Guest Services Manager

Job Description

Inspire. Welcome. Elevate.
Harry P. Leu Gardens is seeking a dedicated Guest Services Manager to lead and elevate the visitor experience across one of Central Florida’s most beloved public gardens. This role is ideal for a service-driven leader with a passion for hospitality, operations, and team development who thrives in a dynamic environment centered on nature, history, culture, and community connection.

The Guest Services Manager is the heartbeat of the Gardens daily visitor experience—ensuring every guest feels welcome, informed, and inspired. This role leads front-line operations and guest-facing teams while helping to shape how visitors connect with the Gardens through admissions, tours, rentals, membership, and the Historic Leu House Museum. You’ll work across departments to create a seamless, inclusive, and engaging environment that reflects the Gardens’ mission of connecting people with nature, history, and community.

About Us

About the Gardens
Since 1961, Harry P. Leu Gardens has inspired a love of nature, historic landscapes, and enriching outdoor experiences. Once the private estate of Harry P. and Mary Jane Leu—renowned plant collectors who developed one of the Southeast’s largest camellia collections—the 50-acre garden was donated to the City of Orlando and is now city-owned and operated. Originally located on the ancestral lands of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Gardens recorded history dates to 1858. Four families shaped the estate before Harry P. and Mary Jane Leu acquired it in 1936 and gifted it to the city 25 years later.

Today, Harry P. Leu Gardens welcomes over 275,000 visitors annually and features 30 diverse plant collections, educational programs, seasonal events, and exhibits for the public. As a leading public garden and plant repository, it highlights global plant diversity suited to Central Florida’s climate. Visitors explore the Gardens through self-guided tours, interpretive materials, and the Historic Leu House Museum—built in 1888 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The campus includes the museum, extensive plant displays, and a 22,000 sq. ft. Welcome Center and event venue, making it a premier destination for weddings, private events, and horticultural education in Central Florida.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Oversee Daily Visitor Experience – Manage guest services operations including admissions, ticketing, tours, and group visits ensuring smooth and efficient service for the public.
• Lead and Support Staff – Supervise, schedule, and professionally develop the Guest Services team, fostering a culture of hospitality and excellence.
• Enhance Visitor Engagement – Ensure visitors experience a safe, welcoming, and enriching experience from arrival to departure.
• Coordinate Cross-Departmental Operations – Work with rentals, education, marketing, and events teams to align visitor services with overall programming.
• Manage Membership Sales and Museum Operations – Oversee membership processing and guide operations at the Historic Leu House Museum.
• Maintain POS and Financial Reports – Settle daily transactions, reconcile sales, and compile accurate attendance and financial data.
• Support Strategic Growth – Contribute as a member of the Gardens leadership team to long-term planning, budgeting, and help shape initiatives that elevate guest experience, increase public engagement and revenue.

Education and Experience

• Passion for public service, hospitality, and connecting people to cultural and natural experiences.
• Experience in customer service, visitor experience, or guest operations—preferably in a museum, public garden, or cultural institution.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Experience with point-of-sale systems, memberships, and team supervision.
• Commitment to being positive and welcoming to all guests.
• Ability to work weekends, holidays, and occasional evenings as part of a flexible schedule.
• Highly organized with attention to detail and comfort managing multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced setting.

Requirements
Associate degree in Hospitality, Event Management, or related field, and two (2) years of experience in guest or event services, one (1) year of which must have been in a progressively responsible supervisory capacity; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. Must possess a valid Florida Driver’s License. Background check and polygraph required. Previous customer service and cash handling experience preferred.

Additional Information

Compensation & Schedule
$23.88 – $37.02/Hourly
$49,670.40 – $77,001.60 Annually
Full-time + benefits from the City of Orlando
Monday – Friday, with availability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed for special events

Application Instructions

Apply
Apply online at the City of Orlando job page at https://cityoforlando.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/CityofOrlandoCareers.