Seasonal Gate Attendant

Who We Are:

Founded in 1891 by a group of visionary volunteers, The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is the nation’s premier conservation and preservation organization. The Trustees’ preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. Our properties are open to all, and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in all that we do. We aim to protect special places for future generations to enjoy in perpetuity, and have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 27,000+ acres on more than 120 reservations that are open to the public. As a non-profit conservation organization, we are funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and our 100,000 Member households. We encourage you to learn more about The Trustees on our website, www.thetrustees.org.

Salary/Hourly Rate: $16-$17 per hour

Hours per week: 17-25 hours per week during the busy season, with flexibility; reduced hours in the offseason (Nov-April)

Job Classification: Nonexempt, Seasonal or Limited Term

Job Type: Onsite

Duration: TBD

Location: Castle Hill, Ipswich, MA

What You’ll Do:

Your Impact:

Ready to play an integral role in ensuring that our visitors enjoy our extraordinary places? We experience an influx of visitors of all ages and backgrounds who want to explore and be inspired by our properties, including sandy beaches, wooded trails, cultural gardens, historic homes, community supported agriculture—there are many ways for visitors to discover and explore The Trustees, and just as many opportunities for seasonal employees to make each visitor’s experience special.

The Role:

As a Seasonal Gate Attendant, you will ensure that tens of thousands of visitors each year have a positive experience at the Crane Estate. You will welcome all visitors and educate them about the Castle Hill experience, collect entry fees, and advise visitors about important regulations. You'll also handle cash and process credit card transactions, keeping tight records of entries and fees. You will often work alone in the comfortable Castle Hill climate-controlled entry booth but are sometimes supported by additional staff on the busiest days.

Specifically, you’ll:

• Represent The Trustees in accordance with the messages provided by the organization’s Visitor Experience Coordinator.
• Attempt to secure memberships from visitors as they enter the property, explaining the membership benefits and promoting special events.
• Greet visitors in a warm and welcoming manner while also collecting fees.
• Effectively and professionally manage visitor complaints; accurately report incidents according to Trustees policy.
• Efficiently track various types of admission; reconcile daily revenue.
• Report safety concerns, incidents, and maintenance needs to the Visitor Experience Coordinator.
• Communicate rules and regulations to all visitors.
• Assist in the distribution and collection of feedback from Trustees' visitors.
• Open and close the property, including moving heavy “property closed” sign.
• Perform general cleaning of the booth
• Other duties as assigned.

This is a seasonal nonexempt position reporting directly to Visitor Experience Coordinator.

What You’ll Need:

Skills and Experience:

• Required:
• Highly motivated with strong public speaking skills to promote the mission of The Trustees
• The ability to keep cool while demonstrating conflict-resolution skills with visitors
• The ability to work independently and cooperatively with staff
• Must be rigorously detail-oriented
• Perform tasks safely and in accordance with The Trustees safety policies and procedures
• The ability to work in variable outdoor weather conditions
• Indoor climate-controlled booth, with bathroom facilities in a nearby building
• Wild animal sightings are frequent but pose no threat
• The ability to lift 40~ pounds and be comfortable standing for extended periods
• Ability to frequently move between sitting and standing positions
• Flexibility to work holidays, evenings, and weekends as necessary

• Preferred:
• Previous customer service experience is strongly preferred

Eligibility Criteria:

• Current authorization to work in the United States – a candidate must have such authorization by his or her first day of employment.
• A satisfactory criminal background (CORI) check.

Don’t quite have all the skills and experience listed above? We still want to hear from you! Research shows that historically marginalized groups are less likely to apply if they do not meet every single requirement. We are committed to building a diverse team and encourage you to apply even if you are missing some of the skills and experience above.

Want to learn more? Set up an informational call with a member of our People Team by emailing people@thetrustees.org.

Your Benefits:

• MA Sick Time accrual
• Reciprocity: Employees have access to free and discounted admission and membership to more than 50 nearby museums and cultural institutions.

• Discounts: Enjoy free entry to all Trustees properties, discount event tickets, and discounted merchandise at our stores and on stays at our inns. 

Equal Opportunity and Diversity:

The Trustees is a proud equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any protected status including, but not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual preferences, nation of origin, religion, or disability status and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with varying abilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants. We aspire to reflect and effectively serve the residents and communities of Massachusetts, who are at the core of our mission.

The Trustees’ commitment to advancing the organization’s vision for this work may be found here: Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity.

 It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.