Visitor Services

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Undertake curatorial duties for a defined region or sub-regional cluster of properties, supporting regional and property teams to ensure collections, interiors, gardens and landscape elements are well researched, understood, and interpreted for the public. This will include:

Training and development of colleagues

Researching collections, interiors, people and places

Interpreting our properties and their stories in creative and relevant ways, informed by audience feedback and evaluation

Ensuring collections information is accurate and recorded in a manner consistent with policy and best practice.

Support the development of and ensure work is consistent with policy and guidance on curatorial work, especially research, interpretation, and management of collections, with particular reference to the Curatorial Vison and Strategy.

Support the development of Masterplan Projects at properties within the region, ensuring strategic direction is informed by strong understanding of cultural heritage and assets.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

Undergraduate degree in a relevant subject (e.g. history, art/architectural history) or suitable equivalent experience.

Experience of working with historic collections and period interiors and/or cultural landscapes

Demonstrable experience of a wide range of curatorial and collections management responsibilities in a museum/gallery or heritage environment.

Experience of building effective working relationships in complex, changing work environment and matrix-management structures.

Competent object recognition and analytical skills, with proven ability and willingness to curate a wide range of object types.

Sound understanding of SPECTRUM documentation standards and the requirements for Museum Accreditation.

Experience of research from primary sources, producing and sharing research outputs.

Experience of object cataloguing and use of collections management databases.

Demonstrable experience of planning audience-focused exhibitions and displays.

Demonstrable experience of creating and enabling audience-focused interpretive and visitor experience solutions.

Desirable

A post graduate qualification in relevant subject (e.g. history, art history, heritage interpretation, museum studies)

Specialist knowledge expertise and a track record of publications in a relevant subject

Experience of effective leadership in a dynamic environment

Experience of developing and managing collaborative research projects

A strong understanding of how to use evaluation and visitor research to inform exhibitions and interpretive developments.

Part-time or Full-time and Fixed term
Salary £25,420 per annum pro rata (pay award pending)
Plus generous benefits package
On-site

About the role

We are delighted to be hiring both part-time and full-time Visitor Assistants to join our welcoming and committed team for our exciting 2025 exhibition season.

You should have proven experience in public-facing roles – this might be in visitor attractions, retail, hospitality, entertainment, or any customer-focused setting. A confident, outgoing personality and a genuine enthusiasm for creating memorable visitor experiences are key to succeeding in this role. If you have a background in front-of-house, sales, or customer service and thrive in roles where strong communication and having a passion for supporting others are essential, we’d love to hear from you.

Our Security and Visitor Experience team exists to ensure our visitors can explore, experience and enjoy our artwork safely and securely at our various Galleries. As a Visitor Assistant you will work across the Galleries at the building entrances and on the Switchboard. You will provide outstanding customer service, answer queries and ensure every visitor feels welcome and well-informed. You’ll also play an active role in signing up new Friends members, encouraging donations, promoting and selling tickets and other products to enhance the overall visitor experience.

Working from a choice of 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, or 5 days per week we have positions available during the following timeframes: 

May or June to 31 January 2026.
Mid-July to early November 2025.

Please note: Applicants must be available for the full duration of the contract period. These roles are not suitable for those seeking short-term summer employment.

The difference you’ll make

In all that you do, you’ll support your colleagues by welcoming visitors, helping them enjoy their experience of the National Galleries of Scotland and making the most of their visit. The Security and Visitor Experience team’s three key responsibilities are:  

– Visitor Engagement: aiming to deliver an exceptional experience to all our visitors in a welcoming, inclusive, and informative environment.  
– Income generation: encouraging donations, selling tickets for paying exhibitions, and signing up visitors to our Friends scheme.  
– Security: endeavouring to keep people, our buildings and works of art safe, responding effectively to risk.  

Reporting to Supervisors and Operations Manager you will:

– Provide welcoming and engaging conversations with our visitors at the entrances, on the phone and via email giving advice and answering queries.
– Actively promote our Friends scheme and convert visitors into Members.
– Drive satisfied visitors to make donations to our boxes situated at the entrance/exit to the Galleries.
– Sell tickets and other products.
– Seek out all NGS related content gaining knowledge to act as an ambassador about our galleries, our collection and exhibitions, events, our shops and cafes and other activities.
– Communicate with colleagues across departments to gather information to answer visitor enquiries.
– Share knowledge and expertise with team members to improve understanding across the department.
– Accurately collect all customer data in line with GPDR and NGS guidelines.
– Follow departmental cash handling procedures performing accurate reconciliations.

Who we are looking for

To succeed in this role, you’ll need the following range of knowledge, skills, and experience:

– Outstanding interpersonal skills enabling you to engage with people to provide information and deliver sales. 
– Previous experience of working within a front-line, retail, sales, customer services or entertainment environment. 
– Be a strong communicator in person, in writing and over the telephone.  
– Competent at using office systems such as Office 365.
– Have the resilience to positively respond to challenges and prioritise operational demands.
– Work well in a busy environment with strong organisational skills.
– Accurate with figures and experience of cash handling and other methods of payment.
– Enjoy working as part of a team and with the public.
– Flexible approach to the job and be able and willing to work weekends, evenings and any required overtime. 

It would also be great if you have:

– Knowledge of Gaelic and/or other languages is desirable but not essential. 
– Knowledge and appreciation of art 

Please apply directly via our careers portal. Applications via email will not be accepted.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday, 21 April 2025.

Brand Home Guide
Talisker Visitor Centre
Permanent, full time

This is a chance to be involved in an ambitious and truly one-of-a-kind team where our aim is to create remarkable and unforgettable experiences across each and every one of our venues across Scotland.

You will be responsible for:

Being an integral part of the visitor centre team, as a Brand Home Guide, you’ll be required to deliver high standards of customer service and an outstanding and memorable visitor experience.
Our tours are the opportunity for the public to learn who we are and what we do, you’ll be guiding them around our beautiful distillery representing the brand and Diageo using the full training provided. 
You will assist with ticket sales and promoting our brand throughout the full experience, from warmly greeting our guests to providing advice and information on the offerings of our outstanding visitor experience.
There will be shop duties and upselling products will be required alongside the merchandising of our other products in the retail area. 
You’ll help with the planning and implementation of special events throughout the year. 

To be successful in this role:

We’re looking for people with character: driven, resilient and open-minded.  Are you passionate about customer service and a team player? We certainly hope so! 

 
We’re looking for someone who values the importance of working in a team and being able to build strong working relationships with customers as well.  Ideally you will have insight into the drinks industry or worked within a hospitality environment.

Please note – This role will require weekend and evening work.

Accommodation can be provided.

Working with Us

Join us and you can also expect a highly competitive and flexible rewards and benefits package including:

Product allowance
Contributory pension scheme
Competitive annual bonus (dependent on performance)
Generous holiday allowance

Celebrating our inclusive and diverse culture is core to Diageo’s purpose of “celebrating life every day everywhere”. This purpose is, in itself, inclusive in nature, as it values everybody irrespective of background, disability, religion, gender identity, sexuality or ethnicity.

Feel inspired? Create a future worth celebrating with us!

Brand Home Guide
Dalwhinnie Visitor Centre
Permanent, full-time

We have an outstanding opportunity to join our dedicated team at our Dalwhinnie Visitor Centre as a seasonal Brand Home Guide. Dalwhinnie is an iconic visitor centre that provides extraordinary visitor experiences to all our visitors from around the globe.  We captivate and educate our guests whilst leading them throughout our full-sensory interactive tour and tasting experiences. Our people are making history every day and act as true ambassadors for this inspiring brand.  

This role will require weekend and evening work.

You will be responsible for:

Being an integral part of the visitor centre team, as a Brand Home Guide, you’ll be required to deliver high standards of customer service and an outstanding and memorable visitor experience.
Our tours are the opportunity for the public to learn who we are and what we do, you’ll be guiding them around our beautiful distillery representing the brand and Diageo using the full training provided. 
You will assist with ticket sales and promoting our brand throughout the full experience, from warmly greeting our guests to providing advice and information on the offerings of our outstanding visitor experience.
There will be shop duties and upselling products will be required alongside the merchandising of our other products in the retail area. 
You’ll help with the planning and implementation of special events throughout the year. 

To be successful in this role:

We’re looking for people with character: driven, resilient and open-minded.  Are you passionate about customer service and a team player? We certainly hope so! 

 
We’re looking for someone who values the importance of working in a team and being able to build strong working relationships with customers as well.  Ideally you will have insight into the drinks industry or worked within a hospitality environment.

Working with Us

Join us and you can also expect a highly competitive and flexible rewards and benefits package including:

Product allowance
Contributory pension scheme
Competitive annual bonus (dependent on performance)
Generous holiday allowance
Celebrating our inclusive and diverse culture is core to Diageo’s purpose of “celebrating life every day everywhere”. This purpose is, in itself, inclusive in nature, as it values everybody irrespective of background, disability, religion, gender identity, sexuality or ethnicity.

Feeling inspired? Apply now!

Reports to: Learning and Engagement Manager
Salary: £26,500 – £31,000 (Subject Specialist Band)
Hours of Work: Core hours are Monday-Friday 09:00 – 17:30 (reasonable flexibility is required for occasional evening and weekend work at Dynamic Earth and for outreach activities)

Background:

Dynamic Earth is an educational charity on a mission to empower people with understanding and empathy for the Earth. Our Learning and Engagement Service create, curate and deliver a diverse programme of events and experiences throughout the year which support the delivery of Dynamic Earth’s strategic plan and charitable purpose. You can find out more here.

As part of our learning and engagement team, you will work with a broad range of audiences to create, co-ordinate and deliver a wide variety of informal science learning events and experiences which deliver our charitable mission, vision and purpose. You will work across a breadth of Earth and environmental science and sustainability topics and different forms of interpretation to deliver impactful experiences which support our strategic plan and national priorities. This will involve working effectively as part of the science learning and engagement team – and with colleagues across the charity – on shared activity, as well as individually on defined projects and activity areas.

Role Purpose:
To develop, co-ordinate and deliver learning and engagement events and experiences with a wide range of audiences – both locally and nationally – which deliver organisational and national priorities in an impactful way.

Main Duties:
School Programmes -You will work as part of a team to deliver and create experiences for learners and teachers which provide inspirational learning journeys which support national educational priorities, both at Dynamic Earth in our centre and through national outreach in-person and digitally.

Family and Public Programmes – You will support the creation and delivery of high-quality family and public programmes including drop-in events for families, early years sessions, indoor and outdoor family workshops, science clubs and special events for young people and adults, such as science centre sleepovers.

Outdoor Learning – You will create and deliver outdoor experiences for families, children and young people and adults in Holyrood Park, including Outdoor Clubs.

Outreach – You will create and deliver experiences with school learners and families as part of Scotland-wide outreach programmes, in-person and digitally.

Communities – You will develop and deliver events and experiences which reach underserved and underrepresented audiences.

Planetarium Programmes: You will have the opportunity to contribute to the development and delivery of shows and events in Dynamic Earth’s fixed and mobile planetaria.

Partnerships: You will work with a range of partner organisations to deliver opportunities to showcase the relevance and diversity of Earth and environmental science with audiences at Dynamic Earth, in-person and digitally.

Training and Development: You will create impactful training materials and opportunities to support the development of a science engagement culture across teams.

Evaluation, Storytelling and Advocacy: You will capture and co-create powerful stories and data which showcase the value and impact of our charitable activity together with colleagues across the charity.

Across the breadth of work within the Learning and Engagement Officer role, you will demonstrate commitment to Dynamic Earth’s organisational values of passion, care and inclusion, always acting as a science engagement role model with colleagues, audiences and peers.

Experience and Qualities:
Required qualifications and experience:

Educated to at least undergraduate degree level in a science or related discipline – or lived experience as an alternative to a formal qualification.

Experience of developing and delivering science learning and engagement experiences with a range of audiences, including children and young people.

Excellent interpersonal, communication, planning and organisational skills with strong attention to detail.

A pro-active, enthusiastic and friendly disposition with the ability to build rapport with people quickly.

An enabling and pro-active attitude and commitment to a culture of continuous improvement.

A flexible approach which helps deliver results.

A pro-active and enabling approach to problem solving.

A reflective practitioner with the ability to reflect both on self and situation.

Experience of working effectively in a team with shared goals as well as on individual projects.

Desired qualifications and experience:
Experience of training others to deliver effective and impactful science engagement.

Experience of working in a science centre or museum setting.

Experience of working in partnership with peers and other organisations.

Appointment to the Learning and Engagement Officer position is subject to enhanced pre-employment checks as part of our approach to ensuring Child Protection & Wellbeing, including membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.

Dynamic Earth is committed to creating an inclusive workplace culture where our people feel a sense of belonging and can bring their authentic self to work each day. You can find our inclusion statement here.

Applicants should submit a CV and Covering Letter (c. 2 sides each) detailing why they are the best candidate for the position to peopleandculture@dynamicearth.org.uk ahead of the closing date of Sunday 27th April.

Recruitment Timeline:

Applications Close – Sunday 27th April 2025
Successful Candidates Notified of Next Steps – target date of Wednesday 30th April 2025
Interview Date – Thursday 8th May 2025

JOB PURPOSE

The Garden Trainee role at Threave Garden will provide the post-holders with development in a broad range of work-based practical horticultural skills, over the course of a year spent working as part of the team there, supplemented by written coursework and plant identification tests. Training will be based primarily around the content of the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Practical Horticulture, but additional enhancements will also be available. Our aim is to take people who have undertaken a horticultural apprenticeship, an academic horticultural qualification or who have proven practical gardening experience and to develop them further into the rounded skilled, craft professional gardeners that the heritage garden sector, including the National Trust for Scotland, requires.

WHAT WE OFFER

The year at Threave comprises paid day-to-day work in the garden alongside practical training and assessment of skills, knowledge and behaviours. The RHS Level 2 training is supplemented by several assessed written assignments designed to enhance trainee learning. This includes fortnightly plant identification tests (20-25 plants), keeping a daily diary, completing plant profiles and participation in a study tour (visiting a number of gardens and nurseries to gain a greater appreciation of the variety a career in horticulture can provide) from which a report is requested.

The Garden Trainees are overseen by our teaching staff of Gardener Instructors, seasoned experts in their fields who have worked in a wide range of gardens themselves. The garden has three department areas: the grounds (lawns, hedges, herbaceous borders, woody plants, alpines, hard landscapes, aquatic, and bog), the walled garden, and the glasshouses. Although most of the time will be spent in the grounds, the Garden Trainee will work in each of these areas, moving between them on a rota basis, to ensure in-depth training across the seasons. Trainees will work alongside the Gardener Instructors, other garden staff and volunteers, receiving hands-on tuition and practical experience. There will be some limited classroom time, however this is primarily a practical role where trainees will spend 95% of their time working in the garden. Study and assignments will be completed largely in their own time. Trainee only shared accommodation within easy walking distance is available for rent.

The Visitor Experience Team Leader will lead and coordinate the day-to-day visitor operations within Hunterian venues to ensure an environment that is engaging, secure and provides an excellent visitor experience. They will have responsibility for the smooth operations of The Hunterian venues managing and motivating up to 30 team of Visitor Experience Assistants to meet public expectations and standards in a major visitor attraction, achieving the strategic themes and purpose of The Hunterian through a proactive and consistent attitude to the visitor experience. Primary objectives will be championing enhanced visitor engagement, ensuring that visitors have an enjoyable, safe and inspiring experience and that of the security of the Collections.