Weekend Tour Guide

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, one of the oldest historical gardens in the US, is looking for a new Part-time Tour Experience Associate to represent our amazing tour offerings; including, Nature Train & Boat Tours, Slavery to Freedom Tour, Magnolia House Tour, Audubon Swamp Garden Tour, etc. Tour Guides at MPC are responsible for crafting a positive, educational experience for our visitors through historical, accurate, engaging storytelling. Weekend support is required for this position.

What you will be doing:

• Immersing yourself in the culture and history of Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, working closely with MPC’s Director of Interpretation to ensure accuracy in the content delivery of the tour narrative; your thorough knowledge of the property and its history will help you craft an experience unique to each group’s specific interests.
• Learn and present tour narratives in an engaging way within MPC approved scripts, with appropriate tones for the content; describe points of interest at Magnolia that relate to the tour; answer questions and facilitate discussions as appropriate.
• Ensure the safety of the group while on tour, being mindful of the surroundings and visitor activities.
• Works closely with other Tour Guides to ensure that facts, dates, and anecdotes about the history and horticulture of the property are accurate and streamlined across all tours.
• Represent a team-player spirit when assigned other duties as required.

Who you are:

• You bring 3+ years of experience in a people-facing role that involves public speaking. Prior experience as a tour guide or educator—and boating experience—are a plus, but not required.
• You have the adaptability it takes to shift tour offerings with varied narratives and environments.
• You’re passionate about American history, are an engaging storyteller, and your verbal communication skills are on-point.
• You’re comfortable connecting with a wide variety of people, and do so by flexing your presentation style to meet the unique needs and backgrounds of the people you’re with.
• You’ve got strong customer service skills. You understand that the best tours are ones that are educational, immersive, and provide the best experience for the guest.
• Flexible and reliable, with availability to work weekends.

Essential Physical Requirements:

• Ability to walk or stand for extended periods (up to 8 hours) during tours on uneven terrain in varying weather conditions.
• Ability to climb multiple stairs and navigate various inclines on the property.
• Ability to safely board and disembark boats and trains and assist visitors as needed.
• Ability to speak clearly and project to groups of up to 50 people for long periods of time (up to 8 hours).