Salary: $33.80 - $43.47 Hourly
Location : Henry Vilas Zoo, 702 S Randall, Madison, WI
Job Type: Full time (1.0FTE)
Job Number:
Department: Henry Vilas Zoo
Opening Date: 07/17/2026
Closing Date: 7/31/2026 11:59 PM Central
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit: 1871

Description

The Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, WI has a current vacancy for a Guest Services Coordinator.
The work schedule for this position is Tuesdays - Saturdays. Some Evenings and weekends are required during Zoo after-hours events.

The Eligibility List created from this posting may be used for future Guest Services Coordinator vacancies within the next six (6) months.

Note to applicants - for the 2026 budget year, there is a 1% reduction in wages (this is already reflected in the hourly wage above), an additional 21 holiday hours, and continued earning of longevity and merit steps.
Equity, Definition and Examples of Duties
COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION

As an employer, we strive to provide a work environment where diversity and differing opinions are valued, creativity is encouraged, continuous learning and improvement are fostered, teamwork and open/honest communication are encouraged, and meeting customer needs through quality service is a shared goal. All employees must be able to demonstrate multicultural competence - the awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to work with others who are culturally different from self in meaningful, relevant, and productive ways. Applicants from traditionally underrepresented populations including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.
DEFINITION

Under the direction of the Zoo's General Operations Manager, the Guest Services Coordinator drives the visitor experience by creating welcoming environments throughout the Zoo and provides data-driven recommendations for annual events and goals, guest service innovations and membership program enhancements. The Guest Services Coordinator plans and executes all on-site Zoo events and space rentals and assists in matters relating to the Zoo's operation. This position acts as one of the primary front-line personnel who interfaces with on-site guest service inquiries. This position coordinates all Zoo events to ensure guest and animal safety. The Guest Services Coordinator ensures safe operation of the Carousel and Train and assists the Volunteer Coordinator to ensure adequate coverage.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Assists departmental management with safely securing onsite donation money, reconciling and setting up deposits and invoices. Develops and maintains direct contact with community groups/organizations regarding donation opportunities. Resolves problems, communicates, assists, coordinates and interacts positively and professionally with guests, customers, suppliers, volunteers and employees. Schedules staffing for Guest Service office and Children's Zoo (Train and Carousel). Leads planning, set-up, execution and breakdown for private events. Compiles membership, donation and attendance reports. Assists with data entry and database management. Perform other duties as assigned.

Education, Experience and Special Requirements
Education, Training and Experience:

Any combination of education, training and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, customer service or related field and two (2) years performing guest relations, event coordination, sales or customer service responsibilities. One (1) year of database experience using CRM or POS software.

Special Requirements:
Must be able to assist in any emergencies under direction of the assigned Duty Manager or Animal Care Manager. Must be available for work on weekdays and weekends, holidays, during emergencies, and scheduled events occurring during zoo hours and after hours. Must have a valid driver's license, or access to reliable personal transportation, or equivalent.
Background Check Statement: Some positions may require a criminal background check which can include fingerprinting due to the nature of the job's responsibilities. Wisconsin's Fair Employment Law, s. 111.31 - 111.395, Wis. Stats., prohibits discrimination because of an arrest or conviction record. However, Dane County may disqualify an applicant if the position's responsibilities are substantially related to the applicant's criminal history (e.g., the nature of the crime and its relationship to the position, whether hiring, transferring or promoting an applicant would pose an unreasonable risk to the business, its employees, customers and vendors, etc.) Management reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.
For Bilingual Positions:

1. Provide services in both English and the required foreign language (e.g., Spanish, Arabic, Hmong, etc.).
2. Applicants being considered for bilingual positions will be tested during the recruitment process prior to employment. This will primarily consist of passing an oral language proficiency assessment from English to foreign language and foreign language to English, but may require additional language testing, such as written translation, if it is an essential function of the job.

*If applicable, individuals may confirm with the Employee Relations Division whether results of bilingual language certifications/ examinations they currently hold qualify them for the position's bilingual designation.
Physical and Environmental Work Requirements:
Ability to work indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions. Ability to walk, sit and stand for long periods. Ability to see and hear within normal ranges with or without adaptive devices. Ability to speak and be heard. Ability to sit, stand, stoop and bend. Ability to use finger, wrist and hand motions. Ability to lift and move a variety of work-related materials weighing up to 50 pounds unassisted. The work takes place in a variety of locations both indoors and outdoors. Requires frequent walking, standing, sitting and may be subject to adverse working conditions including crowded spaces, loud environments, dusty/dirty locations, poor weather and associated outdoor elements. Ability to handle stressful situations and individuals for guest services and events.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Demonstrated ability to work well in collaborative relationships across organizations and teams. Ability to interpret guest needs and solve guest service issues in a polite and professional manner. Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written and presentation communication skills to effectively interact with Zoo visitors, volunteers and staff. Excellent customer service knowledge and skills. Must be self-motivated, proactive and able to work effectively under pressure. Ability to effectively promote organization and services offered. Strong decision-making skills. Creative problem solver who thrives when presented with a challenge. Detail oriented, able to accurately proofread and check columns of numbers for accuracy. Able to track several tasks simultaneously. Demonstrated good judgment, high integrity and personal values. Able to maintain the confidentiality of privileged information. Must demonstrate cultural competency; experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with diverse, multicultural audience.

We offer a wide range of benefits including fully paid dental and HMO health insurance premiums for full time employees/pro rated for part time employees. The County will also provide contributions towards POS health insurance premiums and short/long term disability. Additional benefits available include long term care, vision coverage, flex spending account and deferred compensation programs paid in full by the employee and a wellness program. For further details on insurance benefits visit

Bilingual Pay: Employees who work in bilingual designated positions receive an additional $2.00 per hour.

Undesirable Hours Premium Pay: Employees may receive undesirable hours pay of $2.00 for anytime worked between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m and for anytime on Saturday and/or Sunday. (not applicable with all employee groups).

Paid Parental Leave: Dane County also provides 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birth or adoption of a child.

Caregiver Leave: Dane County offers 80 hours of paid leave to care for an ill family member.

Telecommuting: Telecommuting allows employees to work remotely for all or part of their work week. Dane County considers telecommuting to be a viable, flexible option when both the employee and the job are suited to such an arrangement. Dane County will permit telecommuting when it benefits the productivity of the employee and their department and if determined by employee's department that telecommuting is not detrimental to either the County or the employee.

Student Loan Forgiveness: If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, you may be able to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

WI Retirement System: Employees hired after 7-1-11 must be expected to work a minimum of 1200 hours annually to be enrolled in the Wisconsin Retirement System when hired.

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Do you have any combination of education, training and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, customer service or related field?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have two (2) years experience performing guest relations, event coordination, sales or customer service responsibilities?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you have one (1) year of database experience using CRM or POS software?

• Yes
• No

04

If you answered "Yes" to Questions 1-3, please explain.
05

THIS QUESTION IS GRADEDThe Guest Service Coordinator is responsible for the safety and daily operation of our amusement attractions (including the train and carousel) as well as the overall visitor experience and membership programs. Please describe your experience managing public attractions or high-volume guest operations. What concrete steps do you take to ensure these operations run safely and efficiently? Additionally, share an example of how you have analyzed visitor data or guest feedback to identify operational issues or improve the overall guest and member experience.
06

THIS QUESTION IS GRADEDThe Guest Service Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and overseeing all phases of events from initial planning through execution. Events would include birthday parties, corporate events, weddings and other events such as Zoo Lights, Zoo Run, Boo at the Zoo and more. Please describe the types, sizes and annual numbers of events you have been responsible for and walk us through your process, project management and logistics plan management for the lifecycle of a complex event. What steps do you take to ensure all logistics, timelines and cross-departmental coordination runs smoothly?
07

THIS QUESTION IS GRADEDThis position requires balancing internal zoo events with external partnerships, including daily venue rentals and coordinating closely with our third-party food service partner (SSA). Should we have a high-profile corporate evening rental booked at the same time our food service partner experiences, a sudden, major staffing shortage, how would you handle logistics and communicate with both the client and the partner to ensure guest experiences and partner relationships aren't compromised?
08

THIS QUESTION IS GRADEDThis role supports and drives revenue generation for the zoo, which includes managing annual event goals, developing program revenue proformas (financial forecasts) for our memberships, events and our core attractions and developing plans and securing sponsorships to support these operational initiatives. Please describe your experience building a revenue strategy, sales experience and experience building program budgets. How do you approach securing financial support through corporate "asks" and how do you use data to adjust your strategy if an attraction or event is underperforming against its financial goals?
Required Question