Tour Guide Job Description

Summary: The Tour Guide is conducted by a blind or visually impaired person. The Tour Guide works in complete darkness. The Tour Guide is responsible for greeting visitors and guiding them through the “Dialog in the Dark” exhibition. The Tour Guide greets visitors and handles all of their needs while in the exhibition assuring that visitors are comfortable, safe and secure, while providing them with an imaginative, interactive entertaining experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities : include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Meet and welcome visitors enthusiastically as they arrive at the exhibition.
• Accompany diverse groups through the exhibitions – each group may include a wide variety of ages, nationality, communication skills, educational levels as well as a variety of physical capabilities.
• Openly share experiences and challenges as a result of sight impairment with the visitors.
• Be appropriately dressed and maintain a neat, well groomed appearance at all times
• Be able to sustain pleasant, and gracious two way communication with tour groups throughout each tour
• Walk and stand for at least 2 hour periods while conducting tours.
• Remain calm, patient and resourceful under stressful situations
• Be kind, courteous, respectful, positive and polite while answering difficult questions and should any stressful situations occur.
• Work as part of a team in a team environment, with good communication with team mates, respect and strong commitment to the job. Share needs, concerns and suggestions with the team.
• Maintain a harmonious work environment among team member to promote professionalism, creativity and enthusiasm.
• Assist in other areas as needed, when not actively engaged in a tour
• Work through concerns with tour participants in a respectful and helpful manner – fear of the dark, anxiety and nervousness
• Understand and maintain tour schedule

Qualifications : To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

· Ability to walk and stand for 2 hours or more at a time. Good mobility skills

· Skilled and comfortable at talking with groups.

· Kind, helpful demeanor

· Ability to guide and handle large groups of people

· Energetic, enthusiastic and upbeat nature

Education and/or Experience :

· Education/experience in presentations, leadership or guiding groups helpful

· Raise visitors’ awareness about other senses

· Use effective communication to raise visitor’s interest and curiosity

· Challenge visitors to use other senses by touching, smelling, and listening to discover elements in their environment

Language Skills :

· Excellent verbal communication skills

· Good grammar and enunciation

· Presentation skills helpful

· Entertaining

· Knowledge or proficiency of a foreign language

Computer Skills :

· Ability to type, enter data into a computer a plus

Other Skills and Abilities :

§ Excellent organizational skills

§ Ability to work independently

§ Willingness to accept challenging assignments

§ Willing to work as a team

§ Ability to demonstrate creativity through acting and role play

Work Environment : Employees may be required to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed to provide shift coverage for exhibition tours.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

* Dialog in the Dark venue – lobby, box office, a variety of mock settings, supermarket, park…. …..,