Event Experience Assistant Manager

Omaha, NE, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Full-time

Compensation

Hourly

Range $24.79 - $1.00

Work Schedule

Weekend Shifts

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Paid Time Off

Retirement Plan

Employee Discounts

Professional development opportunities

flexible schedule

Job Description

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium is widely recognized as a premier zoological park, renowned for its commitment to wildlife conservation, education, and immersive guest experiences. As one of the most visited attractions in Nebraska, the Zoo offers a blend of naturalistic exhibits, world-class animal habitats, and engaging educational programs. The facility serves a diverse community, welcoming millions of visitors annually who come to learn about animals, enjoy family-friendly events, and participate in conservation efforts. The Zoo's mission extends beyond entertainment to inspire a deeper connection with the natural world through innovative exhibits and interactive experiences. With its strong emphasis on guest satisfaction, community engagement, and environmental stewardship, the Zoo fosters an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for visitors and employees alike.

The Event Experience Assistant Manager at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium plays a crucial role in realizing the Zoo’s mission by ensuring that every event hosted within the Zoo's grounds delivers an exceptional guest experience. This full-time, non-exempt position is pivotal in blending operational excellence with a hospitality-driven leadership approach. The role involves managing daily event operations, coordinating staff, and ensuring flawless service delivery for a wide range of events, including private functions and public gatherings. The schedule may vary to include evenings, weekends, and holidays, reflecting the dynamic nature of event hosting.

As the operational lead and key extension of the Event Sales and Experience Manager, the Event Experience Assistant Manager is responsible for seamless transitions from sales to onsite event execution. This role demands precision in planning and a strong guest-centric mindset to maintain consistency and high standards throughout the event process. This involves reviewing event details, collaborating closely with the Event Sales team, and ensuring clear communication between clients, internal teams, and vendors.

Leadership is a core component of the role, with direct supervision of Event Experience Captains, Assistants, and Bartenders. The Assistant Manager fosters a culture of hospitality excellence by modeling professionalism, providing real-time coaching, and reinforcing service standards. This leadership extends to recruitment, training, and ongoing staff development to ensure the event team operates cohesively and confidently, creating welcoming and memorable experiences for all guests.

Moreover, the role demands a proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement. The Assistant Manager is tasked with ensuring compliance with food and alcohol service regulations, health codes, and local laws, while also refining workflows and service practices to elevate event quality. The position supports cross-departmental collaboration, working alongside Marketing, IT, Facilities, Education, and Guest Experience teams to ensure smooth planning and execution.

The Event Experience Assistant Manager embodies the core values of care, trust, and community. By fostering open communication, accountability, and psychological safety within the team, this role helps cultivate an environment where employees feel valued and empowered to contribute to shared success. This position offers a rewarding opportunity to lead within a celebrated cultural institution, impact guest satisfaction directly, and support the Zoo’s broader mission through excellence in event management.

Job Requirements

3-5 years of experience working in licensed hospitality or event operations environments with familiarity in responsible alcohol service and onsite compliance expectations
Prior experience leading teams or supervising staff
Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and follow-through
Ability to manage multiple events and priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
Calm confident and professional leader who thrives in live environments and leads by presence and example
Strong written communication and interpersonal skills
Valid driver’s license required

Job Qualifications

3-5 years of experience working in licensed hospitality or event operations environments with familiarity in responsible alcohol service and onsite compliance expectations
Prior experience leading teams or supervising staff formal management experience preferred but not required
Deep understanding of hospitality and guest service principles
Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and follow-through
Customer-focused mindset with confidence communicating with clients internal stakeholders and external vendors
Ability to manage multiple events and priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
Calm confident and professional leader who thrives in live environments and leads by presence and example
Demonstrated commitment to inclusive management that fosters belonging trust and equitable collaboration across teams
Comfortable working within established systems while also contributing feedback to improve processes
Strong written communication and interpersonal skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and event sales CRM or event management systems preferred
Valid driver’s license required

Job Duties

Serve as the lead advocate for the guest experience across all public and private events ensuring guests feel welcomed cared for and confident at every touchpoint
Champion hospitality-first decision-making ensuring operational choices are always made in service of guest comfort clarity and delight
Set model and reinforce service standards that define how events should feel not just how they function
Act as a visible calm and reassuring presence during events building trust with staff guests clients and partners
Responsible for the accurate quality and consistent continuation of client experience from sales to execution
Partner closely with the Event Sales team to align expectations timelines and client priorities champion the client’s vision during internal planning and execution ensuring expectations are met or exceeded
Review event details BEOs and client expectations with a guest-centric lens to ensure nothing is lost misinterpreted or overpromised
Support high-touch or VIP clients as needed to ensure confidence clarity and satisfaction through event completion
Oversee the planning and execution of private events with exceptional attention to detail accuracy and flow
Partner with Public Events Experience Specialist to align and coordinate details through execution
Ensure timelines layouts staffing plans and logistics are designed to support a smooth intuitive guest experience
Coordinate and oversee onsite vendors performers and partners to ensure alignment with event plans service standards and guest experience expectations
Lead onsite execution for select events including evenings and weekends ensuring teams are prepared aligned and confident
Anticipate challenges and proactively resolve issues before they impact the guest experience
Lead and inspire Event Experience Captains Assistants and Bartenders to deliver warm polished and consistent service
Participate in recruitment interviewing onboarding training and coaching of event experience team members in partnership with the Event Sales and Experience Manager
Reinforce expectations for professionalism hospitality safety and compliance across the event experience team
Coach staff in real time reinforcing service behaviors and recognizing excellence during events
Reinforce training programs for event execution consistent service standards and guest experience ensuring training is treated as a core operational priority through daily operations
Responsible for ensuring all event experience staff are trained in and compliance with food and alcohol service standards county health code local and state liquor laws and the Zoo’s liquor license requirements
Ensure standard operating procedures are followed and understood as tools of support to build confident staff and exceptional guest experiences
Utilize guest client and staff feedback to identify opportunities to elevate service and execution
Continuously refine workflows staffing models and service practices to improve quality consistency and ease
Support special projects new initiatives and program launches as directed by the Director of Events and Event Sales and Experience Manager
Maintain day-to-day coordination and working relationships with cross-departmental partners including Marketing IT Business Systems Facilities Education and Animal Care as well as cross-functional Guest Experience partners including Food and Beverage Guest Services and Retail to support smooth planning and execution
Partner closely with the Event Experience Specialist Internal Event Coordinator and Event Sales team to support detailed planning clear communication and excellent execution
Serve as a collaborative leader within the Events department reinforcing shared ownership the guest experience and overall event success
Direct supervision and leadership of all Event Experience Captains Assistants and Bartenders
Responsible for staff deployment service execution and onsite leadership during events
Provides input on training performance feedback and development in partnership with the Event Sales and Experience Manager
Responsible for workflow management task delegation and execution oversight within the event operations team
Provides input on performance feedback and development in partnership with the Event Sales and Experience Manager