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UMMA Navigator/Shop Clerk *This is a work-study position (Visitor Services and UMMA Shop Clerk) Love Art? Love Working with People? The University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) has a job for you! We are currently hiring for UMMA Visitor's Services and UMMA Shop staff for the Fall and Winter semester. Ideal candidates will have the ability to work a variety of shifts, Monday-Sunday. This temporary position has the potential to continue into the Spring and Summer semesters. The UMMA visitor's services representative/shop salesperson serves as UMMA's front-facing ambassador in a multifunctional role. They are directly responsible for setting the tone for every museum visit by warmly and enthusiastically welcoming each visitor to the Museum. Persons in this position will greet visitors, engage them in a conversation to determine the nature of their visit, efficiently check them in for museum visits, gallery tours, and event reservations, and direct visitors to amenities, events, and spaces. This position functions as both UMMA Visitor Services and as UMMA Shop Salesperson, and employees will be cross-trained to perform both roles. Duties will include all of the following: - Warmly and enthusiastically welcoming visitors to the Museum and engaging them in a conversation to determine the nature of their visit.
- Efficiently checking in visitors for gallery tours, study spaces, and event reservations.
- Sharing information about amenities, exhibitions, and programming events and addressing visitor questions and concerns.
- Orienting new visitors to the museum and outlining gallery rules, such as no food or beverage in galleries and no flash photography.
- Stocking and distributing UMMA magazines, guides and maps.
- Maintaining accurate visitor data spreadsheets, including visitor counts, purpose, and zip codes.
- Sharing information about UMMA Shop products and assisting visitors with their purchases.
- Processing cash, credit card, and shortcode transactions on the retail POS system, opening and closing registers, and balancing sales transactions daily.
- Assisting management in product data entry, merchandise ordering, and receiving.
- Maintaining a clean, well-stocked, and visually appealing shop environment.
- Answering UMMA's main phone line, cheerfully resolving caller inquiries, politely directing calls to the appropriate staff member and taking accurate messages.
Upon hire, UMMA Shop/Visitor Services team members receive comprehensive training in visitor engagement and event support, gaining hands-on experience working directly with the public and learning best practices in museum hospitality, program facilitation, and event logistics. This foundational training equips students with transferable skills in communication, teamwork, and audience-centered service. In addition to their core responsibilities, UMMA Shop/Visitor Services team members are encouraged to join UMMA’s Student Advisory Board (SAB), a cohort of student leaders who play a key role in shaping the Museum’s programs and initiatives, by serving in an advisory capacity. Through the SAB, students help design creative, diverse, and inclusive programs; meet with artists and curators to inform exhibitions and public programs; and provide creative direction for UMMA’s Student Blog. They also contribute to the museum’s social media presence (@ummamuseum) and campus outreach efforts. Participation in the SAB includes a professional development series focused on building transferable skills, along with valuable networking opportunities with peers, museum professionals, and campus collaborators. This hybrid role offers a dynamic learning environment that blends behind-the-scenes experience with public-facing work—ideal for students interested in museums, arts administration, education, or community engagement. |
