Full Time

Thank you for your interest in the post of Stirling Castle Guide with Historic Environment Scotland based at Stirling Castle. This is a fixed term and pensionable appointment until 31 March 2025, working 35 hours per week (five days out of seven), which will include weekends and public holidays.

The Stirling Castle Guide will be a member of the Stirling Castle Visitor Operations team – Stirling Castle is the second most visited attraction within the Historic Environment Scotland portfolio, welcoming more than 500,000 visitors in 2023/2024. The post holder will have a key role to play in ensuring that we continue to deliver a high-quality visitor experience, as well as achieving our commercial targets.

You will provide the highest standard of customer care to visitors, and you will also be responsible for enthusiastically providing information and assistance, where appropriate. You will also be responsible for ensuring visitor safety at all times, whilst maintaining the high standards of presentation and professionalism that Stirling Castle prides itself in.

For further information about the role, please refer to the job description.

Closing date for applications is noon on Wednesday 8th May with interviews expected to take place Thursday 23rd May 2024.

Eden Scott is delighted to be working with Stair Estates, a diversified rural estate in Stranraer in southwest Scotland with a varied let property portfolio; in-hand farming, forestry, tourism and country sports enterprises.

The Estate rental portfolio comprises let farms, grass park lets, cottages, industrial premises and telecoms and renewable leases. In-hand enterprises include forestry, country sports, Castle Kennedy Gardens, and events at Lochinch Castle.

A new role has been created to focus on Castle Kennedy Gardens and we are seeking a Visitor Services Manager to join the team and play a pivotal role ensuring that the management objectives of Stair Estates are achieved through excellent customer service, and with delegated responsibility for tourism, catering, retail, events, and duty management and will be the “face” of Stair Estates to visitors and suppliers.

The position is primarily responsible for delivering the highest standard of visitor experience for all visitors to Castle Kennedy Gardens where they will ensure the efficient and profitable running of Castle Kennedy Gardens Shop, Plant Centre, and Tea Room as a successful commercial enterprise and consistent with its status as a 4* Visitor Attraction.

The role involves leading and managing a small team of staff, managing performance, recognising training needs and potential where appropriate.

Responsibilities include day to day management of the Shop, Tea Room and Plant Centre, and as line manager to the Shop and Tea Room staff. Strategic, creative, and financial management of the gift shop and tearoom, ensuring that innovative ideas and current trends in catering are being delivered, managing the till and stock, generating weekly report, and constantly looking at ways to maximise income through effective purchasing and creative merchandising.

The role will be responsible for all aspects of the visitor experience for individual and group visits, and will involve regular monitoring of customer feedback, mystery visitor and Visit Scotland audits and the development of suitable action plans depending on the results.

The position will assist with the annual marketing programme, working where appropriate with internal and external marketing support, reporting to the Estate Factor and the Owners, the Earl and Countess of Stair.

As the role develops there is scope for the post holder to take over responsibility of managing and developing the visitor experience at the Holiday Cottages working closely with Housekeeping and the Properties Manager, take responsibility for managing the visitor experience for a varied programme of sporting activities and be responsible for planning, implementing and reviewing a wide range of annual events.

Skills and experience required:

Experience in retail and visitor services sectors, ideally within another Visitor Attraction, Hospitality, Tourism or similar operation.
Experience supervising and motivating staff
Ability to demonstrate good health and safety awareness
Strong IT skills – office management, report and stock takes
Excellent written communication, copywriting, and proof-reading skills (blogging, vlogging and social networks)
A good understanding of public expectations of a garden attraction
An appreciation of marketing, promotion and the influence of social media
An enjoyment of rural life and working on an Estate
Full driver’s license is required

Salary is up to £40k dependent on skills and experience plus company benefits.

Accommodation is available in a two-bedroom cottage with garden at a very reasonable rate and re-locating candidates will be offered this property or another rent free for the first three months.

Eden Scott is dealing exclusively with this client on this vacancy so if you are keen to join this rural business, please submit your CV online or for an informal chat please call Sally on 07776 662506.

Overview

An exciting opportunity to join our Visitor Services team at a vibrant visitor attraction and arts venue in central Edinburgh. In the role you will provide an excellent standard of customer service as the first point of contact for all visitors to the Scottish Storytelling Centre. You will work with colleagues and partners to provide a warm welcome and high standard of customer care to all visitors to John Knox House and the Scottish Storytelling Centre.

As well as having the ability to provide a high standard of customer service, you must also be able to demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills will have the ability to manage a variety of tasks under pressure.

You will work 35 hours per week on a flexible rota which will include evenings and weekends. This is a fixed term role until 31 March 2025.

The Scottish Storytelling Centre is a partnership between The Church of Scotland and TRACS – Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland. The SSC is a vibrant arts venue with a seasonal programme of live storytelling, theatre, music, exhibitions, workshops, family events, and festivals.

Role description

As a Visitor Services Assistant, you will be the welcoming face and guiding hand for all visitors to the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Your role is pivotal in ensuring an exceptional customer experience, from providing information about our centre and events to assisting with administrative tasks and ensuring the smooth operation of our facilities.

Main Duties

Customer service

• Welcome customers and provide information about the Scottish Storytelling Centre to visitors at reception including those arriving for events and shows
• Sell admission to John Knox House and maintain a high level of knowledge about the house and its history
• Provide Box Office services using VIA by red61
• Advise visitors about the Centre’s programmes and events
• Deal with general enquiries by phone and email
• Provide Front of House cover for events as needed

Administrative and Marketing Support

• Assist with the creation and design of promotional materials using platforms like Canva
• Coordinate printing of promotional materials and ensure timely distribution
• Assist with online events listings and maintain accuracy.
• Create and update publicity displays to showcase our offerings
• Perform general administrative tasks such as word processing, proofreading, and mailings

Retail

• Operate till and cash management, including banking
• Receive stock and maintain accurate records
• Clean, update and maintain retail displays Care of the Public
• Be familiar with and implement all fire safety and evacuation procedures
• Monitor public facilities on a daily basis
• Undertake first aid training and provide first aid services if needed

Care of the Building

• Implement security procedures at times of opening and closing and monitor the building via security cameras throughout the day
• Exercise a duty of care towards the historic fabric of the John Knox House
• Work in line with the Centre’s environmental policy and take direction from the staff guidelines

The post is based at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh and weekend and evening work form a necessary part of the working week.
The post holder may be required to perform duties, appropriate to the level of the post, other than those given in this job profile.

Person Specification

As well as having the ability to provide a high standard of customer service at all times, the successful candidate will also have:
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage a variety of tasks under pressure
• The ability to work competently with minimum supervision using own initiative
• Competence with Microsoft packages (or equivalent)
• Flexible and adaptable approach to work
• Self-motivated and capable of using own initiative

It is also desirable, however not essential that the candidate will have:
• Knowledge of the Storytelling Centre’s work and wider traditional arts activity
• Box Office/Reception experience
• Interest in the arts and knowledge of the theatre and festival landscape in Edinburgh
• Cash handling experience

Applications will be assessed in respect of the above criteria

How to Apply

Applications should be sent by email to recruitment@churchofscotland.org.uk and must be received by 12 noon on the closing date.

Applications should comprise:

• A personal statement, outlining how your skills, experiences and personal qualities match the requirements of the role outlined in the job description. Please provide reference contact details for your last two periods of employment (this would normally be your direct line manager/supervisor). If you have had more than two employers in the last three years, please provide referee contact details for that period. References will not be contacted until later in the process.

• A full CV, including educational and professional qualifications alongside a full employment history showing positions held, responsibilities and relevant achievements.

• A personal information form, to be downloaded and attached.
Applications without a CV, personal statement and personal information form will not be taken forward in the process.
Each document should be a maximum of two sides of A4. For more information on any of our roles, please contact recruitment@churchofscotland.org.uk

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Visitor experience

• Offer a positive first impression and excellent customer service to our visitors, tour groups and local community, and, ensure all members of the Welcome team do the same.
• Organise the opening of Glenfinnan Monument, enabling visitors to safely climb to the top of the tower.
• Improve the ways we share Glenfinnan’s stories through our exhibits, daily programming and events.
• Support property-wide targets for completion of visitor surveys to understand more about our visitors.
• Provide content for social media, website and other publications to encourage people to visit, especially during quieter periods, and ensure our visitors are well-prepared with accurate pre-visit information.

Staff leadership

• Supervise the activities of a team of Visitor Service Assistants (VSAs), achieving excellent staff performance and motivation through effective recruitment, induction, training, task-setting and coaching on front and back-of-house routines.
• Prepare effective team rotas and holiday allocation to meet business needs.
• As a member of our duty manager team, responsible for ensuring a safe and smooth visitor operation, addressing issues, and opening/closing up the visitor centre.

Performance indicators and targets

• Share responsibility for monitoring weekly, monthly and annual sales performance and achieving targets for membership recruitment and admissions income.
• Evaluate reviews and ratings from visitor surveys and visitor feedback to improve visitor enjoyment.
• As a member of our duty management team, supervise daily till operations and perform end-of-day cashing up and income reconciliation.
• Work within budget for staffing, equipment and other expenditure needs.
• Ensure we remain compliant with our health and safety procedures and record-keeping.
• Seek to improve staff satisfaction as detailed through staff surveys.

Tools / equipment / systems

• Laptop, Microsoft 365 and online management systems for finance, people management, training
• Car park machines and people counters.
• EPOS tills and chip and pin machines.