Are you a master of organized chaos with a knack for hospitality? We're looking for a friendly, detail-oriented Front of House Associate to be the face of our neighborhood club and play place. This isn't just a job—you'll be the conductor of our space, ensuring every guest feels welcome and every moving part runs smoothly.

This role requires a unique combination of skills: the polished professionalism of a high-end restaurant host, the compassionate eye of a childcare professional, and the organizational prowess of a stage manager. You'll be the first person our families see, setting the tone for their visit and actively managing the flow of our space.

About this Role

This is a dynamic, hands-on position where you'll have a direct impact on our organization. We believe in providing our team with the tools to succeed and the autonomy to excel. This role is perfect for a self-starter who wants to grow with us. You'll have direct access to management, the ability to share and implement your ideas, and the chance to directly contribute to the lives of families and the next generation. We value continuous development and are committed to helping you grow your skills after you master the core job competenci

Responsibilities

Welcome and Engage: Greet all families with a warm and genuine welcome. Check in and out customers for open play sessions, after-school care, and day camps with a high level of hospitality.
Manage the Floor: Actively "read the room" to anticipate needs, and maintain a clean and organized play area. As the host, you’ll oversee the curation and upkeep of the space, ensuring it remains tidy without disrupting anyone's experience.
Support Transitions: Handle the controlled chaos of our busiest times with a smile. This includes smoothly transitioning from open play to after-school care, checking in students, coordinating with our team bringing kids back from school, and ensuring a seamless pickup process.
Administrative and Project Support: When things slow down, you'll shift gears to support our team behind the scenes. This includes answering emails and phone calls, posting on social media and member groups, writing member content, and working on special projects for management.
Foster a Positive Environment: Use tact and diplomacy to defuse conflicts and redirect nonproductive energy with customers of all ages. You’ll be the central point of communication, providing direction to other associates and maintaining a calm and composed atmosphere.

Qualifications

Experience: Professional experience in childcare or early childhood education is required. Experience in stage management, customer service, or hospitality is a strong plus.
Skills:

Organization and Time Management: Crucial for juggling complex schedules, logistics, and a variety of duties.
Communication: A central link between all departments. You need excellent written and verbal communication skills. We are an international community and welcome multiple languages!
Calmness and Composure: The ability to remain collected and solve problems under pressure is essential.
Tact and Diplomacy: You can provide clear direction to staff and respectfully manage any customer conflicts or difficult situations.
Technical Knowledge: Proficient with email, smartphones, social media, and basic office and kitchen equipment (e.g., coffee maker, microwave).

Physical Demands: Must be able to move with children and stand for long periods of time. The ability to move from sitting (on a chair or on the floor) to standing quickly is required to assist children as needed.
Availability: Flexible availability to work shifts between 8:00 AM and 7:30 PM.
Compensation: Starting at $17/hour.

If you thrive in a dynamic, high-energy environment and are excited to be part of a growing organization where your ideas matter, we want to hear from you!

Play Associate

Do you love working with kids and want to be part of a vibrant, high-energy team? We're looking for a Play Associate to help create a fun, safe, and engaging environment for children and their families. This role is perfect for a student or anyone who enjoys hands-on, active work and wants to make a positive impact on the next generation.

As a Play Associate, you'll be an essential part of our team, working directly on the floor to support our guests. You'll be a crucial partner to our Front of House team, helping to manage the flow and energy of the space. The specific tasks you'll focus on will vary depending on the day and what's happening in the space.

Responsibilities

Engage with Guests: Actively supervise and engage with children and families in the play area. This includes leading impromptu games and activities, encouraging positive interactions, and ensuring every child feels included and safe.
Maintain the Environment: You are the heart of our on-the-floor operations. Your role is to curate and upkeep the play space, which means keeping it neat and tidy without disrupting anyone's experience. This includes tidying up toys and books, restocking supplies, and proactively handling small messes.
Support the Front of House Team: You will be a crucial partner to our Front of House Associate, working together to manage the flow of guests. While they handle check-ins and payments, you will be the eyes and ears on the floor, ensuring everyone is happy, safe, and has everything they need.
Birthday Party Associate: On weekends, you may step into the role of a birthday party helper. This includes checking in with the party family, managing the party timeline, tidying up during the party, and doing the party cleanup.
Proactive Contribution: We are a small business where every team member contributes to our success. There is always something to do, and boredom is not an option. You are expected to be proactive and find ways to help, from answering emails and phones to posting on social media, working on special projects, or supporting the opening and closing cleaning routines. We are committed to fostering your job training and professional growth.
Foster a Positive Environment: Learn our special brand of play, which is inspired by the Reggio Emilia and Montessori philosophies. You'll use these methods to redirect nonproductive energy and ensure our customers leave feeling better than when they came.
Supervise After-School Campers: You will help supervise and manage the group, ensuring they are engaged and following our club's guidelines.
Camp and School-Off Day Support: During school holidays and camp sessions, you may have the opportunity to work full-day shifts, with shifts ranging from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, to assist with camp activities and supervision.

Our Culture

We are a small business that values hiring and training students from our community. We believe that great ideas can come from anyone, regardless of their position. As a Play Associate, you'll have the opportunity to share your ideas for new activities, operational improvements, or ways to enhance the guest experience. We'll listen to your feedback and work with you to implement great ideas and provide honest feedback on others.

This role technically reports to the General Manager and the Front of House Associate, so you will receive guidance but not be micromanaged. We are looking for individuals who take initiative and ownership of their work.

Qualifications & Details

Experience: Prior experience working with children (e.g., babysitting, camp counselor, volunteer work) is a plus.
Attitude: You must be reliable, energetic, patient, and have a positive, can-do attitude. You should be proactive and a self-starter.
Communication: Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Minimum Age: Must be at least 14 years old. We follow all Federal, State, County, City and Local Child Labor Laws, including Employment Certificate requirements.
Availability: We are looking for part-time associates who can commit to regular hours on weekdays (especially during after-school hours) and/or on weekends.
Compensation: Starting at $16.60/hour.

If you're looking for a fun and rewarding job where you can make a real difference and be an active member of our team, we encourage you to apply!

Customer Support: connect@familyroomchicago.com or 312-625-7274
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