Visitor Services

JOB PURPOSE

To support the conservation of Greenbank Garden by generating income through commercial operations and delivering the highest standard of visitor experience for all visitors. This will be achieved by maintaining the highest standards of visitor experience and adhering to regional and national strategies, policies and procedures. This role will see you lead the food and beverage and retail operation on site assisting the visitor services manager to deliver the overall strategy for the site.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Catering Experience
• Day-to-day responsibility for the management and delivery of the catering facilities at Greenbank Garden
• Work with VSM and regional catering leads to ensure innovative ideas and current trends in catering are constantly being delivered, where appropriate for the site.
• Setting objectives and being responsible for the overall, day-to-day running of the catering operations and retail merchandising
• Day-to-day responsibility for the management and delivery of retail at Greenbank Gardens
• Leading and managing a team of staff; managing performance, recognising training needs and potential as appropriate
• Managing budgets – ensuring that, as a minimum, the financial targets agreed with, in line with the budget
• Devising, costing and sourcing menu items -with support from the VSM and regional NTS staff- and consistently looking at ways of maximising income through effective purchasing and creative merchandising
• Following the food safety management system and delivering on all policies and health and safety

General admissions & Membership
• Deliver set membership and admissions targets
• With support from VSM drive a sales culture to ensure all VSA staff can promote & sell membership confidently to achieve set budgets
• Regularly monitoring customer feedback, Trip advisor, Google and Mystery Visitor and in partnership with the site management team develop suitable action plans based on the results
• Being visitor/customer focused by being visible, approachable and quick to exceed expectations in fulfilling customer needs
• Day to day housekeeping and security of the admissions/café & courtyard area.

Hospitality – Weddings & private events
• With support from the VSM and NTS teams assist with the development and delivery of a strategy for private events to achieve and exceed annual income targets
• Delivery of all or part of operations relating to onsite wedding and corporate events
• Actively evaluating and analyzing all events post-delivery to ensure continued improvement
• Working with the film department to drive Greenbank Gardens as a viable site for TV & Film locations

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

• Experience of catering management across a similar operation
• Used to an ethos of target-driven assessment, with demonstration of results
• Previous experience in a customer facing, fast paced service environment
• Previous experience in a sales environment, with demonstration of results
• Experience managing, leading, coordinating and developing a team.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and confidence in dealing with a wide range of staff, visitors and other stakeholders, with a friendly, confident, and well-presented manner.
• Ability to manage time efficiently in an environment of changing priorities
• To hold, or, have the ability and willingness to hold a Scottish Personal Licence Holder’s Certificate and Personal Licence
• Practical knowledge of Health & Safety processes and procedures and the ability to work effectively within these processes.

Desirable
• An understanding and experience of food and beverage operations within an historic/heritage environment
• A genuine understanding of, and belief in, the work of the National Trust for Scotland
• Experience working within hospitality sector; particularly the planning and delivery of weddings and private events

DIMENSIONS AND SCOPE OF JOB
Context
This is a front facing role, you will be expected to lead by example. This role requires regular weekend work as well as unsociable hours. On average you will spend 4 out of 5 days working ‘out front’. You will lead a team of visitor service assistants to deliver on the key areas of delivery which are catering,retail, membership & admissions. This role is responsible for duty management at weekends on a rota basis.
Scale
 Greenbank Garden welcomes approx. 20,000 visitors each season. The Courtyard Café and woodland walk are popular local resources for the East Renfrewshire community. At present there is no count of the users to the woodland and café, it is estimated at approx. 30,000 visitors in total. The property generates £250,000K per annum, the primary income stream within this is catering.

People Management
 The post holder will be responsible for a team of approx. 6 VSA’s
 The post holder will be responsible for duty management at weekends which will involve supervision of visitor service volunteers.

Finance Management
 Not a budget holder however is responsible for the management of expenditure within the budget and delivery of set financial targets particularly catering and hospitality. Will assume budget holder responsibility for catering, admissions, membership & hospitality in absence of the VSM.

Your role of Visitor Experience Assistant will be a part year permanent position from April to end September each year.

Are you looking for a flexible seasonal job that is both fun and unique? You will get an insight into Scotland’s rich history and gain valuable experience in the tourism industry and help bring Scotland’s dramatic history to life for our visitors from across the world. Explore the fascinating stories from Scotland’s past and share your passion with international and local visitors who come to Iona during the season.

Our Visitor Experience Assistant role delivers the highest standards of visitor experience at Iona Abbey and Nunnery working across all areas, including in the shop, admissions area and outside, with delivery of guided tours a core part of the role.

Central West is a district covering 43 sites across Argyll, Arran, and Lochaber. Iona Abbey is one of its three staffed sites, and the busiest. We receive around 60,000 visitors per year and no two days are the same. Weddings, performances, and additional services at our island site. Founded by Columba in 563AD, we have an amazing collection of carved stones, standing crosses and beautiful grounds.

JOB PURPOSE
This job exists in order to ensure that the grounds and policies of the property are managed and maintained as an recognised landscape of outstanding historical importance, contributing to the property’s overall conservation and development, and its enjoyment by visitors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
• Ensuring the conservation and practical maintenance of the grounds, (excluding Gardens) etc., – whether through delegation to other staff/volunteers, or personal participation – in terms of ensuring best practice is followed in:
o Health & Safety ensure you follow all relevant and appropriate Risk Assessments and that as part of the grounds team, operate to activity procedures
o Complete all relevant Health, Safety and Welfare logs, relevant to the role , and ensure compliance with legislation where appropriate.
o Assist in delivery of all operations to ensure all grounds are managed to reduce risk to the visiting public, other staff, buildings etc.
o Have an awareness of specific environmental risks relevant to ground’s operations, e.g. Weils/Lyme’s Disease
• Ensure all work is delivered to the highest standard as agreed by the on-site management and directed by Head Gardener or Operational Manager
• Working as a member of the property team and alongside the Northeast Ranger Service at times, in preparing the grounds for visitors’ enjoyment, this will include:
o Drainage works, conservation of the Property Health +Safety.
o Assist with waste disposal, (ranging from domestic waste bins to large scale skip and recycling)
o Woodland, garden and grounds maintenance
o Pathways, Boardwalk, small bridge repairs.
o Assisting in responding to faults identified during in-house inspections/ insurance inspections
o Assisting with brush/ scrub/ tree clearance
o Assist ecological survey
o Road maintenance, (remedial work to pot-holes)
o Fencing
o Repair & maintain signage
o Other tasks as required
• Recognition of the Trust’s Environmental Policy with respect to sustainable ground-keeping activities, including energy, water, pesticide-use & waste management;
• Assist with event set-up and operations as required

JOB PURPOSE
To support the delivery of practical countryside management, nature conservation, conservation grazing, and estate maintenance across Threave, Rockcliffe and Venniehill properties. To help deliver the strategic objectives of the property and wider National Trust for Scotland.
The role is primarily hands-on, practical, and physically demanding, involving year-round outdoor work across a varied working landscape. Duties include habitat management, livestock support, infrastructure maintenance, visitor engagement, and practical conservation work.
The successful candidate will work as part of the countryside team alongside staff, volunteers, tenants, contractors, and partner organisations to help care for and enhance Threave, Rockcliffe, Venniehill, Murray Isles and Bruce’s Stone for wildlife, livestock, visitors, and the wider community.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
Practical conservation and estate work
• Carry out practical habitat management including scrub control, path work, fencing, vegetation management, and woodland work.
• Assist with conservation grazing operations including livestock checks, cattle movements, fencing, water systems, and general livestock husbandry support.
• Support the maintenance and improvement of countryside infrastructure including gates, signage, access routes, bridges, hides, and boundaries.
• Operate and maintain tools, machinery, and equipment safely and responsibly, including tractors, ATVs, chainsaws, brush cutters, and other countryside machinery where qualified and appropriate.
• Assist with estate maintenance tasks across the wider property as required.
• Work outdoors year-round in a range of weather and terrain conditions.

Species and habitat monitoring
• Assist with wildlife and habitat surveys, monitoring programmes, and biological recording when required.
• Support ongoing conservation projects through practical fieldwork and data collection.
• Contribute to monitoring associated with conservation grazing and habitat restoration work.
Team working
• Work closely with the wider countryside team to deliver operational priorities safely and efficiently.
• Support and work alongside volunteers in practical outdoor tasks.
• Contribute positively to a hardworking, supportive, and safety-conscious team culture.

Visitor Experience & Engagement
• Engage positively and professionally with visitors across the estate, nature reserve and other properties.
• Help maintain high standards of visitor access, presentation, and safety across countryside areas.
• Provide practical support for visitor infrastructure including paths, signage, gates, hides, and access routes.
• Respond appropriately and courteously to visitor enquiries while promoting responsible access and enjoyment of the countryside.
• Engage positively with volunteers, tenants, contractors, partner organisations, and local communities.
• Assist and occasionally lead guided walks, public events, volunteer task days, and practical demonstrations where required.
• Help communicate the value of practical conservation, land management, and conservation grazing to a wide audience.
• Support a positive and welcoming atmosphere for volunteers and community involvement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Nature Conservation

Be an enthusiastic and effective part of the ranger service, contributing to the smooth operation and ecological enhancement of Corrieshalloch/Inverewe

Carry out regular site monitoring checks and record keeping, helping us to evaluate performance and plan our conservation activities, including habitat and species surveys, archaeology and foot path condition checks, weather gauge observations and people counter figures.

Get involved with practical conservation tasks, including woodland management, footpath maintenance and fence repairs, litter clearance and property patrols.

Seek to minimize our environmental impact through sustainable working practices and sensitive use of power, equipment, transport and other resources.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Work with the Visitor Services Manager (VSM) to create a culture of ‘exceptional service, every time’, delivering high standards of customer experience and a consistently warm welcome to everyone.

Ensure high standards of presentation across the property. You may have delegated tasks within other departments, and you will understand and help deliver the overall property business plan.

Taking responsibility for opening and closing and security of buildings as well as implementation emergency procedures, duty management, providing relief cover.

Collaborate successfully with all other staff and managers on site to ensure the successful running of all the other customer touch points of Bridge, both car parks, all paths, toilets, motorhome service facilities and Travel Trade.

Supervising/undertaking the day-to-day operation of the Visitor Centre to ensure an excellent customer/visitor experience. This includes:

Supervision of the retail offer (including ordering, merchandising, sales targets).

Membership sales (to targets) and general customer service (individuals, education visits, other groups.

Health & Safety procedures, emergency procedures, and environmental procedures.

Deputizing for the Visitor Services Manager on-site and off-site as required.

Management of our fast-paced food & beverage outlet.

Responsible for day-to-day financial administration within the retail/admissions operation, including cash/till reconciliation, day-end and week-end reports and reconciliation, completion of the banking processes, and reporting of working hours for payroll.

Supporting the Visitor Services Manager Welcome with the recruitment; induction; development; and management of all visitor services employees and volunteers such that they understand and are equipped to fulfill their roles to the standards required and that they feel valued, respected, and supported.

Working closely with other managers across the Property to deliver a programme of visitor events, which increase visitor numbers, drive secondary spends and support overall Property targets.

Instil a Health & Safety culture across the property, ensuring the teamwork within the property’s ‘Safe System of Work’ to reduce risk of incidents and accidents to volunteers, employees, and visitors.