Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo is known throughout the world as a leader in animal welfare and conservation but the institution is also Illinois' most popular cultural attraction.* As part of the Chicago Zoological Society's mission, we work each day to ensure that the conservation movement reaches out to and hears from every person and community at every income level and ability. Our beautiful park like setting has an amazing 216 acres of meticulously landscaped grounds, the Discovery Center and Pavilions provide indoor and outdoor event facilities, three major restaurants provide delicious food options, and there are over 20 different animal exhibits. Envision providing a guided tour educating our guests about our animal collection and conservation mission while the lions roar, the buffalo roam, and the giraffes graze upon leaves at the tree tops. Brookfield Zoo is open 365 days a year welcoming over 2 million guests annually. It is an amazing opportunity to actively engage our guests each of those 365 days creating a memorable guest experience that a guest will have for a lifetime.

* Brookfield Zoo is the most popular cultural attraction in the state of Illinois that actively monitors its attendance.

The Assistant Manager, Motor Safari and Carousel Operations contributes to the success of the Chicago Zoological Society by assisting in the management of day-to-day operations of Motor Safari trams and the Carousel to provide an extraordinary guest experience.

As the Assistant Manager, Tour Operations, you will assist in the preparation of the department staffing plan and daily staffing schedules to support budget and revenue goals, including scheduling and performing daily management functions to ensure proper staffing and equipment levels to meet the needs of the guests and CZS departments. Leveraging your customer service orientation, you will provide crew to assist in other areas, and you will assist in establishing the Motor Safari route in order to achieve the best possible experience for guests. You will also assist in training and supervising over 50 seasonal crew members, including observation, evaluation, recognition, and corrective action, as appropriate, while also supporting Society-wide customer service programs. This includes monitoring the crew to ensure exceptional guest service is provided through constant observation and follow-up as appropriate as well as scheduling staff to attend Society-wide Customer Service and Auxiliary Services training. As Assistant Manager, you will assist in maintaining the condition of trams, buses, hay cart, Carousel, and related equipment; this includes creating and implementing a schedule to ensure all equipment is cleaned and maintained as well as communicating equipment issues to the appropriate department. You will assist in gathering appropriate information to update scripts and work with seasonal crew and Manager, and Public Programs staff in Manager's absence, to develop unique, accurate, informative, and engaging narrations. As the Assistant Manager, you will routinely meet with other departments, such as Catered Events and Advancement, to ensure adequate crew and equipment coverage for special events; monitor financial performance of locations and implement corrective action with respect to controllable expenses, such as labor, to maintain expenses within budget; perform frontline functions as needed; perform Manager's responsibilities in his/her absence relating to daily operations involving customer service, crew issues, and time-sensitive decisions; assure compliance to Society to policies and procedures, including Life Safety policies, Government Job Safety regulations, and relevant labor laws; and, assure that all staff complete all required training timely.

Position Requirements and Specifications
The requirements for the position include the following:

• Associate's Degree in Business Management or equivalent combination of training and/or experience required.
• Minimum two years supervisory experience required, or equivalent combination of supervisory experience and direct frontline experience with emphasis on public speaking/presentations and customer service.
• Three years of experience in a customer service position is required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook is required.
• Strong customer service orientation and public speaking skills.
• Must be able to work effectively under pressure, meet strict deadlines, and adhere to the Society's high standards.
• Experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience.
• This position requires working weekends, evenings and holidays.
• A valid driver's license is required on date of hire. If an Illinois resident, must possess a valid Illinois driver's license at the time of hire or must obtain one within 90 days of hire. A valid out-of-state driver's license is required at time of hire if the employee is an out-of-state resident.

The desirable qualifications include:

• Experience in a nonprofit or similar environment a plus.
• Prior experience managing a budget preferred.
• Experience in training staff a plus.
• One or more of the following licensures preferred: Valid "C" or "B" (CDL) Driver's License.
• Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus.

Additional Information
The Chicago Zoological Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Affirmative Action Employer - Minorities / Women / Veterans / Disabled.