Guest Service Associate; Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Job Listing:
Guest Service Associate (Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden)

Estimated 10-15 hours/week with opportunities for more based on events

Date Posted:
March 2026

Posting Expires:
March 2026

We connect people to plants by inspiring communities to explore and conserve nature.

We are a Virginia garden of international significance, leading in horticultural and educational excellence. We cultivate experiences that enhance each person’s relationship with the natural world.

Responsibility, Innovation, Integrity, Hospitality, and Inspiration

Founded in 1984, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a non-profit garden located in Richmond, Virginia’s Lakeside neighborhood. The Garden encompasses 82 acres, four lakes, 5,500 unique taxa of plants within 15 distinct outdoor gardens, 11 major buildings, including a conservatory and greenhouse, plus an 80-acre branch site, the Lewis Ginter Nature Reserve. Annually, Lewis Ginter engages over 17,000 students in innovative and exciting education programs.

This cadre of identified learners is just a fraction of the more than 400,000 annual visitors to the Garden. In recent years, the Garden has been honored with inclusion in several top ten lists for botanical gardens in North America.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the ground of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability or national origin in the hiring, retention, or promotion of employees. We support the diversity and inclusion policy adopted by The American Public Gardens Association: to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive culture where the contributions of all community members are valued, respected and appreciated.

Handles payment in exchange for admission fees and membership dues, event tickets, and classes. Responsible for all cash and credit card transactions; following established procedures for opening and closing assigned register. Able to efficiently use Tessitura to perform ticket sales, register guests for classes, run reports, check the daily schedule of events, and look up events for guests needing information (date and location confirmation, etc.)

Able to use Outlook and Microsoft Office products to check Admissions emails, respond via email to Garden staff on admissions-related matters if needed, and check the shared calendar for staffing schedule updates.

Able to efficiently and accurately use Tessitura to look up memberships and issue temporary membership cards, sell new memberships, and renew existing or lapsed memberships. Able to recruit membership sales, recommend appropriate upgrades, and provide special membership services. Keeps working area organized, is ready to conduct business, and keeps area tidy for the following day’s shift. Provides departmental support as requested and needed to handle exceptionally busy processing seasons.

Makes use of slow periods by performing administrative duties like assembling member packets, restocking Garden materials, and seasonal rack cards, etc. Ensures visitor entry areas in the Visitors Center are ready for the day’s business, including turning on monitors, ensuring all signage is accurate, and verifying exterior door signage against the Active Net schedule of events each day. Able to create and print new signage if needed to alert guests of time-sensitive issues like closings, limited access to certain areas of the Garden, safety alerts, special event information, etc.

• Provides excellent customer service to guests, visitors, members, volunteers, event, and program attendees coming through the Visitors Center.
• Acts as the “face of the Garden” by genuinely welcoming each visitor with knowledge of the Garden, helpfulness, empathy, and eagerness to be of service.
• Stays informed of all Garden events, classes, and activities and is able to provide information to visitors regarding special events, Garden Shop hours, Café and Tea House hours and menus, by efficiently and quickly being able to use all available electronic and printed means, including Active Net and the Garden’s Website.
• Is proactive in assessing visitors’ needs quickly, i.e.,…