Visitor Services

JOB PURPOSE

This job exists in order to manage and develop Mar Lodge’s functions and events business, corporate/private hire and sporting client support. The Visitor Services Supervisor will ensure income opportunities are maximised in the context of consistently high standards of customer care and lodge presentation.

Functions at Mar Lodge can range from intimate family dinners and tours to large corporate events and weddings for up to 200 guests. Every function requires the same level of planning and care, in order to deliver an outstanding product to our clients. As Visitor Services Supervisor you must have good self-motivation and organisational skills, and be able to lead a team of staff and external contractors, to deliver events in a smooth and professional manner.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

The key purposes of the job will be met by:
• Developing and managing relationships of trust with potential and existing corporate and private hire clients, such that Mar Lodge continually develops and maintains its status as a ‘destination’ venue, renowned for its excellence of customer service.
• Supervising teams which include members of other Mar Lodge departments and outside contractors such that there is absolute clarity of objectives, tasks and standards; and ensure their delivery towards a collective goal.
• Developing and managing the functions business to increase income as part of the property’s drive for sustainability and help raise the profile of the work of the Trust at Mar Lodge in its wider context.
• Managing allocated budgets to ensure that income targets are met, or exceeded, and that expenditure is prudent and ‘value for money’
• Maintaining and recording all communication pertaining to functions and events, such as dealing with emails, keeping the event diary up to date and informing relevant departments of planned activities.
• Managing equipment and supplies, such as banqueting furniture, catering equipment and supplies, to ensure the operational efficacy of the Lodge.
• Working within the 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.
• Coordinating, supervising and personally participating in the delivery and staffing of weddings, functions and events with the advice and support of the Visitor Services Manager and other team members.
• Demonstrating responsibility and accountability that all functions and events are in line with the Trust’s Environmental Policy and being mindful of the Trust’s obligations to minimise the impact on the environment through efficient use of water/heat/light, recycling and disposal of waste and considered use of transport.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

The above outlines the key skills the post-holder will need to possess and exercise. In addition, either knowledge of or experience in the following is required:

Essential
• Event Management experience demonstrating organisational, time management and coordination skills
• Proven sales skills with the ability to achieve targets
• Strong personal belief in the value of excellent customer care with the ability to translate this in to actions
• Excellent team worker with the ability to work constructively between different teams, and lead and motivate others
• Effective verbal and written communication skills combined with confidence in dealing with a wide range of customers
• Hard working and willing to keep a flexible work pattern
• A willingness to work with and support other departments as and when the need arises
• An understanding and commitment to the aims and objectives of the National Trust for Scotland
• Competent user of Microsoft Office products
• Hold a clean and current UK driving licence.

Desirable
• A formal qualification in Hospitality or Event Management
• Personal licence holder (or be willing to train)
• Current First aid certification (or be willing to train and use)
• Current food hygiene certification (or be willing to train)

DIMENSIONS AND SCOPE OF JOB

• The post involves some physical activity including prospective client tours of the facilities and lifting and carrying. The Lodge is split over several levels, many of which are not accessible other than by the stairs.
• Due to the nature of a hospitality/functions business frequent evening and weekend work can be expected.
• The post-holder may be required to undertake errands around the estate and to/from local businesses as well as attending meetings at other Trust venues, practical only by vehicle.

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.

JOB PURPOSE
This job exists in order to ensure that Mar Lodge, Stag Ballroom, Chapel, offices and associated let cottages are cared-for and presented to the very highest standards of domestic cleanliness and collections care. To maximise our visitors’ enjoyment of National Trust for Scotland managed sites by maintaining the excellent standards we set across our properties to enable us to provide the best possible experience for our visitors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

The Key Purposes of the Job will be met by:
1. Undertaking the domestic cleaning of the Lodge, the Ballroom, the kitchens, preparation spaces, toilets, Claybokie and Creag Bhalg cottages, the Stables complex including the Bunkhouse, public/shared spaces, and office spaces – to consistently achieve high standards of cleanliness and present an acceptable living/visiting/working environment for staff and visitors alike;
2. Servicing the let apartments within the Lodge, and Claybokie and Creag Bhalg cottages to ensure that they meet high client expectations. Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following :
• dusting/polishing of surfaces and fittings such as furniture, ornaments, panelling, stairs, and doors
• dusting/wiping of sills, skirtings, door, and window frames
• vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, polishing of floors
• cleaning of windows
• cleaning of lavatories, sinks, etc
• changing of bed linen and towels, and making of beds
• cleaning of bathroom/toilet areas and fittings
• cleaning of kitchen areas and equipment
• checking functionality of lighting, heating, TV/radio etc
• replenishing of welcome/hospitality trays, and consumables
• cleaning and providing clean laundry for each occupancy
• disposal of general household waste
3. Assisting with the collections care of the Lodge, the Ballroom, Claybokie and Creag Bhalg cottages, and collections stores to ensure that all housekeeping is undertaken within the context of the Trust’s preventative conservation and collections management regimes;
4. Working 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;
5. Reporting all H&S hazards, fire risks, and instances of damage and wear and tear issues promptly to the Visitor Services Manager and/or Head Housekeeper.
6. The staff will be expected to participate in a “Duty” rota to ensure that visitor’s needs outwith normal working hours are supported.
7. Providing support to enable functions and events to be successfully delivered

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications
No formal educational qualification required.
Skills & Experience

Essential
• Sound previous housekeeping experience
• Cleaning and presentation of public areas or holiday-rental accommodation to the highest standards
• Evidence of acting to identify health and safety issues, required repairs, damage etc.
• Personal commitment to high standards of cleanliness
• Personal commitment to excellence in customer care
• Flexible, helpful outlook to customers and colleagues
• Attentive to detail with an eye for presentation and finish
• Ensure that all activities undertaken are compliant with the Trust’s health and safety policies
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with an ability to get along with a wide range of people
• This is a physical job, which will normally include use of vacuums, carpet cleaners, mop and bucket, lifting, fetching and carrying laundry and objects as well as the ascent and descent of stairs
• Working flexibly in response to the needs to the business, including evening/weekend work and lone working
• An understanding and commitment to the aims and objectives of the National Trust for Scotland
• 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.
• The ability and willingness to learn and try new things, to be flexible and step outside of your comfort zone.
• 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.

Desirable
• Certificate(s) of attendance at recognised collections care courses e.g., those run by the NTS, The National Trust, or the Museums Association
• Previous experience of collections care within an historic interior environment.
• Driving licence.

DIMENSIONS AND SCOPE OF JOB

People Management

⬧ Will have occasional liaison with other Trust specialists and advisers, most notably the Holidays Department, Hospitality, Estate, Conservators and Curators.
⬧ Will have contact with visitors to Mar Lodge as well as holiday let guests
⬧ Working hours will include some evenings and weekends.

Finance Management
⬧ Not a budget holder but will be expected to take responsibility for effective management of Trust resources in allocated areas. The post-holder will be expected to work towards a sustainable financial future for the property and work within approved budgets, in line with the Trusts financial policies and procedures under the supervision of the Visitor Services Manager.

Tools / equipment / systems
⬧ Will be a frequent user of tools and equipment subject to appropriate training as required.

Additional Information
⬧ For more information about the National Trust for Scotland’s manifesto and values, visit our website at www.nts.org.uk.

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.

JOB PURPOSE

As part of the team which cares for The Hermitage and Dollar Glen, a Seasonal Ranger plays a crucial role in ensuring that our conservation ambitions go hand in hand with welcoming our local community and visitors from across the globe to this well-loved place.

You will share your enthusiasm for the outdoors and passion for the countryside with the visitors who come to explore The Hermitage and Dollar Glen.

You will work out in the landscape, on walking routes, in our parking areas, at popular spots for views, with some time at our sites in Dunkeld, acting as an ambassador for the National Trust for Scotland, building awareness and support for our charity. You’ll leave those you meet with a desire to respect, protect and enjoy this special natural environment and an understanding of how they can help do this.

You will work on your own and with other staff and volunteers, on a variety of practical conservation tasks to help us achieve the high presentation and habitat management standards expected of a National Trust for Scotland sites.

You will contribute to the long-term sustainability of North Perthshire Ranger service through income generated at payed-for events, memberships and donations inspired by our work, growing our capacity through volunteers and cost-effective use of resources.

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 our Dunkeld sites and Dollar Glen.
 Get involved with practical conservation tasks, including woodland management, invasives removal, path 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.
Visitor Engagement
 Participate in a programme of estate patrols at busy times and locations, including weekends and evenings, to engage with tourists, outdoor activity enthusiasts and campers, championing a “leave no trace” culture and providing practical advice based on the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
 Welcome customers in our car parks in a friendly, efficient and knowledgeable manner, answering queries and providing information about the property, facilities and the local area.
 Contribute to the development and delivery of products that bring alive our stories, including on-site displays, self-guided trails, signage, guided walks, talks or other hands-on activities.

Working together
 Recruit, induct and supervise volunteer roles to help grow our team’s capacity and assist with the leadership of group volunteering activities as required.
 Build positive relationships with our neighbours and local community, including other land managers, schools, community groups and recreational users.
 Support a strong health & safety culture, complying with the property’s ‘Safe System of Work’, risk management and emergency procedures, to safeguard yourself, colleagues and the public.

Funding our future
 Actively promote the value of Trust membership to existing and potential members.
 Seek and support ways to generate sustainable sources of income, including encouraging donations, booking events, payment of parking charges, visits to other properties and awareness of our fundraising campaigns.
 Not a budget holder but expected to liaise with the Line Manager prior to incurring any expenses and be mindful of cost-effective use of Trust funds and resources.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Essential

 Hold a qualification in a relevant discipline and / or at least a year’s ranger experience.
 Experience of engaging the public in nature tourism or working in a busy countryside setting.
 Strong knowledge of natural history and conservation, especially upland flora & fauna of Scotland.
 Confident communication and influencing skills with colleagues, volunteers and the public.
 Experience of working in a team and working with volunteers.
 Self-motivated with the ability to work alone or work with minimal supervision.
 Flexible and adaptive to change and working in a variety of situations.
 IT literate and competent user of Microsoft Office products.
 Clean driving license.
Desirable

 First aid certificate.
 Brush cutter training.
 License to drive trailers.
 Experience in practical conservation work, including invasives removal.
 Experience of developing and delivering events or learning activities.
 Experience in leading groups of volunteers.

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.

Brand Home Guide

Talisker Visitor Centre

Permanent –Part-time and Full-time Annualised Hours

Discounted shared accommodation – double room (subject to space availability)

We have an outstanding opportunity to join our dedicated team at our Talisker Visitor Center as a Brand Home Guide.

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. 

This role will require weekend and evening work.

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 enviroment.

Working with Us

Flexibility is key to success in our business and many of our staff work flexibly in many different ways, including part-time, compressed hours, flexible location. Please talk to us about what flexibility means to you and don’t let anything stop you from applying.

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

Membership discounts and 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.

We know that for our business to thrive and for Diageo to realize its ambition, we depend on having diverse talent with a range of backgrounds, skills and capabilities in each of the 180 countries in which we operate and to reflect our broad consumer base. We view diversity as one of the key enablers that helps our business to grow and our values, purpose and standards set the conditions for us to respect the unique contribution each person brings.

About Us

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. Our Malt Brand Homes will take visitors on an immersive, multi-sensory journey through the flavours of Scotland, sharing our love for Scotch with a new generation of whisky drinkers. Visitors will lose themselves in the journey whisky-making in our experiences and make purchases from our fantastic retail offerings. We want our guests to embrace every minute with us and feel the same way we do about our heritage. Being part of Diageo means being a torchbearer for our brands and making them even better for the next generation. It’s a career-defining responsibility. If you have a genuine passion for our craft, our character and our products, help us continue the story and build a great career in the process. 

Talisker 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.  

Create a future worth celebrating!

Brand Home Guide

Lagavulin Visitor Centre

Full-time, Permanent

Closing date: 26th April 2023

We have an outstanding opportunity to join our dedicated team at our Lagavulin Visitor Center as a Brand Home Guide.

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. 

This role will require weekend and evening work.

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 enviroment.

Working with Us

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

Membership discounts and 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.

We know that for our business to thrive and for Diageo to realize its ambition, we depend on having diverse talent with a range of backgrounds, skills and capabilities in each of the 180 countries in which we operate and to reflect our broad consumer base. We view diversity as one of the key enablers that helps our business to grow and our values, purpose and standards set the conditions for us to respect the unique contribution each person brings.

About Us

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. Our Malt Brand Homes will take visitors on an immersive, multi-sensory journey through the flavours of Scotland, sharing our love for Scotch with a new generation of whisky drinkers. Visitors will lose themselves in the journey whisky-making in our experiences and make purchases from our fantastic retail offerings. We want our guests to embrace every minute with us and feel the same way we do about our heritage. Being part of Diageo means being a torchbearer for our brands and making them even better for the next generation. It’s a career-defining responsibility. If you have a genuine passion for our craft, our character and our products, help us continue the story and build a great career in the process. 

Lagavulin 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.  

Create a future worth celebrating!

Our Visitor Experience Assistants are key members of our team who act as the first point of contact for visitors – welcoming them to the Centre, providing information on what we do and helping people to learn more about Scotland’s amazing marine wildlife and habitats. Your aim is to ensure that our visitors have a genuinely memorable experience. The role provides an opportunity to both gain experience of, and deliver, excellent customer service across our welcome point, retail, discovery experience and boat (seasonal March-October) activities. At times, you will be asked to help the wider team with café duties, so this role is never dull!

Principal duties

We are looking for enthusiastic people who enjoy proactively engaging with customers across a range of departments. You must have a desire to provide excellent customer care and a memorable experience, often in a fast-paced environment. You should have an interest in Scotland’s marine and coastal environment and environmental sustainability, although opportunities to learn more about this will be provided in the role.

General
• Welcome everyone to the Centre and provide information to them on what they can do when visiting and our wider charitable activities.
• Support the booking systems for our experience activities (boats, discovery, and events) and process admission tickets and/or refunds.
• Promote the benefits of membership and/or our Friends and wildlife adoptions schemes to visitors.
• Support our volunteer team who assist with various activities in the Centre.
• Work safely, observing all Health & Safety policies and procedures.

Experience: You will support visitors to get the most from the exhibits, interactives, and remote live cameras within our Discovery Experience, including giving information on local wildlife sightings and presentations to groups of visitors on a range of topics (training will be given).

Retail: You will assist at our Information and Retail counter ensuring that all displays and counters are appropriately stocked and presented, assisting with stock selection and management, and supporting customer sales at the till or online. This is the key point for providing general information to our customers.

Boats: you will support customers who wish to take one of our amazing wildlife boat trips by processing bookings, providing information on what they might see and managing any cancellations and refunds to customers.

Café: At peak times you will also support our café operations which will include taking and processing orders at the till, serving meals, clearing and cleaning tables and assisting in the dishwasher area.

Essential skills and experience

• Consistent delivery of a high-quality visitor experience
• Customer-focused attitude and experience
• A confident communicator – verbal and written.
• Organised with an ability to take the initiative and prioritise your work.
• A team player – adaptable and flexible to a varied working environment.
• Attention to detail and providing accurate information.
• Ability to problem-solve.
• Basic IT and maths skills.

Desirable skills and experience
• An interest in Scotland’s marine and coastal environment
• An awareness of and alignment with environmental sustainability principles and practice.

Background:
The Scottish Seabird Centre is a conservation and education charity whose purpose is “Inspiring and educating people about the Scottish marine environment, motivating them to care for it, and supporting conservation projects”. Based in North Berwick, East Lothian we overlook the marine environment in the Firth of Forth and have over 200,000 visits each year.

We have four key pillars to our work:
• Conservation we develop, practically undertake, and promote models of conservation best practice and citizen science.
• Education we deliver education programmes, science resources and events and use innovative ways to provide information on the marine environment.
• Communities we work in partnership with diverse communities including enhancing the experience for visitors to North Berwick.
• Experience we offer a 5-star, year-round visitor experience that helps people to make informed choices about the management of the marine environment.

Our charitable work is supported by our not-for-profit Trading Company Scottish Seabird Centre Limited and our 5-star visitor attraction which provides a valuable resource for members and visitors.

Our values
Our values underpin everything we do. We take pride in bringing these to life in all that we do. We are:
• PASSIONATE about Scotland’s coastal and marine environment.
• INSPIRE others to explore and care for Scotland’s coastal and marine environment.
• INNOVATE with the approaches we use to engage with people.
• COLLABORATE with local and national partners to convey the importance of Scotland’s marine environment.
• INFORMED about the current health of Scotland’s marine wildlife and habitats and the actions required to protect it.
• TRUSTWORTHY providing reliable information and acting with integrity and without bias.

Performance: To be measured against clearly defined measurable and challenging goals.

Wage: We pay above the national minimum wage rate.

Benefits
• Working for a successful conservation and education charity in a stunning location.
• Pension available.
• Training and development for everyone.
• 20% discount in the charity’s Gift Shop and Seabird Café.
• 10% discount on the Scottish Seabird Centre boat trips.
• Free entry to the Discovery Experience, for you and family members (restrictions on numbers apply).
• Free access to a range of Scottish visitor attractions with an Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions card.
• Free access/ special offers for a range of East Lothian attractions with an East Lothian Tourism Attraction Group card.

Applications: Tell us why you are keen to work with us – and when you are available – in a covering letter and attach your CV. Please send both to info@seabird.org. Applications for this role will be closed by 12 noon on the 9 May 2023 with interviews taking place before 16 May 2023.

As we are keen to recruit as soon as possible, please apply now. We look forward to hearing from you!