Position Title: Chief Experience Officer (CXO)

Hours: Full-time (35-hour work week); Hybrid (3 days in office / 2 days Telecommute)

Role Classification: Regular w/ Benefits

Exemption: Exempt

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Salary: $165,000-$185,000

ABOUT THE GARDENS OF GOLDEN GATE PARK

The mission of Gardens of Golden Gate Park is to connect people to plants, the planet, and each other. Gardens of Golden Gate Park is a public/private partnership between the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department (RPD) and the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society (SFBGS) to jointly operate the Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, and San Francisco Botanical Garden. A Lease & Management Agreement between RPD and SFBGS, approved by both the Recreation & Park Commission and the Board of Supervisors, sets the terms of the partnership.

The agreement is a cooperative management agreement that outlines the roles and responsibilities for each partner. Key areas of responsibility for SFBGS include volunteer engagement, education, visitor experience, philanthropy, membership, marketing, and other functions. RPD is responsible for horticulture and facility management and maintenance, master planning and capital improvements conducted with SFBGS, and other functions. Together, RPD and SFBGS collaborate on collections management within the Gardens.

The Conservatory of Flowers is a national, state, and local landmark and a place of exceptional beauty. Built in 1879, the Conservatory was the first formal structure erected in Golden Gate Park and remains an internationally renowned icon, displaying and cultivating unusual plants to heighten awareness of the pressing need to preserve threatened rainforest environments.

The Japanese Tea Garden is the oldest operating public Japanese garden in North America. This garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility, and harmony of a Japanese-style garden and was originally created as an exhibit for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition.

San Francisco Botanical Garden opened in 1940 and is a 55-acre living museum within Golden Gate Park, showcasing 8,000 different kinds of plants from around the world. San Francisco’s oceanic climate with cool dry summers, mild wet winters, and presence of fog allows the Garden to grow a diverse array of species from around the world.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Chief Experience Officer (CXO) is a new position, serving as a key leadership team member and an active participant in making strategic decisions for the Gardens of Golden Gate Park. The CXO is instrumental in defining how visitors connect with the mission through innovative engagement, education and interpretive opportunities, and ensuring the highest standard in the visitor experience. Overseeing education, interpretation, public programs, retail operations, visitor experience, and admissions, this position is a critical team leader to ensure cohesive visitor programs. Driving increased earned revenue and advancing the Gardens’ strategic justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) goals through new programs and partnerships will be critical to the CXO’s success.

Reporting to the CEO, the CXO leads visitor engagement strategy and ensures cross-organizational alignment with a visitor-centric approach. This position requires a data-driven, results-oriented leader whose passion for the organization’s mission is matched with strong tactical leadership, outstanding interpersonal skills, nimble decision-making in the face of complex challenges, and a proven track record in handling complex operations.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide leadership in collaboration with the CEO, Leadership Team, Board of Directors, and RPD on long-term planning that supports sustainable growth of the organization.
• Build action plans that drive attendance and build earned revenue support for the Gardens in alignment with the Lease and Management Agreement, Strategic Plan, and JEDI goals.
• Serve as a strategic leader and a member of the Leadership Team in establishing policies, developing creative solutions, and representing a unified voice for the strategic direction of the Gardens.
• Oversee the work of multiple departments – Visitor Experience, Public Programs, Education, Library, Retail, and Events – and ensure alignment with strategic goals.
• Analyze attendance and revenue results and forecast annual and long-term projections for use in organizational financial planning. Ensure planning is data-driven and use research techniques to evaluate success and report regularly to peers, staff, and board on the tangible results of program efforts.
• Professionally and effectively, represent the Gardens to external audiences, as needed to build the brand visibility and financial support that advances the mission.
• Provide excellent internal and external communications.
• Create cross-departmental engagement opportunities and build internal relationships to reinforce a visitor-centric experience.
• Create and oversee expanded partnership opportunities to further community relationships.
• Ensure that vendors and exhibitors represent the highest quality visitor experience and codify the relationships through written agreements.
• Support the creation of annual department budgets and plans including both operations and staffing, within three-year plans.
• Hire, train, manage, evaluate, develop, and supervise Experience Team staff with an emphasis on succession and professional development; lead team members in setting work goals and maintaining accountability for goal achievement; ensure staff members are resourced with individual professional development plans.
• Develop, lead, and directly engage in cross-departmental programs and projects, especially major events such as the annual Flower Piano music festival.
• Oversee effective and accurate use of CRM database and other relevant technology, including meeting organization-wide standards for use.
• Work with the Finance team to ensure that all administrative requirements are completed in a timely fashion.
• Collaborate closely with the Advancement team to ensure program work is aligned with institutional messaging and brand standards, as well as fundraising goals.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor’s Degree is required. An advanced degree and/or specialized training is ideal.
• ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE – Direct experience serving as a member of a leadership team, with a proven track record of successfully implementing organizational vision and strategy. Experience developing creative structures of support/accountability among peers and teams. Strong administrative skills. Ability to multitask, see many sides to complex issues, and perform at high standards with a collegial team.
• VISITOR EXPERIENCE – At least 10 years directly working in one or more of the following: visitor services, education, events, public programs, retail, etc. Direct experience in building complex strategies with supporting budgets and plans to develop successful earned revenue opportunities. Possess an organized and strategic approach to the visitor experience.
• PEOPLE, PROJECT, AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SKILLS – Exemplary people management skills, strategic leadership abilities, and the ability to link the development of people with achievement of organizational outcomes. Effective team leadership skills. Cross-functional collaborative capacity. Ability to either take direction or work independently as the situation requires. Strong supervisory skills and proven success supporting staff development and empowerment. Demonstrated experience organizing, managing, and evaluating events, campaigns, or productions, including evaluating and managing risk. Experienced in managing a team of professionals, including the proven ability to mentor, train, and develop staff as well as the ability to create and maintain a collegial and positive work environment with high morale, professional standards, and productivity. • LEADERSHIP – Flexible, energetic, and outcomes-oriented self-starter who brings a creative approach to solving problems. Capacity to interact effectively with many visitor-based audiences and community partners. A leader who can positively influence both strategic and tactical visitor-centered programs and experiences. Ability to partner effectively and diplomatically with the CEO and Board of Directors, as appropriate.
• JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (JEDI) – Demonstrate a passion for advancing organizational JEDI objectives and influencing others to approach all work with an equity lens. Promote processes and communication that encourage organizational cultural competence and inclusion. Recognize that individuals bring unique backgrounds, beliefs, values, and worldviews. View racial and cultural differences as assets to the organization.
• COMMUNICATION SKILLS – Exceptional oral and written communication skills including the demonstrated ability to research and analyze information, compose reports and correspondence, and present proven data in a clear and inspiring manner. Effective communicator who is articulate and persuasive in written and spoken communications.
• DECISION MAKING – Well-honed ability to independently anticipate and analyze situations, define problems and objectives, recognize viable alternatives and formulate rapid solutions, with understanding of the inherent risks and the implications of making tough decisions. Detail and results orientated with intentional use of data to improve performance and to make astute recommendations and/or decisions.
• TECHNOLOGY EXPERTISE – Strong capacity for using sales software, databases, and CRM systems. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• AVAILABILITY – Maintain a flexible work schedule that includes evenings and weekends to meet the demands of executive management. Remote work is optional but no more than two days a week and will not always be possible, especially during busy times.

ADDITIONAL SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND ATTRIBUTES

• Deep commitment to and enthusiasm for the mission and vision of the Gardens.
• Familiarity with public/private partnerships and commitment to operate under the terms and conditions of the organization’s Lease & Management Agreement with the City and County of San Francisco and all applicable local ordinances.
• Demonstrated success, with the ability to think strategically while executing tactically within a resource-constrained environment.
• Highly motivated and energetic, ability to show initiative and work independently.
• A high level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of customer service, urgency, results-orientation, diplomacy, confidence, and good humor.
• Ability to respectfully ask questions, challenge, and communicate both positive and difficult messages to subordinates, superiors, and peers and speak truthfully and without blame.
• Sound judgment regarding confidentiality to protect the privacy rights of colleagues and donors.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, change-oriented environment, and with public agency partners.
• Follow-through to successful completion on all projects and communications.

ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS

• SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES – The positions that will report directly to the CXO are: Director of Education, Library Director, Associate Director of Visitor Experience, Associate Director of Events, Senior Program Manager, Volunteer Program Manager, Interpretive Program Manager, and Retail Manager.
• Willingness to accommodate a flexible work schedule, including evenings, weekends, moving between sites, and occasional travel.
• Regularly work at least 3 days a week onsite, and more as the organization’s needs evolve.
• Must be able to engage in a range of physical activity, including standing or sitting at a desk and computer, walking (sometimes on uneven surfaces) and working outside in varying weather conditions – all for extended periods of time.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND TO APPLY: Apply with your resume and attached cover letter at https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/All/99885d66-fdde-45ea-b169-b55cfb505be0/Gardens-of-Golden-Gate-Park

Gardens of Golden Gate Park is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by law.