The North Carolina Department of Commerce is the state's lead agency for economic, community and workforce development. The department works with local, regional, national, and international organizations to fulfill its mission to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians.

The Visitor Services Program works in cooperation with strategic partners to strengthen the state's tourism industry by providing customer service and information on travel to and within North Carolina to visitors and potential visitors.

This is a supervisory/public relations position that manages the operation and maintenance of a state Welcome Center, ensuring that North Carolina's visitors receive excellent customer service and accurate travel information. The Welcome Center program maximizes the opportunities to increase visitor expenditures through responsive sales and marketing initiatives and quality personal customer service at points of entry to the state along interstate highways. The manager is responsible for hiring, developing, training and supervising a staff of three full-time travel counselors, a custodian and a part-time travel counselor. The manager also serves as a travel counselor for the traveling public by answering questions about the state's tourist facilities, attractions, events and highway routing. This position develops strong working relationships with Visit NC, local convention and visitors bureaus, Chambers of Commerce, other tourism industry organizations and associations, and various entities within NC State Government and specifically within the Department of Commerce. This position also requires giving occasional presentations to schools or civic groups.

This position is located at the I-95 North Welcome Center in Pleasant Hill, NC (Northampton County) at the N.C./VA Stateline. Welcome Centers are open 7 days a week from 8am to 5pm. The work schedule includes weekday, weekend and holiday work. Limited overnight travel.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities / Competencies

In order to receive credit for the supplemental questions in which you answered yes, you must provide supporting information within the body of the application, to support your answer. Your application should also reflect all education and all professional work experience acquired including high school and all degrees.

• 
  Experience in a lead or a supervisory role.
• Experience working in tourism, hospitality, or the customer-service industry.
• Ability to assess and use tools available to provide customer service and complete assignments including computers, Microsoft Office products and online search engines.

Management Preferences

• General knowledge of the principles and practices of public relations, sales or customer service.
• Ability to learn and communicate orally or in writing general tourism information, including basic information regarding attractions, events, accommodations, recreational, historical, and geographic features of the state.
• Ability to communicate and deal tactfully and cordially with all types of people.
• Ability to compile information / data and communicate it accurately

Applicant must meet both the Minimum Education and Experience Requirements and all posted Knowledge, Skills and Abilities / Competencies requirements to be considered qualified for the position.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

High school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) diploma and four years of progressively responsible administrative/office management experience, including one year as a lead worker; or equivalent combination of education and experience.