Director of Visitor Experience

COMPANY SUMMARYThe Empire State Building Observatory (ESBO) is New York's City most iconic, the most Instagrammed U.S. landmark, and the world's most famous building that has wowed millions of global visitors as they witnessed the jaw dropping views whether from its popular 360-degree, open-air Observatory, or its 102nd floor floor-to-ceiling glass enclosed viewing gallery. We are a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire State Realty Trust.The ESBO has recently undergone a top-to-bottom renovation that includes a dedicated Guest entrance, an immersive, tactile, and digital museum that celebrates our icon from the moment it was conceived to its place today in pop-culture, and a completely re-imagined 102nd floor viewing experience (Within the museum's more than one dozen memorable moments, we could not resist but sprinkle a little extra fun with the inclusion of our Kong exhibit where visitors walk through an office from the 1930's complete with the famous, giant ape's fingers pierce the walls as he dangles from the building and dodges vintage fighter planes. Those brave enough can even step into Kong's hands - but beware, you might feel the power of this fearsome ape firsthand! The renovations also include industry-leading Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) improvements such as bi-polar ionization, MERV 13 filters, and increased ventilation that led to the building's achievement as the first building in the Americas to receive the WELL Health-Safety Rating.Overall, the Guest feedback has been stellar! New York Times' quote: "...exhilarating and intimate."Are you a driven, self-motivated and results oriented professional who thrives on building a winning team? Do you define success as the ability to drive revenue, EBIDTA, and deliver an exceptional experience? Then join our team and experience the rewards of hard work, teamwork, learning, and dedication to create a "best-in-class" attraction that requires excellence in all that we undertake. ABOUT EMPIRE STATE REALTY TRUSTEmpire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) is a NYC-focused REIT that owns and operates a portfolio of modernized, amenitized, and well-located office, retail, and multifamily assets. ESRT's flagship Empire State Building, the "World's Most Famous Building," features its iconic Observatory that was declared the #1 Attraction in the World - and the #1 Attraction in the U.S. for the third consecutive year - in Tripadvisor's 2024 Travelers' Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do. The Company is the recognized leader in energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. As of September 30, 2024, ESRT's portfolio is comprised of approximately 7.8 million rentable square feet of office space, 0.7 million rentable square feet of retail space and 732 residential units. More information about Empire State Realty Trust can be found at and by following ESRT on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.The dedicated team at ESRT is a collection of diverse individuals with a shared passion for excellence and a keen eye toward future growth. Headquartered in New York City, we harness the energy of the city in everything we do. We care for one another, work hard, and have a lot of fun doing it! We are Certifiedâ„¢ as a Great Place to Work® by the global authority, Great Place to Work®, on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviors. We prioritize and invest in the health and wellness of employees to attract, develop, and retain top-tier talent. ESRT values continuous employee development and encourages colleagues to excel in their roles and adapt to emerging business needs. From our crown jewel, The Empire State Building, to incredible buildings modernized for the 21st century, to outstanding customer service, and our decade-long leadership position in sustainability and energy efficient portfolio that is 100% fully powered by renewable wind electricity, we take pride in our work. ESRT seeks an equally passionate colleague to join the team, understand the vision and help achieve that vision.POSITION SUMMARYOur goal is 10-point results. We seek a dynamic and results-oriented professional to join the Empire State Building Observatory (ESBO) as the Director of Visitor Experience. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader with a proven track record in destination attractions and the development and management of teams. This person is the internal advocate for the customer. This role strategizes and develops training programs to deliver the optimal visitor experience. The successful candidate will deliver leadership with prioritization, organization communication, and visitor satisfaction goals.KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)Visitor Satisfaction Score: Achieve and maintain a full year TripAdvisor score of 9.2 and Quality full year score of 9.5; Identify, monitor, and benchmark against in-market competitors and comparable Domestic Attractions, Museums, and Theme parks (Finished full year 2024 with 8.9 TripAdvisor score and Quality score of 9.4)Quarterly Customer Surveys: Improve by at least 2 points on the "Overall" category YOY result (Finished full year 2024 at 83%)New Promoter Score (NPS): Attain a Net promoter Score of 80 or higher (Finished full year 2024 at 78)Track and Analyze Customer Satisfaction: Create, or enhance, existing tools that aggregates multiple aspects of customer review performance and then analyzes the sentiment of customer reviews before and after responsesOperational Efficiency: Create at least 3 new initiatives that improves guest experienceRevenue and Admissions Growth: Demonstrate teamwork, collaborate with other departments to deliver NOI and Admissions targetsEmployee Engagement: Partner with Director of Operations to improve by at least 3 points each, the annual five lowest scoring questions on engagement surveyRESPONSIBILITIESLead and Manage Onsite Visitor Experience: Oversee the entire onsite customer journey from entry to exit, ensuring all touchpoints deliver a best-in-class experienceUtilize data from review platforms, customer feedback, and new initiatives to assess and enhance the visitor experienceEstablish and Monitor KPIs: Develop customer service-focused key performance indicators (KPIs) to hold staff accountable and ensure regular check-ins with OBS staff, AV team, photo team, gift shop team, and SecurityOptimize SOPs and Position Scripts: Reassess and improve standard operating procedures (SOPs) and position scripts to enhance visitor satisfaction across all KPIsWork with Director of Operations to develop operational procedures to minimize the need for customer interactions with staff and ensure that the interactions which do occur are well coached and serve our foreign guests with language barriers effectivelyIdentify pain points and work proactively: Have a game plan before it happens to address, amongst other issues, bad weather days, queueing, early arrivals, and occasional crowdingCurate and present comprehensive reports to cross-departmental and executive teams and identify opportunities for improvementVendor Management: Manage relationships with key concession vendors, including security, photo capture, and gift shop teams, ensuring they meet service standardsVISITOR EXPERIENCE ENHANCEMENTOversee Onsite Experience: Manage the entire visitor journey from entry to exit, ensuring all touchpoints are engaging and memorableOnline and Onsite Integration: Ensure the online customer experience is seamless and consistent with the onsite experienceKPI Monitoring: Establish and monitor KPIs to track and improve key aspects of the visitor journey, from ticket purchase to exitCUSTOMER SERVICE TRAININGDevelop Training Programs: Create customer service initiatives and programs to boost satisfaction scores and employee moraleRecruit and Train Staff: Work with Staffing Manager and HR to recruit, onboard, and train seasonal staff passionate about delivering a 5-star experienceConduct Pre-Show Meetings: Ensure pre-show meetings are meaningful and address immediate concernsDeliver Training Classes: Conduct quarterly customer service training for OBS staff, photo team, gift shop team, and Security staffQUALITY CONTROLMaintain Facility Standards: Regularly assess visitor areas and coordinate with exhibits, facilities, and maintenance teams to address cleaning and maintenance needsTechnology: Our goal 100% uptime for exhibits and digital signage, and we need heads-up awareness of failures and communication to Director of OperationsWHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKESuccess tied to the following KPI's: Financial Targets = 20%, Customer Service Initiatives = 55%, Personal = 25%Leverage existing relationships with industry peers, in-market and domestically, to benchmark, strategize, and collaborate on best practiceBe up to date on industry tools and emerging technology that supports improved customer service deliveryKeep learning: attend conferences and tradeshows that advances industry knowledgeSuperior knowledge of industry regulations and operational guidelinesProven knowledge of performance evaluation metrics in a business settingResults oriented, team player and decision maker with the ability to prioritize and communicate key objectives and tactics necessary to achieve revenue goalsREQUIRED SKILLS ABILITIESExcellent leadership and organizational skillsOutstanding negotiation skillsExcellent written and oral communicationProven knowledge of performance evaluation metrics in a business settingFirst-class people skillsStrong proficiency in ticketing systems (Ventrata), Microsoft Suite, and CRMs (Salesforce)EDUCATION & EXPERIENCEBachelor's degree in related field or 3 to 5 years of experience in comparable roleWorking understanding of arrival patterns at a timed ticketing Attraction is helpful but not required PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTSProlonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computerMust be able to lift up to 15 pounds at timesWHAT YOU CAN EXPECTAt ESRT, like our tenants, our employees come from everywhere. We foster a richly diverse work environment that captures top talent and cultivates the best ideas. By focusing on inclusion and celebrating our differences, we create even greater value - in business practices, relationships, and employee engagement. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are committed to maintaining a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment where our employees can thrive. In addition, ESRT employees embody our Company Culture & Success Factors:Adaptable - you are a self-starter who's able to quickly digest and execute new processes to work both collaboratively and independentlyDynamic - you are solutions-oriented, aim to improve processes and implement efficiency, and offer insightful feedback to improve ESRTDependable - you take a strong sense of ownership and accountability over your workPassionate - you keep up with industry trends and are excited about the potential to propel the industry forward with a "roll-up-your-sleeves" attitudeCurious - you consistently look for new ways to work smarter, not just harderEthical - you treat others with respect, and embrace and contribute to a culture of diversity and inclusionPositive - you possess a service-oriented attitude with excellent follow throughBENEFITSCompetitive base salary and bonusHealthDentalVision insuranceCompany sponsored Life, AD&D, STD (with Salary Continuation), and LTD InsuranceVoluntary Enhanced LTD ProgramVoluntary Hospital, Accident, and Cancer Programs401(k) with 100% match up to 5%Paid parental leavePre-tax transit accountsEmployee Assistance Program for emotional, financial, and legal supportWELL-BEINGGenerous paid time offFlex Summer FridaysEmployee engagement programsVolunteer time offContinuing educationComplimentary Empire State Building Observatory accessComplimentary gym membership and other wellness benefitsEmployee Discount Programs$115,000 - $125,000 a yearSalary is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, job location, size of property where applicable, andor certifications. In addition to your base salary, ESRT provides discretionary annual bonuses.ESRT is equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We celebrate the unique differences of our employees because they drive curiosity, innovation, and the success of our business. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, reproductive choices, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, pregnancy, parental status, caregiver status, genetic information, political affiliation, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, training, working conditions, transfer, job assignments, benefits, layoff, and termination. Reasonable accommodations that do not create an undue hardship for the Company are available for applicants and employees with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs.

Created: 2025-02-16