, security, concessions, accessibility, house-management, and patron-service requirements.

• Review upcoming events routinely to identify missing information, conflicts, staffing needs, or operational concerns before event day.

• Maintain accurate ticketing, attendance, staffing, inventory, and volunteer records and provide operational reports as requested.

• Ensure ticketing, concessions, alcohol service, patron safety, and front-of-house operations comply with College policies, contractual requirements, and applicable legal requirements.

Stakeholder and Institutional Support

• Serve as the primary ticketing and front-of-house contact for rental clients following confirmation of an event.

• Work with rental clients to identify ticketing, seating, concessions, security, staffing, accessibility, merchandise, and other patron-facing requirements.

• Communicate applicable policies, procedures, deadlines, staffing requirements, and costs to rental clients and confirm operational needs in advance.

• Provide responsive and professional service to patrons, rental clients, volunteers, vendors, and other event stakeholders.

• Resolve patron and client concerns appropriately and escalate significant issues when necessary.

Operations and Technical Oversight

• Manage daily box office operations, including ticket sales, exchanges, refunds, complimentary tickets, will-call, and patron inquiries in accordance with established policies.

• Plan and oversee front-of-house operations for performances, rental events, and special events, including house opening, seating, late seating, intermissions, accessibility, concessions, and patron departure.

• Determine front-of-house staffing requirements and coordinate security, bartending, concessions, ushers, and house-management coverage based on event needs.

• Serve as House Manager or provide house-management coverage as needed and coordinate closely with Technical Operations regarding house opening, performance starts, intermissions, and event execution.

Fiscal Oversight

• Monitor expenses associated with front-of-house staffing, security, concessions, and patron services and assist with annual operating budgets and staffing projections.

• Maintain appropriate concessions and beverage inventory levels and accurate records for purchasing, sales, and reconciliation.

• Coordinate with Artistic Programming and Audience Development regarding approved ticket pricing, packages, promotions, group sales, and other ticketing initiatives.

• Provide ticket sales, attendance, concessions, staffing, and other operational reports as requested and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and revenue performance.

Strategic Planning and Sustainability

• Establish and continually improve front-of-house, box office, volunteer, and patron-service procedures and standards.

• Develop strategies to strengthen volunteer recruitment, engagement, recognition, reliability, and retention.

• Recommend improvements to ticketing, EMS, concessions, staffing, and patron-service processes based on operational experience and data.

• Support long-range planning for patron experience, accessibility, event staffing, and front-of-house operational needs.

• Reduce preventable day-of-event issues through consistent advance planning, documentation, communication, and cross-departmental coordination.

Other:

• Perform other responsibilities and special projects as assigned to advance the College’s mission and maintain a respectful, collaborative learning environment.

NOTE: Other roles/duties will be assigned as necessary to assist the College in the attainment of the goals set forth and the enhancement of a positive, respectful learning environment for all staff, faculty, and students.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to anticipate operational needs.

• Strong commitment to hospitality and excellent patron and client service.

. Familiarity with ticketing and event software as E-Tix and EMS.

• Strong supervisory, volunteer-management, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to translate event information into clear operational plans and remain calm and decisive in live-event environments.

• Proficiency with ticketing, event-management, point-of-sale, CRM, or comparable technology; experience with EMS preferred.

• Ability to manage multiple events, schedules, personnel, deadlines, and changing priorities simultaneously.

License, Certification, or Registration Necessary:

Valid driver’s license preferred for occasional business travel.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

• • Frequent standing and walking throughout the facility during performances and events.
• • Ability to lift/move up to 25 pounds associated with concessions, event supplies, and front-of-house operations.
• • Ability to work evenings, weekends, and variable schedules associated with performances, rentals, and special events.

• Ability to travel between campus buildings or off-campus locations as needed.

Ability to operate the following vehicles or equipment:

Standard office equipment, ticketing/POS equipment, and College or personal vehicle as authorized for business purposes.