Visitor Services

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

To maximise our visitors’ enjoyment of House of The Binns by maintaining excellent standards of service, optimising opportunities to generate income and ensuring that the site and its assets are safe and secure. To ensure the smooth and safe running of operations in Admissions, Tours and Event activities.

To provide the highest degree of customer service: greet and welcome all visitors to the property; recruit new Trust members and promote fund-raising initiatives; deliver appropriate admissions procedures; and provide general visitor information. Please note that the job involves some physical activity in the form of periods of standing, walking, etc.
Some flexibility will be required as to when hours are worked and regular weekend working will be expected.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

This role will assist the property team in delivering a high-quality visitor experience at House of the Binns (including but not limited to):

 Providing excellent customer service.
 Be responsible and proactive. Ensuring all day-to-day tasks are completed including responding to customer enquiries, answering the telephone, cleaning, recording statistics etc.
 Handling cash accurately and processing sales across all platforms.
 To ensure perpetually high levels of accuracy are maintained for all transactions and data recording.
 To actively drive-up selling opportunities through strong product knowledge and an excellent customer service to maximize sales of admission tickets, membership and donations.
 Working with the Guides and supporting with tours during peak/busy times.
 Cash reconciliation duties including end of day and administration tasks.
 Be able to take responsibility for your own development and learning.
 Taking booking enquiries and process appropriately.
 To develop a working knowledge of the history of the site and being able to relate that to visitors in a friendly and engaging way
 Adhering to the property’s quality standards including wearing of uniform.
 Ensuring health and welfare of property staff, volunteers and visitors by adhering to the Trust’s Health, Safety and Environment policies and guidelines. This includes working within the property’s “Safe System of Work” (the system for managing Health & Safety).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Essential
 Ability to work within a team or independently, with minimal supervision to a high and safe standard.
 Ability to be flexible, in particular to adapt working patterns and tasks to meet day-to-day variations in property needs.
 Ability to adjust pace to match customer flow without compromising quality of service.
 Excellent front of house persona – warm, welcoming, patient and understanding.
 Genuine belief in the value of good customer service.
 Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
 Demonstrable time management skills and the ability to prioritise.
 Ability to be proactive and to take the initiative.

Desirable
 Previous cash handling experience.
 Foreign language skills.
 Historical knowledge of the site.

DIMENSIONS AND SCOPE OF JOB

People Management
 The Property team consists of a Visitor Services Manager and Visitor Services Supervisors. There are no line management responsibilities for this role, but this role works closely with volunteers and members of the wider site team.
 This role involves working with members of the public of all ages and abilities on a daily basis.

Finance Management
 This role will involve cash reconciliation duties as appointed by the Visitor Services Supervisor.

Tools / equipment / systems
 There will be the occasional use of cleaning chemicals.
 This role will involve manual handling.
 Is expected to work and ensure compliance within the property’s ‘safe systems of work’ (the system for managing health and safety) .

The Purpose, Context, Key Responsibilities, and Person Specification reflect the requirements of the job at the time of issue. The Trust reserves the right to amend these with appropriate consultation and/or request the post-holder to undertake any activities that it believes to be reasonable within the broad scope of the job or his/her general abilities.

The VEA will work closely with the Visitor Experience Supervisor to ensure the Club’s standards are always met. Museum tours, Ibrox Tours and customer service within the gift shop will form most of this role. The successful candidate will be one of the first points of contact for visitors. Having the knowledge and ability to respond effectively to inquiries, sell tickets, discuss events, and have product knowledge of the retail goods, will be vital. Having a deep understanding of Ibrox tours and the museum content will also be essential. This role will be best suited to individuals who share a passion for football and football heritage.

Salary £22,845 per annum (£11.83 per hour) (Band 8)
Working from a choice of 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, or 5 days per week
Fixed Term until November 2023
Plus generous benefits package

About the role

Every day we create connections with our visitors and our colleagues. From world class art to extraordinary buildings, we have plenty to inspire people at our galleries – the National, Portrait, and Modern.

We are now recruiting for a range of part-time and full-time Gallery Attendant positions to be part of our friendly and dedicated team supporting our new exhibition: Grayson Perry Smash Hits. If you have proven experience in a visitor attraction, retail or hospitality sector combined with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, we want to hear from you.

As a Gallery Attendant you’ll provide a consistently excellent and engaging experience, ensuring visitors always have a safe and enjoyable visit whilst keeping our art secure.

The difference you’ll make

Our Vision

National Galleries of Scotland Security and Visitor Services Team provide an exceptional visitor experience and service. The team embodies our strategy ‘We make art work for everyone’, in protecting our art, people and our buildings and ensuring an inclusive welcome for all.

Our Mission

National Galleries of Scotland Security and Visitor Services team exists to enable our visitors to explore, experience and enjoy our artwork safely and securely at our various Galleries. The department has three key areas of responsibility:

Visitor Engagement: aiming to deliver an exceptional experience to all our visitors in a welcoming, inclusive, and informative environment.

Security: endeavouring to keep people, our buildings and works of art safe, responding effectively to risk.

Income generation: encouraging donations, selling tickets for paying exhibitions, and signing up visitors to our Friends scheme.

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. Reporting to Supervisors and Duty Managers you will:

Be present in the galleries as the public face of the National Galleries of Scotland and look for opportunities to actively engage visitors. 

Support, implement and explain gallery rules and regulations.

Provide invigilation cover across the galleries, safeguarding art from damage.   

Build knowledge of exhibitions and displays communicating this effectively to a diverse range of audiences.

Maintain a high standard of presentation in the galleries calling on supervisory support when required.

Keep up to date with current exhibitions, what’s on, general tourist information and actively promote the shops, cafés, and the benefits of the Friends scheme.

Look after the security and safety of people, responding effectively to risk.

Be prepared to assist in safe evacuation of our buildings in the event of any incident or emergency.

Undertake light cleaning and occasional light lifting duties.

Who we are looking for

In answering our quick application questions, will allow us to learn more about you, how you meet the requirements, and what you will bring to the role. This will be your opportunity to stand out as well as tell us what you are looking for from us. To succeed in this role, you’ll need the following range of knowledge, skills, and experience:

While an interest in art would be great it’s not essential. However, you must be:

Passionate about offering outstanding customer care and visitor engagement in a busy gallery environment.

An excellent communicator with superb interpersonal skills. Demonstrate the ability to talk to a wide range of people, engaging with them about the National Galleries of Scotland’s exhibitions and activities.

Confident working in a busy visitor environment.

A strong team player with the ability to build good working relationships with colleagues and those in other departments to ensure the best possible visitor care is delivered.

Able to work independently using own initiative showing a proactive, positive, and flexible approach to work.

Willing to develop knowledge of National Galleries of Scotland’s collection, exhibitions, and activities.

Understanding of the principles of equality and diversity in relation to visitors’ needs and have an inclusive and welcoming approach to all visitors and colleagues.

Proficient IT skills MS Office. 

Knowledge of another language (e.g. Gaelic) is desirable but not essential.

For more information and to apply, please visit our careers page.

The closing date for completed applications is 12 noon on Tuesday 23 May 2023

JOB PURPOSE
To maximize our visitors’ enjoyment of 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 the smooth and safe operations in Admissions, Tours, Retail and Events activities making the property the best possible place to visit and work.
Core hours will be the minimum hours available, with the opportunity to work additional hours to suit the needs of the business, specifically for evening openings. Must have full weekend availability, hours will be issued on a rota basis.
This role will focus on providing information about Pollok house and its history to our visitors, supporting temporary exhibitions in the gallery space, and delivering seasonal events and tours when required. This role will also support collections care within the property in line with our house keeping plan and support the delivery of functions when necessary.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
To provide a consistently high standard of visitor care at all times
• Welcoming visitors to the site and processing 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.

To maintain excellent standards of site and personal presentation at all times
• 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 instances of damage and wear and tear issues promptly to your line manager;
• Working in harmony with other departments; housekeeping, gardening, grounds maintenance and site repair employees/contractors.

Financial Responsibilities (where applicable)
• To adhere to all financial procedures to include till operation and banking and safeguarding of monies: to implement amendments to standard procedure as instructions may dictate.

Retail/Catering/Events/Cashier duties (where applicable)
• To ensure good housekeeping of catering kitchens, serveries and back of house areas.
• 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 events coordinator.
• To assist with Heritage Hospitality events. 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, delivering impeccable customer care through excellent inter-personal skills.
• Demonstrable experience in sales or ticket/event/admissions – ideally in a heritage/tourism context – with experience and confidence undertaking till-work and cash handling/reconciliation.
• Experience in EPOS style till operation.
• 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 encourage 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 pro-active approach to taking initiative and to driving forward ideas and projects designed to improve daily operations and deliver an exceptional visitor experience.

Desirable
• Experience in storytelling and a passion for Scottish heritage and history
• Experience in collections care

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
A Visitor Services Assistant is crucial to our visitors’ “first impression” of the property and in establishing and maintaining the Trust’s reputation as a guardian of Scotland’s heritage and as the organisation that actively wants people to engage with and enjoy the properties it cares for. As you will be working in a customer-facing role, this means you will directly engage with visitors so excellent customer and selling skills are imperative. The Visitor Services Assistant is expected to meet (if not exceed) sales targets.

You will ensure that the Gift Shop is presented to the highest standard and you are knowledgeable about the products sold within the Gift Shop.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Cash handling/reconciliation
• To support the Visitor Services Supervisor in creative merchandising of shop displays and ensuring shop displays are consistently delivered to the highest standard.
• Delivering a high level of customer service
• Delivering and completing stock counts accurately
• A passion for product knowledge and upselling
• Supporting all aspects of stock management: ordering, receipting deliveries, and dealing with delivery discrepancies.
• Occasional ticket / membership sales and admissions
• Ensuring health and welfare of property staff, volunteers and visitors by adhering to the Trust’s Health, Safety and Environment policies and guidelines. This includes working within the property’s “Safe System of Work” (the system for managing Health & Safety).

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

SCOPE OF JOB

People Management
• Will work closely with other property colleagues, and will also have regular contact with specialist advisory colleagues based in other locations and departments (e.g. Visitor Services Manager, Operations Manager and the Central Retail Team)
• Will have regular (daily) interaction with members of the public of all ages and abilities

Finance Management
• Share Till Reconciliation Duties with other staff.
• Assist the Visitor Services Supervisor with stocktaking and delivery discrepancies
• To assist the Visitor Services Manager & VSS with accurate stock control procedures (write-off/wastage etc.)

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:

• Ability to work within a team or independently, with minimal supervision to a high and safe standard.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work well in a busy and diverse environment with a focus on customer service
• Previous experience in a busy retail environment
• Experience of merchandising retail displays, or willingness to undertake training
• Ability to be flexible, in particular to adapt working patterns and tasks to meet day-to-day variations in retail and property needs.
• Genuine belief in the value of good customer service.
• Demonstrable excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritise.
• Ability to be proactive and to take the initiative.
• Ability to take responsibility for own personal development
• Competent user of Microsoft Office Products.

Desirable:
• Experience with cash handling/working with financial data.
• Personal License
• Epos

The Key Responsibilities, Scope of Job, and Required Qualifications, Skills, Experience & Knowledge reflect the requirements of the job at the time of issue. The Trust reserves the right to amend these with appropriate consultation and/or request the post-holder to undertake any activities that it believes to be reasonable within the broad scope of the job or his/her general abilities.

Purpose of the role

To assist the Head Chef in the day-to-day management of the Catering & Hospitality offer at Culzean Castle & Country Park to ensure that all targets are met and all visitors receive the highest level of visitor experience standards.

Key Responsibilities
• Contribute to food production as per the Menu Cycle/Specification and event Food Production (corporate, hospitality, meetings etc)
• Keeping up to date HACCP, COSHH checklists and temperature sheets.
• Ensure high Standards of Kitchen Hygiene, Cleanliness, Tidiness and related Schedules
• Use fresh Produce and Ingredients whenever and where-ever is possible and minimise wastage.
• Maintain a high standard of Food Presentation to the Customer
• Share in the common responsibility of implementing the Trust’s “Health & Safety Policy”, being mindful at all times of the health and safety of self, staff, volunteers, and visitors.
• Share in the common responsibility of working in a manner mindful of the Trust’s obligations to minimise impact on the environment, through e.g. efficient use of water/heat/light, recycling and the disposal of waste, considered use of transport
• Help to reduce occurrences where Health or Safety of yourself and other employees may be put in jeopardy
• Adherence to the COSHH Training provided and control of substances covered by COSHH
• Involvement in the upkeep and maintenance of both the entire department site and, specifically, the Catering Outlets
• Assist with daily cleaning and pot wash duties

SCOPE OF ROLE
Location – The post holder will be based at the Home Farm Kitchen at Culzean Castle & Country Park but may also be expected to work in the Old Stables Coffee House, Swan Pond Kiosk, Aviary, Castle Tea Room, castle apartment and at special events/functions throughout the Castle & Country Park when required.

People Management
• The Post Holder does not direct line manage any team

Financial Management
• Not a budget holder but responsible for the day- to -day management of stock

Skills, experience & knowledge

Essential:
• Experience working in a similar, quick service, environment and delivering the best visitor service
• Practical experience of food preparation and service
• Previous experience working in a team
• Ability to follow instruction and work independently off own initiative
• Skill in establishing priorities and managing workload
• Keen interest in food

Desirable:
• Awareness of what the National Trust for Scotland sets out to achieve
• High standard of presentation and service (experience an advantage)

The Key Responsibilities, and Skills, Experience & Knowledge reflect the requirements of the job at the time of issue. The Trust reserves the right to amend these with appropriate consultation and/or request the post-holder to undertake any activities that it believes to be reasonable within the broad scope of the job or his/her general abilities.