Guest Services Coordinator - Bamfield, Canada - Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre

Description

Reporting to the Head of Guest Services/Station Manager, the Guest Services Coordinator will support the talented and dedicated team at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC) and be an ambassador for hospitality and guest experience in a life-changing coastal rainforest environment.

Located on the traditional territories of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations, in the beautiful town of Bamfield adjacent to the Pacific Rim National Park and broken group islands on the west coast of Vancouver Island, the BMSC is a premier marine biology field station located two hours by road to the closest city. The BMSC is open for marine research and education year round, with researchers from all over the world relying on the station for access to pristine coastal ecosystems and biodiversity. BMSC educational programs train the next generation of marine and environmental scientists, with an award-winning public education field trip program and university field courses. The station has state-of-the-art aquaria, research vessels, SCUBA, laboratories, the Rix Conference Centre for Ocean Discoveries and associated housing and food services to accommodate up to 150 people. Accommodations include eight cabins, a seaside dormitory, the Buchanan Lodge, seasonal staff housing and a commercial kitchen/cafeteria with stunning views. Education programs are taught in the original 1926 Bamfield Cable Station Building, the "Whale Lab" and the Devonian Library. Students and staff can embark on rainforest walks, visit local beaches, hike the West Coast Trail, and experience the Huu-ay-aht Kiix?in National Historic Site of Canada.

It is difficult to describe a typical day in this role at the BMSC. From iconic west coast storms to humpbacks in Bamfield inlet, every day is a new adventure with a passionate team to serve our guests and to keep the station running It is even harder to describe the profound impact of the station on the lives of our guests. Some of them are seeing the ocean for the first time while others are developing cutting-edge research tools to reforest kelp ecosystems along our coast. There is beauty, adventure, community, self-discovery, and gratitude for being able to contribute to these worthy causes. The Guest Services Coordinator is part of a vibrant team to help keep programs running on a daily basis in this incredible environment.

This is a hands-on role and there is an expectation to be familiar with many departments to enable coverage where needed.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Minimum 2 years resort/hotel/field station experience (preferably in a remote environment but not necessary).

Experience supporting a diverse team in a multi-faceted large resort, lodge or field station environment.

Ability to work within a team, including but not limited to, consensus building, negotiation, and when required, conflict resolution.

Experience with administration, guest registration, invoicing, budget management

Experience in guest relations

Excellent communication and people skills.

Excellent written and oral comprehension and expression.

Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with staff, guests, and vendors

Effective decision making and critical thinking skills

Demonstrated ability to multitask, prioritize and problem solve

Excellent time management and organizational skills

Ability to work both collaboratively and independently, as required.

Experience with safety and sanitary regulations (and audits/inspections)

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Strong understanding of emergency procedures

Working knowledge of the full suite of MS Office products and experience with back-end property

Demonstrated initiative, creativity, and integrity.

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Criminal records check.

Valid Drivers licence

Must have Food Safe and experience with Food and Beverage services

Foundations of Workplace Safety (includes WHMIS)

Self-motivated with a cheerful outlook and a consistent display of professionalism (e.g., SuperHost Foundations/Service Recommended).

Innovative, meticulous, and quality conscious.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Assist in the supervision of teams through excellent communication and help setting clear objectives and expectation at ALL levels to units reporting directly to the Station Manager (culinary, housekeeping and maintenance staff)

Assist in the management of budgets/expenses, analyze and interpret financial information as applicable

Oversee Gift Shop Operations

Assist in the planning of activities and help allocating responsibilities to achieve the most efficient and cost effective operating model

Assist in the scheduling for all departments reporting to the Station Manager and ensure that these schedules are aligned with the education, research and foreshore departments

Demonstrate positive energy and enthusiasm even in times of added pressure and be able to adjust your approach with changing information or situations.

Assist in the adherence to safety and foodsafe protocols and guide teams through standard operating practices

Committed to BMSC goals for building equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

Assist in the planning of events.

Performs other duties as assigned.

SPECIAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Thrives in a "guest focused and driven" environment by:

-Ensuring information gathered by reservations/bookings reaches operations teams and that all special requests are handled efficiently with care.

-Understanding each guest or group coming to the BMSC is a unique custom experience and expectations will vary greatly across educational programs and researchers

-Ensuring the team provides a warm welcome and orientation upon arrival and executing programming flawlessly from arrival through to departure.

-Continually walking through and evaluating all areas of the station ensuring it is clean, maintenance issues are handled efficiently, and guests are always well taken care of.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

$28-31/hr commensurate with experience. A competitive and comprehensive health and welfare benefits plan, including eligibility to join our pension plan, are currently provided to the BMSC through the University of Victoria (UVic) via an agreement the BMSC has entered as an external agency with UVic.

To Apply, please submit the following in a single PDF document, with your last name in the file name, via email to with "Guest Services Coordinator" in the email subject line:

• a cover letter explaining your motivation for applying, and qualifications, for this position;
• your resume
• names and contact details for three references;

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: We value equity and diversity, and strongly encourage applicants from underrepresented groups to apply.

Review of applications begin upon receipt until the position is filled.