Assistant Manager

WHO WE ARE
Opened in 1914 and welcoming over 1.3 million visitors annually, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is Canada's most-visited museum, ranking among the top 10 cultural institutions in North America. At ROM, we are dedicated to building and sharing global collections, sharing knowledge, inspiring learning, and fostering community engagement. As a globally recognized field research institute, ROM houses an impressive collection of over 18 million artworks, cultural objects, and natural history specimens, showcased in over 40 galleries and exhibition spaces. We are committed to creating a space where art, culture, and nature intersect, connecting people and communities to the past, present and shared future.

As we continue to work toward our goals to transform and evolve as one of the world’s foremost 21st-century museums, we seek passionate and dynamic team members who embody our mission and values.

WHO WE NEED
We are seeking an Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience to provide leadership for ROM’s front-of-house operations while driving the behind-the-scenes initiatives that help deliver an exceptional, visitor-centred experience across the Museum.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Visitor Experience, you will lead and support a large team of Visitor Experience Concierges, Lead Concierges, and Contact Centre Representatives while overseeing daily operations across key visitor touchpoints. You will take ownership of operational initiatives and projects that strengthen how the department works, including workforce planning and scheduling, technology and systems implementation, process improvement, training, budgeting and procurement, and operational reporting. You will use data, sound judgment, and a continuous-improvement mindset to identify challenges, improve efficiencies, and turn departmental priorities into practical solutions.

Working closely with teams across ROM and external partners, you will help translate Visitor Experience goals into effective day-to-day operations while supporting new initiatives and organizational change. You will be comfortable assessing issues, establishing priorities, coordinating people and resources, and moving work forward with a high degree of independence and accountability.

This role is ideal for an experienced hospitality, attraction, or customer experience leader who combines strong people leadership with operational and project-management skills. You are proactive, highly organized, digitally confident, comfortable navigating change, and energized by solving problems. You thrive in a busy public-facing environment while recognizing that an exceptional visitor experience depends just as much on the systems, processes, planning, and teamwork happening behind the scenes.

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

• Lead, coach, train, and support a large front-of-house team to deliver welcoming, consistent, and visitor-centred experiences
• Oversee Visitor Experience operations across greeting, ticketing, membership services, coat check, exhibition entry points, and the contact centre
• Coordinate staffing and scheduling for a team of up to 75 employees, ensuring appropriate coverage while managing payroll and staffing resources within budget
• Lead operational projects and initiatives from planning through implementation, coordinating timelines, resources, stakeholders, and change-management activities
• Administer and optimize ROM’s ticketing, contact centre, and other operational systems, partnering with internal users and external providers to support effective service delivery
• Review and improve operational processes, procedures, training, and service approaches, proactively identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and the visitor experience
• Lead the management of visitor feedback, ensuring concerns are documented, addressed, escalated appropriately, and translated into actionable insights
• Monitor attendance, sales, staffing, and visitor experience data and prepare reports and recommendations that support operational planning and decision-making
• Manage departmental budgets and expenditures, inventory, procurement, and vendor relationships, identifying opportunities for efficiencies and responsible resource management
• Support recruitment, onboarding, training, team meetings, performance management, and ongoing staff development
• Respond to complex operational issues, using sound judgment and problem-solving skills to develop solutions and ensure appropriate follow-through
• Collaborate across ROM and with external partners to support exhibitions, programs, events, facilities, communications, technology initiatives, and other projects that contribute to a seamless visitor experience

WHAT YOU BRING

• Minimum five (5) years of experience in customer service, hospitality, visitor experience, attractions, or a comparable high-volume public-facing environment
• At least three (3) years of experience leading, coaching, and developing staff, preferably within a unionized environment
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience; specialization in operations, arts and culture management, customer experience, or a related discipline is an asset
• Strong understanding of customer and visitor experience principles and best practices
• Demonstrated experience leading high-volume, public-facing operations and responding effectively to changing priorities and operational demands
• Strong organizational and project-management skills, with experience coordinating initiatives, managing competing priorities, and delivering work within established timelines
• Experience scheduling and deploying staff resources, ideally within a large frontline team
• Experience administering or working extensively with ticketing, point-of-sale (POS), CRM, contact centre, or similar operational systems; experience with BOS/VivaTicket or Microsoft Teams telephony is an asset
• Experience with change management, process improvement, or the implementation of new operational systems, tools, policies, or procedures
• Experience managing budgets, procurement, inventory, vendor relationships, and operational expenditures
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to independently assess issues, identify solutions, and use operational data to inform decisions and improvements
• Excellent leadership, relationship-building, interpersonal, and conflict-resolution skills, with the ability to work effectively with frontline employees, internal stakeholders, external partners, and vendors
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience developing training materials, reports, briefs, procedures, or other operational documentation
• Demonstrated ability to delegate effectively, exercise sound judgment, take initiative, and move priorities forward with a high degree of independence and accountability
• Strong digital literacy and confidence in learning, configuring, and working with new technologies; proficiency with Microsoft Office and contemporary workplace technologies, including familiarity with AI-enabled productivity tools
• Experience within a museum, cultural institution, attraction, hospitality venue, or other ticketed visitor environment is considered a strong asset
• Ability to occasionally lift and move equipment or boxes weighing up to 50 lbs. and provide extended on-floor operational support during busy periods

WHAT WE OFFER 

• Comprehensive benefits coverage: For permanent and full-time contract positions (conditions apply), enjoy paid benefits for individuals and families, a health spending account, and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Worry-free retirement savings: With our pension plan, you benefit from an employer-matched Defined Benefit contribution plan, which provides predictable lifetime retirement income, survivor benefits, and early retirement options without the stress of investment decisions.
• Support for new parents: Enjoy a parental leave top-up to 95 percent of your salary for 17 weeks, helping you balance work and family life.
• Perks: Free ROM membership for permanent full-time and part-time staff, plus discounts to over 200 attractions through Attractions Ontario.
• And more!

SALARY & TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

• START DATE: November 2026
• OPEN DATE: September 9, 2026
• CLOSE DATE: September 23, 2026
• STATUS: Full-time contract
• EMPLOYEE GROUP: Non-Union
• SALARY: $78,903 - $92,827
• SCHEDULE: 35 hours weekly
• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Six (6) months
• LOCATION (onsite): Toronto, ON

WHAT TO EXPECT IN OUR INTERVIEW PROCESS

1. Application & initial screening: Apply online. Selected individuals will be invited to complete a pre-recorded video questionnaire to tell us more about your interest in ROM, your team leadership, operations support, and customer service experience, and the impact you could make as part of our Visitor Experience team.
2. First interview: A 1-hour in-person interview with the Hiring team. This in-depth interview will focus on your skills and how they align with the team's and ROM's needs.
3. Second interview: A 1-hour in-person meeting with the hiring team. You may be asked to present a pre-assigned case study and discuss scenarios relevant to your role. Depending on the position, you might also receive a tour of ROM and a preview of your responsibilities and interactions.

The above-listed process may change or vary based on the nature and scope of the position.

WHY PEOPLE CHOOSE ROM

• Cultural engagement: Daily interactions with Toronto's diverse culture and international visitors offer insights into social and cultural trends. We champion inclusive community programs and connections through diverse experiences.
• Continuous learning: At ROM, expertise and continuous skill development are paramount. Our culture of curiosity and open-mindedness fosters growth beyond traditional career paths.
• Passion & fulfillment: Our work in preserving and curating cultural narratives brings deep satisfaction. We are passionate about the arts, global history, cultural diversity, and leveraging digital technologies to enhance accessibility.
• Team & culture: ROM promotes a positive workplace with collaborative, supportive teams that encourage creativity and innovation. We value new ideas and collective problem-solving.
• Academic collaboration: We are committed to education, partnering with universities and providing student resources, underscoring our dedication to research and accessibility.

If you’re excited about this role, even if your experience differs from the specific requirements, we encourage you to apply. We’re keen to meet candidates who can contribute their talents to our goals, and will consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & ACCESSIBILITY
At ROM, we embrace diversity in our exhibits, communities, and teams. We encourage applications from racialized persons, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, and those who can further diversify our ideas. We are committed to equitable employment opportunities and a workplace free from discrimination and harassment.

We welcome and accommodate candidates with disabilities throughout the selection process. Please contact us at [email protected] for assistance.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• ROM does not require “Canadian experience.” International applicants with equivalent experience are encouraged to apply.
• ROM uses technology-assisted tools (including JazzHR TalentFit) to support the review and screening of applications. All hiring decisions are made by human reviewers.
• This posting is for an existing vacancy.

APPLY NOW

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Please note that all candidates receiving a verbal job offer will be subject to a background check. This includes a criminal background check and verification of professional references, and, other checks depending on the role.

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