Senior Director of Guest Experience

Lincoln Park Zoo inspires communities to create environments where wildlife will thrive in our urbanizing world. The zoo is a leader in local and global conservation, animal care and welfare, learning, and science. A historic Chicago landmark founded in 1868, the not-for-profit Lincoln Park Zoo, is a privately managed, member-supported organization that is free and open 365 days a year. Visit us at lpzoo.org.

Position Summary

The Senior Director of Guest Experience provides strategic and operational leadership for all guest-facing functions at the Zoo, ensuring an exceptional, safe, and mission-driven experience for every visitor. This role oversees events, guest services, and third-party Food & Beverage (F&B) and Retail partnerships, while serving as a key liaison to tourism organizations, sponsors, and community partners.

As the executive owner of the end-to-end guest experience, this position is accountable for all guest-related revenue streams and plays a critical role in aligning hospitality excellence with the Zoo’s conservation, education, and animal welfare mission. The Senior Director works collaboratively across departments to deliver memorable experiences that inspire guests, grow attendance and revenue, and strengthen community engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Guest Experience Strategy & Revenue Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive guest experience strategy that supports the Zoo’s mission, brand, and long-term strategic goals.
• Maintain accountability for all guest-facing revenue streams, including admissions-related experiences, events, F&B, retail, and premium offerings.
• Establish KPIs related to guest satisfaction, attendance, revenue performance, and repeat visitation.
• Continuously identify opportunities to enhance guest engagement while maintaining sensitivity to animal welfare and operational priorities.

Events & Guest Services Oversight

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for all events, guest services, and front-line guest engagement teams.
• Oversee the planning and execution of Zoo-hosted events, after-hours experiences, private rentals, and mission-aligned programming.
• Ensure a consistent, welcoming, and inclusive guest experience for diverse audiences, including families, schools, members, and tourists.

Third-Party F&B and Retail Partnerships

• Serve as the primary liaison for all third-party Food & Beverage and Retail partners operating on Zoo grounds.
• Oversee partner performance, service quality, brand alignment, and contract compliance.
• Collaborate with partners to enhance offerings in a way that complements the Zoo experience, supports sustainability goals, and maximizes revenue.

Tourism, Sponsorships & Marketing Collaboration

• Act as the Zoo’s primary liaison with local, regional, and national tourism organizations.
• Partner closely with Sponsorships and Marketing teams to develop guest-facing initiatives, promotions, and experiences that drive attendance and revenue.
• Support sponsorship activations and branded experiences that enhance—not detract from—the guest experience and Zoo mission.

Training & Service Culture Leadership

• Lead the development and execution of customer service–centric training programs for all guest-facing staff and partners.
• Champion a culture of hospitality that emphasizes education, conservation messaging, inclusivity, and guest engagement.
• Ensure training programs equip staff to interact effectively with guests while respecting animal care, safety protocols, and Zoo standards.

Public Safety & Guest Wellbeing

• Work closely with the Director of Public Safety and Public Safety teams to ensure guest safety, comfort, and preparedness across all Zoo operations.
• Collaborate on crowd management, emergency response planning, and large-scale event safety.
• Balance exceptional guest service with strong risk management and compliance practices.

Leadership, Finance & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as a senior leader and strategic partner to the SVP and CFO on budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance related to guest experience and revenue.
• Collaborate closely with Animal Care, Education, Conservation, Facilities, Marketing, Sponsorships, and Operations teams.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing guest experience leadership team.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of senior leadership experience in guest experience, hospitality, attractions, museums, zoos, aquariums, theme parks, or cultural institutions.
• Proven experience owning and growing guest-facing revenue streams in a mission-driven or public-facing environment.
• Demonstrated success managing third-party F&B and retail partnerships.
• Experience with large-scale events and high-volume guest environments.
• Strong understanding of guest safety, public operations, and service excellence.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Passion for conservation, education, and creating meaningful guest experiences.

Core Competencies

• Guest Experience Strategy & Design
• Revenue Growth & Financial Acumen
• Event & Attraction Operations
• Partner & Vendor Management
• Service Culture & Training Development
• Public Safety Collaboration
• Mission-Driven Leadership

OUR COMMITMENT

Lincoln Park Zoo is committed to fostering a workplace that is inclusive, equitable, and welcoming. We celebrate the diverse qualities, perspectives, values, and experiences of all people. For Wildlife. For All.

LINCOLN PARK ZOO BENEFITS

In addition to standard benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage, and a 403(b) savings plan with institutional match, benefits of working at Lincoln Park Zoo include:

• Free admission to many other Chicago cultural institutions
• Free on-site parking
• Discounts on event tickets (including free admission to select events), attractions, dining, and retail at the zoo
• Quarterly staff social events and “LPZooU” training and educational sessions focused on the zoo, wildlife, ecology, and related topics
• Company contribution to a Health Savings Account (Medical PPO only)
• A unique work environment featuring green spaces and regular opportunities to engage with wildlife

Salary: $105k-125k/annually