Tour Guide (Part Time)

Job Description:

 

DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

Looking for storytellers who have a passion for Desert plant and animal species who are interested in sharing our conservation messaging with our visitors and creating “Best Day Ever” experiences.

Give guided tours of The Living Desert to pre-booked visitors and groups, including conventions, motor coach tours, families and organizations. Assist with other tasks within the Group Sales Department as needed by performing the following tasks.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

· Maintain through knowledge of The Living Desert’s mission, plant and animal species, and conservation efforts.

· Ability to memorize key messaging of the tour as well as weave in additional facts or stories (as appropriate and approved by TLD (The Living Desert)).

· Ability to drive various passenger vehicles while sharing the information and conducting the tour.

· Conduct themselves and operate vehicles with the utmost safety in mind for guests, staff, animal, plant and TLD resources.

· Work in a manner consistent with The Living Desert’s emergency and safety procedures.

· Arrive/Depart ½ hour prior/post of the tour to obtain and prepare a clean vehicle, create sign, pick up tickets and conduct post tour procedures.

· Will be trained in driving various sized shuttles, golf carts and trams, etc.

· Give an entertaining and educational tour and make sure the tour starts and concludes at

the designated time.

· Report on any unusual circumstances, vehicle maintenance needs, incidents, or safety concerns to the Sr. Manager.

· Assist with familiarization tours, prospective clients, donors or event transportation as directed by the Sr. Manager.

· Assist in other areas of the Sales Department as needed.

· Prepare the shuttle for the tour by performing a visual inspection, cleaning, and test driving pre/post of your tour each day.

· Shuttle to designated area for start of tour.

· Able to deal courteously and effectively with the public and to represent the institution at the highest standard of professionalism.

· Able to establish and maintain effective and professional working relations with co-workers and other department personnel, and to do so in accordance with The Living Desert Employee Handbook.

· Willingness to attend all training sessions (in person or online) and meetings as required.

· Comfortable working with various software programs to conduct day to day performance.

· Other related responsibilities as necessary to accomplish department objectives.

· Contributes to desert conservation through reduction of waste, water and energy use, and inspiring guests and team members to take conservation actions.

· Adheres to TLD Mission and “Best Day Ever” experiences for our guests.

Requirements

 

SPECIFIC SKILLS

· Strong public speaking skills.

· Ability to communicate effectively with large groups of people.

· Strong customer service skills.

· Must have strong organizational skills.

· Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing.

· Must be a motivated self-starter who needs minimal supervision.

· Must have strong interpersonal and communication skills.

· Ability to work with others in a team setting.

EDUCATION AND PRE-REQUISITES

Living Desert Docent training or equivalent. Served as a TLD volunteer or team member a plus. Two years of prior experience in working with groups or experience with public speaking. Knowledge of the tourism industry and shuttle driving experience is a plus. Bilingual preferred. Spanish speaking highly valued.

CONDITIONS OF WORK

PHYSICAL EFFORT: Must be in excellent physical condition for walking and standing outside for prolonged periods of time when conducting tours. Ability to lift up to 40 lbs., stretch or reach to clean and maintain the shuttles and operate the ADA lift gate.

DISCOMFORT/RISKS: Moderate; working outside in sometimes elevated temperatures and rain. Getting in and out of shuttle multiple times safely.

HOLIDAY/EVENING WORK: The position requires flexibility in your schedule with hours varying by week and subject to daytime, evening, early morning, and ability to drive at night.

TRAVEL: Some occasional local travel required for offsite training.

EQUIPMENT USED

General office equipment, computers and vehicles as related to the performance of the job such as telephone, radio, microphone, electric cart or shuttle. Ability to work within MS Office and various software systems needed to perform duties i.e. Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Word, Excel

This class specification should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It is intended to identify the major responsibilities and requirements of this job. The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this specification.