Premium Hospitality & Guest Experience Specialist

About the Role

Join one of New York’s most iconic sports and entertainment organizations and help deliver world-class hospitality experiences at the new Belmont Park and Saratoga Racecourse. The Premium Hospitality & Guest Experience Specialist serves as a key point of contact for premium members, VIP guests, corporate clients, and racing enthusiasts, ensuring each interaction reflects NYRA’s commitment to personalized service and memorable experiences. This role supports race days, special events, premium dining experiences, and hospitality activations throughout the season. Working closely with leaders and partners across Premium Experience, Food & Beverage, Operations, Sales, Marketing, and Guest Services, the Specialist gains broad exposure to the business while building a career foundation in premium guest services, event operations, venue management, or hospitality leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as an accessible, professional point of contact for premium guests, members, VIP clients, and corporate partners before, during, and after race-day and special-event experiences.
• Support the on-site execution of premium hospitality operations, including guest arrival, check-in, seating, dining, special events, and other premium service touchpoints.
• Coordinate guest requests and personalized preferences with Food & Beverage, Operations, Facilities, Sales, Ticketing, and Guest Services, following established procedures and escalating complex matters appropriately.
• Provide timely service recovery by listening to guest concerns, identifying practical solutions within established guidelines, documenting outcomes, and elevating high-impact or sensitive issues to management.
• Assist with premium dining and event readiness by confirming guest information, service details, signage, amenities, and operational materials are accurate and in place.
• Prepare clear, polished guest communications, including Know-Before-You-Go information, event updates, confirmations, and follow-up correspondence.
• Gather and organize guest feedback and operational observations; identify recurring themes and share findings with management to support service enhancements.
• Maintain accurate member and client records, including relevant preferences and service notes, in accordance with privacy expectations and departmental standards.
• Collaborate with Premium Experience colleagues and seasonal team members to promote consistent service standards and a welcoming, inclusive guest experience.
• Participate in event briefings, debriefs, training, and continuous-improvement activities; contribute ideas that strengthen hospitality delivery and operational efficiency.
• Train and onboard new Premium Experience team members on service protocols, operational procedures, and NYRA's hospitality standards.
• Perform other related duties and support special projects as assigned.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to learn CRM, ticketing, seating, event, and food-and-beverage systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Event Management, Sports Management, Business, Communications, or a related field preferred. An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience will be considered.
• Up to two years of relevant experience in hospitality, guest services, events, premium seating, restaurants, hotels, resorts, sports, entertainment, or a high-touch customer environment. Applicable internships or seasonal experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated commitment to exceptional guest service, discretion, professionalism, and follow-through.
• Ability to organize multiple priorities, maintain accurate details, and adapt in a fast-paced, event-driven environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate confidently with guests and internal partners.
• Availability to work a flexible schedule based on the racing and event calendar, including weekends, holidays, early mornings, and evenings as operationally required.
• Ability and willingness to work at NYRA venues and support the Saratoga racing season, including travel and temporary work-location changes as assigned.
• Experience supporting VIP, luxury, premium, member, or corporate-client experiences is preferred.
• Exposure to event execution, premium dining, catering, ticketing, seating, CRM, or guest-feedback platforms is preferred.
• Additional language proficiency relevant to NYRA’s guests and workforce is preferred.

Skills Proficiency

• Guest Service & Relationship Building
• Event Coordination & Execution
• Professional Communication
• Problem-Solving & Service Recovery
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Organization & Detail Management
• Adaptability & Composure
• Customer Advocacy
• Digital & Record Accuracy

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Requires frequent walking and standing throughout NYRA venues.
• Must be able to occasionally lift or move materials weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Work in indoor and outdoor conditions, including varying weather, noise levels, and large crowds.
• A flexible schedule, including weekends, holidays, evenings, and event days, is required.