Joining the QAGOMA Gallery and Visitor Services team

A GVSO greeting visitors to a major exhibition at GOMA / View full image

If you enjoy assisting people of all ages from diverse cultural backgrounds we’d like to hear from you.

The Gallery and Visitor Services Officer role enhances QAGOMA’s public profile through positive interaction and information delivery with the public while also assisting the Protection and Visitor Services Team with ensuring the protection of Gallery property including art works. QAGOMA is Queensland's premier visual arts institution and a major cultural tourism attraction for Queensland and aims to connect art and people.

A Day in the Life of a Gallery and Visitor Services Officer (GVSO) at QAGOMA

Briefing

As a GVSO the day starts either at the QAG or GOMA building with a group briefing by the Duty Team Leader. The briefings incorporate the day’s events, roster updates, information on any special exhibition requirements and training tips in customer service, security and emergency management.

Briefings are informative on many levels so it pays to listen well in order to best extract and apply the information when it’s needed. It does help to build the 'Team spirit' and it is good to know who you can rely on for that day. Then it's off to your rostered area, a visual check of the general condition of the gallery space (clean), the Artworks (in place and undamaged), the artwork labels (readable) and the emergency equipment and lighting (working)

Visitors and the Artworks

Once the doors open, depending on your rostered position, you’re either extremely busy, (Main Entry/Cloakroom/Information desk), or you find a moment of calm as the Visitors make their way through to your Gallery space.

You should always be prepared for the questions, from the common place (where's the toilet?), to the unusual (My Aunt came here four years ago and saw the “Swelling Vase” by L.J Harvey...). It’s important to know the Collection. GVSO's know the artworks, where they are located and the necessary information for Visitors to appreciate and enhance their understanding of the works.

One of the main skills for GVSOs to apply is being able to read 'body language' and adjusting your behaviour accordingly. Some Visitors are seeking assistance, some want to be left alone. Just being able to read a visitor can make all the difference to their visit and day. Remember to SMILE.

Often school groups will charge through your area under the 'control' of a teacher. You usually hear them coming and being prepared is essential. It’s quite useful to quietly engage with the students speaking calmly and firmly reminding them of the Gallery rules in a positive and friendly way.

Knowledge

Knowing what's going on, where things are and how to 'behave' may seem ordinary, but surprisingly, it's the most common types of questions and topics that drive the interactive experiences you will have with the Visitors. Adjusting to Visitor's behaviour, guiding and smoothly informing them about the Conditions of entry without appearing dictatorial or rude is a skill you will need often.

Rosters and breaks

GVSO's are required to move from area to area throughout the day. This also allows for lunch breaks and afternoon tea breaks etc. You rely heavily on your teammates so good timekeeping is essential. You are not allowed a mobile phone on duty so a watch is necessary to keep pace. Lateness isn’t an option. That said GVSO’s are friendly understanding folk. Be prepared for the odd roster/position change.

You will spend a great deal of time standing and walking. Once you get used to strolling it’s quite easy to cover 10 kms in the day. It’s better to be moving than hunched over a desk staring at a computer and you can chose your path. Try reading the art work labels, then you get a free art history lesson whilst helping you to stay physically and mentally fit.

Information

GVSO's are required to supervise the information desk, answering and transferring telephone calls and dealing with face to face enquiries. It’s usually the first point of contact with the public. This can be a challenging place especially on certain days when we have exhibition openings, VIP visits, managing lost property enquiries and lost people or just conveying the Gallery rules.

Most of the demanding Visitor interactions will be here. Knowing the Gallery's Policies and Regulations is important for safeguarding people and works of art.

Announcements and Closing Time

Gallery wide announcements are made by the GVSO's over the intercom system, providing information throughout the day.

One of the most important stages of the day is at closing time when you need to assist in clearing the Gallery spaces as a Team, efficiently and politely asking Visitors to vacate the premises. It’s at this time that the GVSO's search all public areas, reporting back to the Team Leaders that their Gallery space is cleared and secure. Probably the most serious part of the day. Communication is very important. Learn to use your two way radio efficiently and effectively.

Summary

The GVSO role is not a job with a particular career path. It may not suit all people, but if you enjoy assisting people of all ages from diverse cultural backgrounds within a Gallery environment and experiencing the audible gasp that some visitors give when they see an artwork for the first time is incredibly satisfying.

Are you the right person for the job?

Take the GVSO Employment Suitability Survey below.

The purpose of this survey is to assess your experience, capacity and ability to perform required tasks of the Gallery and Visitor Services Officer (GVSO) role. Please complete the employment suitability survey to submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) to be notified of future GVSO positions with QAGOMA. If deemed suitable, your details will remain on the Gallery and Visitor Services Officer Talent Register and you will be contacted to apply for a position if an opportunity arises matching your skills.

If you identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person please instead use the form located here to submit your expression of interest in employment at QAGOMA.

Contact Details

First name *

Last name *

Other name

Phone number *

Email *

Experience

Please provide details of two of your most recent jobs in the hospitality/retail/customer service industries. These must be frontline customer service positions where you have interacted with members of the public.

Role #1

Start date *

End date *

Employer *

Position Title *

Demonstrated skills/capabilities/duties *

Role #2

Start date *

End date *

Employer *

Position Title *

Demonstrated skills/capabilities/duties *

Training

Please provide full details of any customer service training you have undertaken

Qualification #1

Dates

Training Organisation

Training and Qualification

Qualification #2

Dates

Training Organisation

Training and Qualification

Qualification #3

Dates

Training Organisation

Training and Qualification

Qualification #4

Dates

Training Organisation

Training and Qualification

Explain how you have maintained customer satisfaction and loyalty when a client has become angered by a company policy or procedure *

How would you maintain a high level of customer service whilst interacting with adults of a family which included disruptive children who were running around and disturbing other patrons? *

Describe a time at work when things went consistently wrong *· How did you handle it?
· Would anyone know you were having a bad day or would you keep it to yourself?
· How do you proactively deal with stress

Please demonstrate your experience in working to a strict daily or weekly roster and how you managed this commitment both professionally and with regard to your personal life. Describe your general attitude to work and life *The Gallery is open 7 days a week and as such work is performed on a roster basis and includes weekend work, additional ordinary hours and some overtime. Overtime may include early starts, late finishes and/or rostered late hour’s functions.

Under the QUEENSLAND PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICERS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES AWARD – Section 15.3 Spread of ordinary hours of duty, Protection and Visitor Services Staff - Queensland Art Gallery, is summarised as: - a) Hours of work, the ordinary hours of work shall be worked between the hours of 6.00 a.m. and 6.00 pm.

Maintaining motivation in a work environment with periods of low job demand/activity and restricted decision making controls. In your previous or current employment have you experienced any of the following situations?

Performing highly repetitive or monotonous tasks

Limited work to do

Little task variety

Sustained low levels of physical and mental stimulation/effort required to do the job

Work that is prescriptive and tightly managed

Having little control over aspects of the work including how or when a task is performed

Adhering to a roster system that incorporates specified and regimented time frames including break times

When at work, how would you approach fluctuating periods of work activity and job control?

If you've previously reported to multiple supervisors at the same time, how did you get to know each person's preferences and juggle conflicting priorities?

What appeals to you about this role specifically? Please confirm if you have previously worked or volunteered at a cultural institution.

All information provided on this form will remain strictly confidential and for use by QAGOMA only. For further information please refer to QAGOMA's Privacy Statement.