Tour Guide and Education Specialist, Brooklyn

The Albert C. Wiltshire Employment Center recruits qualified candidates for positions within the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a 300-acre industrial park housing over 400+ businesses within the manufacturing, food, media, technology, and creative fields.

A Brooklyn Navy Yard-based public tour programming company is seeking a Tour Guide and Education Specialist.

The company is seeking to add a new team member who is enthusiastic, responsible, reliable, inquisitive, and passionate about leading in-depth, interactive, and inclusive tour experiences for people of all ages and abilities about the infrastructure, people, and places that maintain, sustain, and nourish New York City.
In this role, our new staff member will lead public, private, and custom group tours of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn Army Terminal, Prospect Park, Essex Market, and about New York?s food cart vendors. They will also contribute to the development of tour content and outlines, as well as K?12 lesson plans for tours and programs. As with all of our team members, they will also be expected to participate in training sessions, regularly scheduled staff meetings, and contribute to our body of research that relates to our tour programs and museum consulting practice.

General responsibilities:

• Lead tours that are inclusive of and welcoming to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities
• Interpret the themes and stories of the people and places where we lead tours in ways that are relevant and meaningful to diverse audiences
• Anticipate and address the needs?mobility, auditory, and otherwise?of tour participants and providing exemplary customer service
• Contribute to a positive team-based environment by actively seeking out opportunities to learn from and alongside colleagues, tour participants, and others
• Demonstrate humility and a genuine interest in learning and developing new skills
• Contribute to the company?s body of knowledge through primary source research, multimedia documentation, observation and evaluation of tours, and leading training workshops for the team
• Actively seek new challenges and opportunities for increased responsibility
• Exemplify integrity through your work and hold yourself to high professional and ethical standards in accordance with Turnstile Tours? mission, core commitments, policies, and procedures.
• Represent the company at select events and training workshops hosted by key nonprofit and industry partners

Requirements
This position requires candidates who:

• Are fully vaccinated for Covid-19, including booster shots
• Have a positive ?can-do? attitude, sense of humor, and friendly personality
• Are punctual, reliable, and are available to lead tours on weekends and on either weekdays or weekday evenings
• Are flexible and able to adapt in a fast-changing environment
• Are a quick and active learner who independently seeks out and shares knowledge
• Are comfortable speaking in front of groups of people
• Are interested in drawing out and responding to the interests, perspectives, and questions of other people
• Are excited about creating and delivering age-appropriate programs that engage the minds and interests of children and young adults
• Are able to perform well under pressure and demonstrate good judgment and communication skills
• Are a good team player and a self-starter
• Have experience in leading tours, teaching, and/or acting
• Are passionate about history and have knowledge about or interest in more than one of the following areas: urban planning, geography, food systems, food justice, architecture, engineering, manufacturing, military or waterfront history, the maritime industry, nature, plants and animals, sociology, economic development
• Have experience working with diverse groups of people of all ages from a wide range of cultural, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and abilities, including people with disabilities

Additional desired qualifications
- Preference will be given to candidates who:

• Have excellent listening skills
• Have prior experience in a customer-oriented industry
• Demonstrate the ability to design and deliver accessible, engaging, and interactive educational programming for children and adults
• Have prior experience with tour development and research
• Demonstrate strong critical thinking, writing, and public speaking skills
• Are familiar with the organization and have joined a tour in the past or the Brooklyn Navy Yard campus
• Speak English and another language fluently. Preferred languages include Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali, Thai, Arabic, or American Sign Language
• Have some prior knowledge about or interest in urban planning, architecture and design, sustainability, the manufacturing sector, and ecological systems of New York
• Are certified in CPR and/or First Aid
• Are a Certified NYC Sightseeing Guide
• Have experience personally or professionally with people of diverse backgrounds and abilities, including people with disabilities

Compensation and benefits: This is an hourly year-round position. Guides are paid as employees at $40/hour for in-person tours, including compensation for on-site set up and providing guidance to visitors after the tour. Compensation for staff meetings, training for tours, and other job-related responsibilities are paid at a rate of $25 per hour. After 90 days of employment, all employees of Turnstile Tours are eligible to contribute to a personal 401(k) retirement plan, receive compensation for obtaining or renewing their NYC sightseeing license, access discounted Citibike memberships, and partake in other employee benefits provided by the company.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $25.00 - $40.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)

Schedule:

• On call
• Weekend availability

Supplemental Pay:

• Bonus pay
• Tips

COVID-19 considerations:
Candidates must be fully vaccinated for Covid-19, including booster shots.

Work Location: One location