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Visitor Services

Part time, 4 days, permanent based in Edinburgh
Salary £25,424 (Pro Rata), plus civil service pension, generous holiday entitlement and other benefits

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is one of the world’s top four botanic gardens based on quality, breadth and depth of our science, plant collections, public engagement and education and we have an exciting opportunity for a Visitor Welcome Team member to join our team.

The primary focus of this role is to ensure that visitors receive a first-class welcome and have all the information they need to create a memorable visit. You will also have the responsibility of promoting and selling Garden Maps, Guidebooks and Daily Garden Walks and encouraging donations. The team remit also includes working with the events and exhibitions team to provide access and information to various public exhibitions and events. You will also be responsible for ensuring the protection of the Living Collection, opening, closing and security of various Garden buildings. You will be expected to carry out all duties in line with RBGE procedures and policies.

Applicants should have previous experience working in a visitor or customer service environment. You will be proactive and take responsibility for your own workload, prioritising to meet conflicting demands of a busy attraction, have a can-do attitude, have excellent interpersonal skills, and have the ability to communicate with people at all levels. You will need to be flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of an ever-changing environment.

As we are open to the public 7 days a week, you will be required to work on a two-week rotation on the following days:
week 1 – Monday, Tuesday, Saturday Sunday,
week 2 – Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

To apply, please visit our website for further information.

If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been short-listed. No recruitment agencies please.

Scottish Canals is looking for Destination Tour Guides to join our friendly team at The Falkirk Wheel!

Are you enthusiastic about engineering marvels and enjoy sharing your knowledge with others? Scottish Canals is seeking an enthusiastic and knowledgeable individual to join our team as an Internal Engineering Tour Guide at The Falkirk Wheel, the world’s only rotating boat lift and an iconic symbol of Scotland’s rich industrial heritage. We are looking for passionate, enthusiastic, and motivated individuals to join our team and work with us over our Spring to Autumn 2024 season.

Our pace, personality and people make us amongst Scotland’s top visitor attractions. From welcoming thousands of international visitors, serving customers and creating memorable experiences, enjoy a wide range of fun and exciting responsibilities. 

In this role you will lead our customers, who have booked on our walking internal wheel tour, on an informative and engaging story telling experience.

Full uniform and training will be provided.

Key Duties Include:

Conduct engaging and informative tours focusing on elements of the engineering, design, and operational aspects of The Falkirk Wheel.
Provide detailed explanations of the principles behind the wheel, its construction history, and its significance to Scottish Canals.
Engage with visitors of all ages, answering questions and providing insights into the workings and maintenance of this incredible structure.
Coordinate with the operations team to ensure safety and compliance during tours, especially in restricted areas.
Assist in developing educational materials and displays to enhance the visitor experience.
Participate in training sessions to stay up to date with the latest information and safety protocols.
Learning and delivering a script in an authentic manner.

To be successful you will have:

A background in storytelling and tour guiding is highly advantageous.
Exceptional communication skills and the ability to engage audiences.
A passion for history, engineering, and education.
Ability to work flexibly, including weekends and holidays.
Prior experience public speaking is desirable.
A commitment to providing outstanding customer service.

Previous experience in a similar role is welcomed, but not essential. If you are excited about the opportunity to bring the engineering story of The Falkirk Wheel to life, we would love to hear from you.

This role attracts a salary of £12.13 per hour. You will work on a rota which may include weekends and bank holidays.

Purpose of the role

The National Trust for Scotland opened stage one of a ten-year conservation program in summer 2019. The Hill House is now protected by a steel frame structure which incorporates walkways over the house and a new visitor center and café which delivers a unique heritage visitor experience.

We are looking for talented and customer focused individuals to join our team and to help us make The Hill House a 5* Visitor Attraction

We are looking for people who have experience or a keen interest in Catering.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

To provide a consistently high standard of visitor care when –

• Welcoming visitors to the café and working in an efficient and knowledgeable manner.
• Welcoming visitors with special needs / impairments and providing a high level of service in accordance with the Equality Act.
• Answering visitors queries about the catering offer.
• Promoting the National Trust for Scotland and the benefits of membership.

To maintain excellent standards of site and personal presentation –

• Ensuring the café is fully stocked and set up daily.
• Wearing correct uniform, name badges, or PPE as required.
• Working in harmony with other departments within the property.

Financial responsibilities –

• To adhere to all financial procedures to include till operations and cash reconciliation duties.
• Help achieve sales targets and membership recruitment targets.
• Upsell products within the café.
• Actively feedback visitor comments to line managers to improve offer, service and operation

Health and safety –

• To ensure the site meets with the Health and Safety legislation in liaison with your department manager.
• To ensure that visitors vacate the site at close of business and site is secured at end of the day.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Essential –

• Ability to work within a team, with minimal supervision, to a high and safe standard.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to various working patterns.
• Ability to adjust pace to match customer flow without compromising quality of service.
• Excellent front of house persona – warm, welcoming, patient and understanding
• Excellent selling skills
• Genuine belief in the value of good customer service
• Ability to be proactive and to take the initiative.
• Excellent personal presentation

Desirable –

• Demonstrable experience in sales, EPOS systems and cash handling/reconciliation
• Experience in a customer facing role.
• Catering experience

JOB PURPOSE
Here at National Trust for Scotland’s beautiful Culzean Castle we are looking for energetic, cheerful, and hard-working individuals to join our amazing Food and Beverage team.
We are looking for chefs/cooks to assist the Head Chef in the day-to-day operation of the Food & Beverage outlets at Culzean Castle to ensure that all targets are met, and all visitors receive the highest level of visitor experience standards.
Core hours will be the minimum hours available, with the opportunity to work additional hours to suit the needs of the business. Must have full flexibility and weekend availability, hours will be issued on a weekly rota basis.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
• Assist the Head Chef with the development of the menu cycle / specification.
• Contribute to food production as per the menu cycle / specification for all F&B outlets and event catering (corporate, hospitality, meetings etc)
• Maintain accurate and current legislation records: HACCP, COSHH checklists and temperature sheets.
• Ensure the highest standards of kitchen hygiene, cleanliness, tidiness and related schedules are adhered to.
• Use fresh produce and Ingredients whenever and wherever is possible and minimise wastage.
• Maintain a high standard of food presentation to the customer.
• Share in the common responsibility of implementing the Trust’s “Health & Safety Policy”, being mindful at all times of the health and safety of self, staff, volunteers, and visitors.
• Share in the common responsibility of working in a manner mindful of the Trust’s obligations to minimise impact on the environment, through e.g., efficient use of water/heat/light, recycling and the disposal of waste, considered use of transport.
• Help to reduce occurrences where Health or Safety of yourself and other employees may be put in jeopardy.
• Adherence to the COSHH Training provided and control of substances covered by COSHH.
• Involvement in the upkeep and maintenance of both the entire department site and, specifically, the F&B outlets.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE
Qualifications
• Intermediate Food Hygiene Certificate
• Preferably a recognised formal qualification in culinary arts

Essential
• Highly developed organisational skills, deployable in a multi-tasking environment.
• Ability to work as part of a team and the ability to foster and motivate a team.
• The ability and willingness to learn and try new things, to be flexible and step outside of your comfort zone.
• An open and honest way of communicating, ready to ask others for their ideas and to be open to hear and consider different points of view.
• A pro-active approach to taking initiative and to driving forward ideas and projects designed to improve daily operations and deliver an exceptional visitor experience.

Desirable
• Demonstrable experience as a chef in a minimum of 1 rosette Standard in preparing and producing food to a consistently high standard using fresh products and ingredients.
• An understanding and commitment to the aims and objectives of the National Trust for Scotland.
• Living the values of the National Trust for Scotland and encourage colleagues to do the same o The ability and willingness to understand others’ perspectives and to consider the impact of your actions on them and to adapt your actions as necessary.

To support the garden and grounds team to ensure that the gardens and policies of Culzean Castle are managed and maintained as an internationally-recognised landscape of outstanding historical importance; contributing to the property’s overall conservation and development, and its enjoyment by visitors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensuring the conservation and practical maintenance of the gardens and grounds.
• Ensure all work is delivered to the highest standard as agreed by the Head Gardener.
• Working with the rest of the Garden & Grounds team in preparing the estate for visitors’ enjoyment, this will include:
o Grass Cutting
o Strimming
o Weeding
o Assist with waste disposal, (ranging from domestic waste bins to large scale skip and recycling)
o Hedge Trimming
o Pathways, Boardwalk, small bridge repairs.
o Assisting with brush/ scrub/ tree clearance
o Other tasks as required

SCOPE OF ROLE

Technical
• Responsible for carrying out reasonable instructions given by the Head Gardener/Grounds person.

People Management
• Is not a line manager
• Will have regular daily interactions with members of the public of all ages and abilities

Tools/Equipment
• Will be a frequent user of driven vehicles such as tractors, ride-on mowers, Grounds vehicle and other maintenance equipment
• Will be a frequent user of hand-tools such as spades, forks, picks, rakes

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications
• A full clean driving license, valid for driving within the UK

Skills, Experience & Knowledge Essential
• Sound knowledge of basic tool and machinery use and maintenance;
• Ability to learn good Health and Safety processes and procedures and the ability to work effectively within these processes;
• The ability and confidence to interact politely with visitors & skills in dealing with people generally. The ability to represent the Trust when speaking with visitors.
• An understanding and commitment to the aims and objectives of the National Trust for Scotland.
• The ability and willingness to learn and try new things, to be flexible and step outside of your comfort zone.
• An open and honest way of communicating, ready to ask others for their ideas and to be open to hear and consider different points of view.

We are looking for an experienced and talented customer focused supervisor to join us at our fantastic property, Crathes Castle.

This is an exciting opportunity within the heritage industry and the ideal candidate must be passionate about our vision for the Future and what we do every day as a business: Bringing people together and giving them the greatest visitor experience.

Based at a hugely popular Estate, Crathes is one of the most visited properties in the North East seeing a huge amount of domestic and international visitors. With 2 function / event spaces, a large events lawn, a self-catering cottage, a very busy café, shop, historical castle and internationally recognized gardens, a huge estate with multiple walks.

JOB PURPOSE

This is an exciting leadership role within the team that manages Crathes.

Engaging visitor experience and excellent customer service are vital to any visit to Crathes, and as Scotland’s largest conservation membership charity, every penny we make supports our work protecting the nation’s natural and cultural heritage.

The Visitor Services Supervisor at a Trust property plays a pivotal role ensuring that the management objectives are achieved through excellent customer service and is very often the “face” of the Trust to visitors and suppliers.

As such, they directly influence public perceptions of the Trust and is crucial to developing and maintaining the property’s local/national reputation and work with stakeholders.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Visitor experience
• Manage the day-to-day operation of the property and environs to ensure an excellent customer/visitor experience
• Develop and promote new products and offers to enhance member and visitor enjoyment, tell the property’s stories and drive visitor numbers.
• Create a culture of ‘exceptional service, every time’, leading by example with the warm welcome you give
• Act as one of the property group’s duty manager team, responsible for ensuring a safe and smooth visitor operation, addressing issues, and opening/closing up the buildings.
• Help achieve targets for the completion of visitor surveys to understand more about our visitors.
• Supervising our Collection Care Assistant and Housekeeping to ensure property standards are maintained.

Retail & Admissions
• Work with the team to ensure sales targets are met.
• Work with the team to ensure Membership sales on target
• Supporting the team with merchandising and stock management.
• Support a health & safety culture, ensuring compliance with all mandatory requirements.
• Accountable for cost-effective stock management, ordering, storage and wastage control.
• Understand and adhere to the sale of alcohol legislation.

Property Management
• Working closely with the Visitor Services Manager to ensure Health & Safety procedures, emergency procedures, and environmental procedures are adhered to.
• Oversight/maintenance of the buildings with the support of the regional surveyor.
• Responsible for day to day financial administration at the property, including cash/till reconciliation, day-end and week-end reports and reconciliation, completion of the banking processes, and reporting of working hours for payroll.
• Work within the budget constraints set for the Property.
• Support the Visitor Services Manager& National Estates team with the management of our rental properties.

Finance performance
• Work closely with the Visitor Services Manager to support with achieving our annual budgets and cost control.
• Supervise safe and secure till operations, perform end-of-day income reconciliation as a duty manager and conduct end of month and year financial procedures.
• Ensure the longevity of the Trust’s buildings and fittings is maximised through appropriate maintenance and/or replacement regimes

People management
• Recruit, induct, develop and performance manage the team of assistants to ensure they are fully equipped and motivated to undertake their front and back-of-house duties
• Support the Visitor Services Manager to ensure visitor experience, retail, collection care and housekeeping rotas and holiday allocation meets business needs and staff budgets
• Volunteer management – including holding volunteer open days
• Enable the team to operate safely to minimise risk of incidents or accidents and take responsibility for emergency procedures
• Work closely with specialist advisory colleagues with the North East Regional Team and National Team.

As a front-line member of the Culloden team your job is give an amazing welcome and tell the story of this iconic site. You will be responsible for delivering our commercial offer which includes membership, general admission, donations, some retail products and travel trade. You will be part of our Visit Scotland 5-star team acting as an ambassador for the site and the National Trust for Scotland.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

This role will assist the wider Welcome team to deliver high quality visitor experience at Culloden Battlefield (including but not limited to):

• To provide excellent customer service.
• Be responsible and proactive. Ensuring all day-to-day tasks are completed including responding to customer enquiries, answering the telephone, cleaning, recording statistics etc.
• Working with the Visitor Services Manager (Welcome) and a Visitor Services Supervisor (Welcome) to deliver membership targets and KPI’s
• Cash reconciliation duties including end of day and administration tasks. Ensuring cash is handled accurately and there is continuity across all sales platforms
• To ensure perpetually high levels of accuracy are maintained for all transactions and data recording
• Working with the Visitor Services Manager (Welcome) and a Visitor Services Supervisor (Welcome) to deliver audio guide systems and other services efficiently to visitors
• To actively drive-up selling opportunities through strong product knowledge and an excellent customer service to maximise sales of admission tickets, membership and donations.
• Be able to take responsibility for your own development and learning.
• Answer historical questions and booking enquiries and process bookings appropriately
• Have a flexible approach to working hours and days including working weekend and Bank Holidays as appropriate.
• To work across departments when necessary, supporting the wider Culloden Cluster team
• To develop a working knowledge of the history of the site and being able to relate that to visitors in a friendly and engaging way
• To provide consistently excellent customer service when dealing with high volumes of customers
• Adhering to the property’s quality standards including wearing of uniform.
• Ensuring health and welfare of property staff, volunteers and visitors by adhering to the Trust’s Health, Safety and Environment policies and guidelines. This includes working within the property’s “Safe System of Work” (the system for managing Health & Safety).

• The current duties of this job do not require a criminal records (Disclosure Scotland) check to be carried out.

As part of the team which cares for our sites across the Scottish Borders, a Seasonal Ranger plays a crucial role in ensuring that our conservation ambitions go hand in hand with welcoming our local community and visitors from across the globe to this well-loved place.

To provide a warm and informative welcome for visitors to Grey Mare’s Tail nature reserve and be a passionate advocate of the site and the National Trust for Scotland. Giving our places a voice and improving the visitor experience for all.
You will work out in the landscape, on walking routes, in our parking areas, acting as an ambassador for the National Trust for Scotland, building awareness and support for our charity. You’ll leave those you meet with a desire to respect, protect and enjoy this special natural environment and an understanding of how they can help do this.

You will work on your own and with other staff and volunteers, on a variety of tasks to help us achieve the high presentation and habitat management standards expected of a National Trust for Scotland sites.

You will contribute to the long-term sustainability of our region through income generated at paid-for events, memberships and donations inspired by our work, growing our capacity through volunteers and cost-effective use of resources.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
Combine responsibilities across the following areas of work with direct implementation yourself and by overseeing the work of others such as contractors, volunteers, and colleagues:
Nature conservation
 Survey wildlife and habitats and feed this knowledge into management decisions, marketing of natural heritage, and further development of our voice.
 Maintain and manage habitats, wildlife with the aim of protecting species and increasing biodiversity.
 Contribute to the planning and lead the delivery of practical conservation to deliver the outputs agreed in the property’s budget.

Visitor Services
 Provide information to visitors to encourage more visitors and help people get more out of their engagement with natural heritage. Give more back to it including “upselling” (e.g.: of membership) using face to face and by other means of interaction such as social media.
 Participate in a programme of estate patrols at busy times and locations, including weekends and evenings, to engage with tourists, outdoor activity enthusiasts and campers, championing a “leave no trace” culture and providing practical advice based on the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
 Welcome customers in our car park in a friendly, efficient and knowledgeable manner, answering queries and providing information about the property, facilities and the local area.
 Contribute to the development and delivery of products that bring alive our stories, including on-site displays, self-guided trails, signage, guided walks, talks or other hands-on activities.
 Maintain countryside estate infrastructure at small, day to day scale (e.g. paths, gates, signs, vegetation management) to achieve ecological, visitor services and safety outcomes.
 Spending time in the interpretation trailer on site, delivering accurate and up to date information and providing a warm welcome.
 Assist with events such as public gatherings, NTS events and weddings.

Community engagement
 Communicate with local stakeholders, neighboring landowners, local businesses, local/regional agencies and others to increase understanding of their and our aims and develop collaborative working to help deliver our priorities.
 Develop and maintain sound relationships with representatives of key parties who have interests in the property including neighbours, local businesses, the local community and user groups.

Learning
 Provide educational and other outreach activities on site or to the community local to the natural heritage and to communities of interest, including for volunteers.

Other responsibilities
 Work with the wider Borders team and occasionally help with events and activities at other sites in the Borders cluster.
 Management of practical conservation and wildlife recording.
 Ensure that all activities undertaken are compliant with the Trust’s health and safety policies and procedures including the safe system of work (SSOW), and environmental policy and practices.
 Undertake general retail duties on occasion, including property enquiries and cashing handling. Suitable training will be provided.
 Manage contractors and supervise volunteers.
 Develop and deliver visitor safety in the countryside.
 Engagement and involvement with projects as required.

Kelburn is looking for friendly and hardworking individuals to join our team of Visitor Assistants. Visitor Assistants at Kelburn are an essential part of the team and ensure the smooth and safe operation of Admissions, Car Park, Pay Box, Glamping, Castle Tours, Retail, Events and Hospitality.

We are recruiting for at least 5 roles, and these could be based in hospitality, assisting with the set up and operations of our Yurts and Campsite, working in our Shop, helping with admissions and Car Park and/or working in our events.

Purpose
The purpose of the role of Visitor Assistant at Kelburn is:
• To always provide a consistently high standard of visitor care.
• To welcome visitors to the site and process their car entry /admission/retail purchase in a friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable manner.
• To answer visitors’ queries about the site and the local area.
• To provide information about the site, its history, contents, offers and merchandise.
• To always maintain excellent standards of site and personal presentation, including wearing uniform, event specific dress, and any required PPE.
• To ensure the general ongoing operational cleaning of all areas as necessary, this includes: toilet cleaning, emptying waste bins and as appropriate vacuum cleaning, mopping, sweeping, dusting and polishing when required.
• To ensure site is ready to open.
• To report all issues of damage and wear and tear to the relevant Manager.
• To ensure all accidents and incidents are logged.
• To promote our range of products including upselling of events.
• To adhere to all financial procedures including till operations and safeguarding of monies.
• To assist in the set up and change over of our Yurts, such as stripping and making beds, shower cleaning, delivering fire wood, ensuring that the communal Bothy is clean and tidy (e.g. fridge cleaning, dishes, cleaning of cooking facilities, ensuring stove is swept).

Knowledge, Skills and Qualification
• No formal educational qualification required.

Skills, Experience & Knowledge
Essential
• Demonstrable skill in a customer-facing role: sales or ticketing/ event/ admissions/ holiday accommodation and/or retail.
• Experience in EPOS style till operation, confidence undertaking till-work and reconciliation.
• Excellent cash handling skills.
• Excellent “front of house” approach.
• Excellent selling skills – adaptable to customer type and product.
• Demonstrable excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritise.

Desirable
• Experience in a heritage/tourism environment.
• Experience in working in a hospitality setting.
• A full UK driving licence

This job description reflects the requirements of the job at the time of issue. Kelburn reserves the right to amend these with appropriate consultation and/or request the post-holder to undertake any activities that it believes to be reasonable within the broad scope of the job or his/her general abilities.

To Apply:
Please send your CV with a covering letter detailing your suitability for the role to Carol Monger – admin@kelburnestate.com – by 5pm on Sunday 10th March 2024.

Apply now for an amazing opportunity to support the 2024 Summer Opening of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Your everyday summer job can become truly exceptional.

Over the years, The Palace of Holyroodhouse has opened its doors to welcome thousands of visitors from around the World. By joining our exceptional Visitor Services team, you will play a pivotal role in creating an extraordinary experience.

As a Warden, you’ll welcome visitors from around the world, answering their questions, enriching their visit, and ensuring the safety and security of the site. After full training you’ll have the skills, you need to excel in your position and to enjoy an extraordinary summer experience.

To provide a warm welcome to all visitors, along with information about the museum, exhibitions and displays. To ensure a safe, clean and friendly environment for visitors.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

1. To provide excellent customer care to all visitors with an enthusiastic attitude.
2. To provide information, guidance and assistance to all visitors.
3. To actively encourage visitors to make donations.
4. To support both the immediate and wider teams within the museum – in particular assisting with the set up for events and activities, and helping the IMAG café staff.
5. To work on a rota basis, including regular weekend and bank holiday working, and occasionally in the evening.
6. To ensure the museum environment is cared for – buildings, artefacts and all facilities are kept clean and tidy.
7. To ensure that day-to-day activities and procedures are carried out safely, and to undertake training in line with High Life Highland’s Health and Safety requirements.
8. To undertake retail duties in the museum shop – to keep it clean, tidy and restocked.
9. To carry out daily and weekly checks in line with requirements for collections care.

Other Duties:
You may be required to perform duties, appropriate to the post, other than those given in the job specification. The particular duties and responsibilities attached to posts may also be varied without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed.

Hours: Part-time. Days available will range from 3-5 per week and will include some weekend working. Daily shifts will be from 5.5-8 hours per day.
Duration: Fixed Term (March–September)
Pay: £12.00 per hour

Company benefits include:

– 10% employer pension contribution, with a choice to contribute up to a further 5% yourself, which would then be matched by us as well! (so 20% potential contribution to your pension)
– 33 days pro-rata annual holiday entitlement
– Enhanced long service holiday entitlement
– Life Assurance
– Performance and loyalty payment scheme
– Complimentary tickets
– Staff discount in the Gift Shop, Royal Deck Tearoom & The Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar aboard Fingal
– Free car parking for staff
– Uniform provided
– Full training

Our Visitor Experience department is now looking for Seasonal Assistants who are enthusiastic, with a smart appearance, excellent communication skills and a passion for exceptional customer care.

The job is based in our Visitor Centre and on board Britannia. The position can be physically demanding as you will be standing throughout the duration of your shift. There will be a mixture of indoor and outdoor working. No experience required as full training will be provided.

Responsibilities include:

– Providing a warm welcome to visitors
– Directing visitors through our Visitor Centre and onto Britannia
– Providing visitors with their audio handset
– Assisting with queue management
– Any other Seasonal Assistant duties as required

If you feel you have the personality, skills and experience we are looking for, then we would love to hear from you.

To apply, please send your CV and a short covering letter to recruitment@tryb.co.uk

Colin Purnell
Visitor Experience Manager

Closing date: 8 March 2024

No agencies please.

Please note, due to the volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to unsuccessful candidates. If you have been selected for interview you will be contacted directly.