Jobs

Mackintosh at the Willow is the home of the original Willow Tea Rooms Building at 217 Sauchiehall Street. It was first opened by Miss Cranston in 1903 and designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in collaboration with his wife, Margaret Macdonald. Following a detailed restoration project in 2018, the building is now back to its former glory as a unique tearoom over three floors. It now includes additional events spaces, an exhibition and a retail space. In January 2024, Mackintosh at the Willow was acquired by the National Trust for Scotland and the Property is now under their care.

JOB PURPOSE
This specialist role is to drive and deliver a wide programme of functions and events and activities within Mackintosh at the Willow (MAW). To source sales and new hospitality business opportunities for weddings, functions and corporate business and ensure operational delivery of functions and events to a high standard. It also includes managing the existing travel trade contracts and collaborating with the NTS Travel Trade Team to expand the current offer. The VSS – Booking & Events will work closely with the VSM’s & other VSS’s across the property, to ensure functions and events are conceptually sound, financially and operationally viable, and appropriate for the MAW property. This post requires energy, creativity, ambition and flexibility in order to create functions and events that make Mackintosh at the Willow Glasgow’s must-see attraction, acclaimed internationally and loved locally.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES
The Key Purposes of the job will be met by:
• Proactively seeking new private functions business to generate additional income and develop new audiences for the property
• Forward planning with the management team and other staff and volunteers to ensure that functions and events operate efficiently and effectively in cohesion with the rest of the sites’ operation.
• Ensuring the efficient set up and delivery of all functions and events with excellent standards of customer service in line with client requirements.
• Ensuring that volunteers, staff and contractors brought in to deliver events or hospitality services adhere to the Events Manual guidelines as well as Trust guidelines.
• Delivering events on time, within budget, that meet (and hopefully exceed) expectations
• Setting, communicating and maintaining timelines and priorities on every function / event
• Communicating, maintaining and developing relationships with clients, suppliers and contractors. Developing a strong network of customers and clients within the area and within the local communities. Client management is a key part of the role, and the post-holder must have a strong sales ability and excellent interpersonal skills
• Ensure that all data retention of customer and potential customer data is acquired, stored and destroyed in accordance with Data Protection legislation.
• Working with the property team to create interesting and appropriate social media content, ensuring it is appropriate, relevant and engaging ensuring annual growth.
• Actively promote the Property and events programme
• Act as Trust Duty Manager, Fire Warden and First Aider
• Promoting the National Trust for Scotland as a memberships organization and the benefits of becoming a member to all visitors.
• Working closely with the VSM’s in planning and delivering functions and events
• Collaborate with specialist Trust staff based at local and central support bases to ensure Trust policies and standards are implemented
• Undertake any other tasks that may be reasonably requested
• Ensuring excellent customer service and quality delivery of functions.
• Scottish Personal License Holder

This role requires flexible working patterns including evenings, weekends and public holidays to provide support in the operational delivery of events.
Department Specific
• Ensure that expenditure is prudent and ‘value for money’ and income budgets are met and where possible exceeded in Events and Functions income. Ensure that income potential is maximised in catering and retail.
• Manage equipment and supplies (such as banqueting furniture, catering equipment and supplies, cleaning equipment and supplies, laundry) to ensure the operational efficacy of all aspects of functions and event delivery.
• Ensure the Health & Safety and Food Safety practices are in line with the Trust’s policies and being adhered to during all functions and events.
• Ensure all IT equipment is maintained and in full working order.
• Monitor and respond to all visitor feedback across platforms such as TripAdvisor & ResDiary. This can be delegated out, however must be managed appropriately

REQUIRED SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE
The above outlines the key skills the job holder will need to possess and exercise. In addition, either knowledge of or experience in the following is required:

Essential
• Professional qualification relating to the role) or equivalent experience
• Scottish Personal License Holder
• Significant sales experience and front-line interaction with customers
• Operational experience in Functions and Events management
• Ability and willingness to be hands-on in the delivery of the above points
• Experienced in overseeing functions and events and ensuring the smooth delivery in a pressured environment
• Personal commitment to excellence in customer care and quality delivery of events
• Attentive to detail with an eye for presentation and finish
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with an ability to get along with a wide range of people.
• Excellent presentation skills
• Evidence of teamworking and partnership working
• Good working knowledge of canva (google analytics and website (wordpress) is preferred but not essential)
• Good working knowledge of Resdiary events or equivalent events management system
• Good IT skills – competent with Microsoft Office (word, excel, outlook)

Desirable
• A genuine understanding of, and belief in, the work of the National Trust for Scotland
• Previous event coordination/management experience
• An understanding and experience of food and beverage operations within an historic/heritage environment
• A formal qualification in Hospitality, Tourism or Event Management.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office applications: Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Word
• A full clean driving license valid for the UK and access to a vehicle suitable for use on Trust business (with appropriate business insurance)

Organisational chartchart

SCOPE OF THE ROLE

Scale
• To ensure the planning and preparation and delivery of events meet the standards of the Trust for a facility with an estimated events income target in excess of £270k per annum.
• Ensure private and public functions are at all times profitable.

People Management
• Work collaboratively with the property teams to communicate the event programme, to motivate and give directional support to all staff and volunteers who work in events.

Financial Management
• Responsibility for logging all events on a shared tracker and ensuring that all invoices are issued to clients immediately after the event.
• To provide potential clients with accurate quotes and timely invoice processing
• To adhere all National Trust financial processes including purchase orders and budget management. To use all National Trust for Scotland software programmes where appropriate.
• Work proactively with National Trust staff to ensure the smooth financial running of the events.
• Function staff costs cross charged to Events

Health and Safety, and Environment
• Work within Health & Safety regime to ensure the H&S of staff/volunteers, clients, and visitors within the context of the Trust’s “Safe System of Work” regime
• To be responsible for the client’s public outside of opening hours by adhering to all National Trust policies and procedures.
• Ensure all third-party client resources brought onto site adhere to the National Trust standard policies and practices e.g. as audio visual equipment.

Tools/ equipment/ systems
• Will regularly use a wide range of ICT equipment including two-way radio, mobile phone, land-line phone, email, scanner, laptop/PC, printer etc.
• EPOS till system to place, process and print orders
• Will use catering equipment including coffee machines, dishwashers, and some cooking equipment.
• Use of cleaning chemicals during shift
• Pass lifts
• Clock in/clock out on payroll app

Key performance indicators and targets
• Budget and department income targets are met or exceeded
• Staffing costs are kept in line with the department budget
• Strong communication between all departments to ensure the smooth operations of both the events programme and the general business. Communication practise to include to include accurate and timely distribution of event sheets and health & safety information, staff rotas and marketing.
• Visit Scotland 4-star grading maintained, Mystery Visit results and Visitor feedback survey scores
• Positive Client feedback/reviews
• Increase on client base and department revenue year on year

Application Deadline: Sunday 08/06/2025