Manager of Tours, Hosting & Protocol

Idaho National Laboratory is seeking a Manager of Tours, Hosting & Protocol to lead the laboratory's visitor engagement organization and oversee the teams responsible for protocol, executive hosting, tours and institutional events.

Reporting to the Communications Director, this manager will lead a multidisciplinary team responsible for delivering exceptional visitor experiences that strengthen understanding of INL's mission and reinforce the laboratory's reputation with government leaders, industry partners, academic institutions, Tribal Nations, international delegations and community stakeholders.

The Manager of Tours, Hosting & Protocol establishes operational priorities, develops service standards, allocates resources and partners across the laboratory to ensure visits and events reflect INL's commitment to excellence, safety and professionalism. This position combines people leadership, operational management and stakeholder engagement while supporting some of the laboratory's highest-profile activities.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the laboratory's Tours, Hosting & Protocol organization, providing direction, coaching and professional development for teams responsible for protocol, executive hosting, tours and institutional events.
• Establish operational priorities, performance expectations and service standards for protocol, hosting, tours and events while ensuring consistent, high-quality execution across the organization.
• Provide leadership and guidance on protocol, executive hosting and visitor engagement practices, ensuring activities comply with laboratory policies, security requirements and established protocol standards.
• Oversee planning and execution of high-profile visits involving Department of Energy leadership, elected officials, foreign delegations, industry executives, university partners, Tribal Nations and other distinguished visitors.
• Direct laboratory tour programs that communicate INL's scientific, engineering and operational capabilities through engaging, accurate and audience-centered experiences.
• Oversee planning and execution of institutional events, executive engagements and ceremonial activities, coordinating across Communications, Safeguards & Security, Facilities & Site Services, senior leadership and other laboratory organizations.
• Build collaborative relationships across the laboratory to ensure seamless coordination of visitor experiences and consistent execution of hosting activities.
• Develop and maintain policies, procedures and best practices for protocol, hosting, tours and events while driving continuous improvement through customer feedback, operational metrics and lessons learned.
• Manage organizational budgets, staffing, workforce planning and resource allocation to meet organizational objectives.
• Develop contingency plans and provide operational leadership during evolving situations, balancing visitor experience with safety, security and mission requirements.
• Partner with Communications leadership to align visitor engagement activities with laboratory messaging, communications priorities and organizational objectives.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational effectiveness through technology, AI-enabled tools, process improvements and data-informed decision making.
• Support emergency response activities, including participation in the Emergency Operations Center or Joint Information Center as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in communications, public relations, hospitality, business, public administration, English, political science, international relations or a related discipline and 5 years of experience. Degrees in other disciplines may be considered when combined with relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams in communications, protocol, hospitality, visitor services, stakeholder engagement or related operational environments.
• Experience planning and executing complex visits, executive engagements, institutional events or stakeholder programs.
• Experience managing budgets, staffing, organizational priorities and operational performance.
• Strong…