Visitor Services

JOB PURPOSE

To clean and maintain Greenbank House, to ensure the site retains its Visit Scotland rating and to enhance the visitor experience at the property. The Domestic Visitor Assistant should provide an efficient and effective service through high standards of cleaning and maintenance based on the needs of the property all year round, including events and functions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

The housekeeper is responsible for a wide variety of duties in connection with the cleanliness and maintenance of the property. These duties involve keeping the House and courtyard toilets presentable for staff and visitors.

There is a degree of flexibility within the hours however we are looking for them to be split over 3 days for example 4hrs Monday, Wednesday & Friday.

Specific duties include:

• To ensure that a high level of cleanliness is maintained throughout the House and courtyard.
• To use cleaning materials appropriately, as instructed and economically; to inform Line Manager when stocks are low.
• Cleaning of all offices, toilets, staff kitchen and storage areas within the house.
• Wearing correct uniform, name badges, or PPE as required
• General cleaning of surfaces (e.g. windowsills, skirting boards, and doors) and the vacuuming/cleaning of floors as appropriate and cleaning of staff & public areas.
• To highlight general maintenance issues and forward to facilities manager/VSM where appropriate.
• Also required to contribute to major deep cleaning tasks during certain periods of the years.
• Empty and clean bins and remove waste to designated area, including the separation of waste, i.e. recycling, and any other duties required to maintain high standards required.
• Report to Line Manager any defects seen which are likely to affect public experience and security.
• The VSA is required to use only approved cleaning materials and in accordance with manufacturers printed instructions and COSHH regulations. Chemicals should never be mixed with other chemicals.
• Will be a frequent user of cleaning materials.
• Will be trained by the conservation team to assist with collections cleaning of various items within the house.

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

KEY PURPOSE

To maximize our visitors’ enjoyment, National Trust for Scotland managed sites by maintaining excellent standards of service, optimizing opportunities to generate income and ensuring that the site and its assets are safe and secure.
Specifically, to ensure smooth and safe operations in Admissions, Tours, Retail, Food & Beverage and Events activities, making the property the best possible place to visit and work.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

To always provide a consistently high standard of visitor care

• Welcome visitors to the site and process their admission/retail or catering purchase in a friendly, efficient and knowledgeable manner.
• Welcoming visitors with special needs / impairments and providing a high level of service in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act.
• Welcoming International visitors and aiding with specific needs.
• Welcoming groups in an efficient and warm manner
• Answering visitors’ queries about the site, education facilities and the local area.
• Providing information about the site, its history, contents, offers and merchandise.
• Promoting National Trust for Scotland brand to include our Membership scheme, events, upselling other properties and any promotional campaigns, being proactive in the selling of Membership and Gift Aid.
• Occasional guiding duties: booked group visits or Museum/ Cottage highlight tours for general visitors.
To always maintain excellent standards of site and personal presentation

• The general ongoing operational cleaning of all areas as necessary, toilet cleaning, emptying waste bins and as appropriate vacuum cleaning, mopping, sweeping, dusting, and polishing when required.
• Ensuring site is ready to open and
• Welcome visitors by the set opening time.
• Wearing correct uniform, name badges, or PPE as required.
• Reporting all issues of damage and wear and tear, promptly to your Line Manager
• Working in harmony with other departments; housekeeping, gardening, grounds maintenance and site repair employees/contractors.
Financial Responsibilities

• To adhere to all financial procedures to include till operation and banking and safeguarding of monies.

Retail/Catering/Events/Cashier duties

• To ensure good housekeeping of catering kitchens, serveries, back and front of house areas and including dishwashing
• To ensure that retail merchandising is in accordance with NTS policy.
• To assist in achieving site retail/catering/events targets and KPI’s.
• To actively upsell products and services to facilitate the visitor’s enjoyment.
• To actively feedback visitor comments to line managers to develop and improve offer, service, operations.
• To work flexibly across departments and sites as needed.
• To assist with the set-up, stewarding and break down of events in liaison with the functions and events manager.
• To assist with hospitality events. This includes evening events and staff may be asked to work through into the night hours.
Health and Safety
• To ensure site meets with Health and Safety legislation in liaison with your department manager.
• To ensure that visitors vacate the site at close of business and that the site is secured at end of day.
• To use personal protection equipment as provided and directed by your line manager.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications
• No formal educational qualification required.

Skills, Experience & Knowledge
Essential
• Demonstrable experience in a customer-facing role: sales or ticketing/ event/ admissions and/or retail and/or catering, delivering impeccable customer care through excellent inter-personal skills and food safety standards (where applicable)
• Experience in EPOS style till operation, confidence undertaking till-work and reconciliation.
• Excellent cash handling skills.
• Excellent “front of house” persona – warm, welcoming, patient, understanding.
• Excellent selling skills – adaptable to customer type and product.
• Demonstrable excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritise.
• Flexible, helpful outlook to customers and colleagues.
• 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 encouraging 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.
o The ability and willingness to learn and try new things, to be flexible and step outside of your comfort zone.
o 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.
o A proactive approach to taking initiative and to driving forward ideas and projects designed to improve daily operations and deliver an exceptional visitor experience.

Desirable
• Ideally experience in a heritage/tourism environment.
• Food hygiene certificate.
• Basic cooking skills and willingness to be trained.
• Personal License for sale of alcohol
• Experience in storytelling and a passion for Scottish heritage and history.
• Ability to work additional hours to suit business needs.
• A full UK driving license
• Access to your own transport

DIMENSIONS AND SCOPE OF JOB

Scale
 The role is based in the main museum building and at Robert Burns Birthplace cottage.
 The role works across several departments: retail, catering and admissions and assisting with events and functions when required.
 The role is customer-facing, and the role-holder can expect that the working day will mainly be spent front of house, providing customer service to our visitors.
 There may be times when you are required to work at other NTS properties such as but not exclusively Souter Johnnies Cottage and the Batchelor’s Club
 The role requires the post holder to work flexible working patterns and hours including evenings, weekends, and public holidays.

People Management

• This is not a line management role.
• Will work closely with other property colleagues and will have regular interaction with other technical/specialist advisory colleagues based in other locations and departments.
• Will have regular (daily) interaction with members of the public of all ages and abilities.

Finance Management
 Is not a budget holder.
 Responsibility for ensuring customer payment is processed correctly, handling cash and card information.

Tools/ equipment/ systems

 Will regularly use a wide range of ICT equipment including land-line phone, two-way radio, email, scanner, laptop/PC, printer etc.
 Will use catering equipment including coffee machines, dishwashers, and some cooking equipment.

Key performance indicators and targets

• Catering and retail sales targets met or exceeded with margins achieved.
• Membership targets are met.
• Visitor surveys are promoted, email addresses gathered, and responses recorded.
• Systems of recording all up to date: including allergens, COSSH, cleaning records, stock take and wastage.
• Visit Scotland 5-star grading maintained, and Visitor feedback survey scores.