Full Time

The National Trust for Scotland

The National Trust for Scotland is an independent charity set up in 1931 for the preservation and conservation of natural and human heritage significant to Scotland and the world. The Trust has become Scotland’s largest membership organisation and a leader in conserving and promoting the nation’s treasured places and collections so they can be enjoyed by present and future generations. The Trust’s 10 Year Strategy: Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone has recently been launched with a strong focus on caring for Scotland’s special places through best practice in conservation.

Visit: https://www.nts.org.uk/our-work/our-strategy

The Fyvie Castle and Estate Development Project

The National Trust for Scotland is commencing a programme of work to develop and conserve Fyvie Castle and its wider estate for future generations to enjoy. Fyvie is a nationally and internationally significant place, with a unique story and status that has consistently delighted and entertained its guests.

The Project’s catalyst was a conservation need for the principal building, Fyvie Castle, however, a more holistic approach to this multifaceted site is now being considered, including Old Home Farm, which is currently on the Buildings at Risk Register alongside the wider grounds and estate assets of Fyvie. To enable this the NTS engaged with a firm of specialist heritage planners and an outline masterplan and business case is in place for the whole Fyvie estate. The Project Director will be required to engage with this strategy and be the leading figure in initiating and delivering an agreed masterplan programme.

We hope that by exploring the lives of the most influential people in the history of Scotland and using its exceptional collections, buildings, and landscapes, with the Forbes-Leith’s legacy as the historical bridge and conceptual framework that Fyvie will make strong links across time and space.

Fyvie will be alive in the legacy of the Forbes-Leith era, becoming a model for the quality of its hospitality, fun and care for all its guests. It will be a place that engages diverse audiences – drawing international visitors to its award-winning experiences whilst ensuring that it is a neighbourly place for its local communities – and is embedded in their everyday lives.

Fyvie will be a place of deep, tangible impacts, inspiring ambition, and creativity in people – not just through its interpretation and curatorial activities, but also as a place where people can learn new skills for work, understand (and be involved in) cultural, technological and environmental sustainability, and realise opportunities to grow the local economy.

Project outcomes:
• The physical condition of the assets across the Fyvie estate will be considered good when reviewed under the NTS condition framework.
• Successful delivery of the masterplan for Fyvie castle and estate.
• Re-establishing Fyvie’ s rightful place in history by maximising the assets;
o The interior and exterior of the Fyvie Castle
o The garden of Scottish fruits, including garden structures and walls.
o Rejuvenation of the Racquets Court & Skittles alley
o Showcasing the Museum accredited collection within the property to provide a five-star visitor experience.
o Installing critical facilities for both visitor and staff facilities to support the operation of the site.
• Fyvie Castle will be an environmentally and financially sustainable site, demonstrating best practice within the NTS portfolio.
• The project shall prioritise the development of its audience and guest engagement and share the ‘journey’ within the NTS as well as the local community and wider community of interest.

JOB PURPOSE

This job exists to:

Lead the Fyvie Castle & Estate Development Project and to plan, coordinate, manage, review and report all client-related activity on the project. In this role you will be the representative of the Client Oversight Group who in turn report to the Trust’s Executive Committee and Board. You will develop and deliver the Project to the requirements of internal ‘Customer’: The Regional Director.

Provide leadership to a team made up of internal NTS specialists and external consultants.

Be the conduit between external communities of interest, consultant teams and internal NTS teams.

Ensure that the project is delivered to meet the needs of the National Trust for Scotland and all statutory requirements and that the project progresses and is delivered to the desired quality within programme and budget.

Manage stakeholder relations and promote the project locally, nationally and internationally.

Maximise the opportunities to deliver core NTS objectives through the project delivery and the completed Fyvie Castle site.

Ensure that the project is handed over and closed in accordance with the NTS Project Management guidance, including developing and delivering an effective ‘soft landing’ strategy, organising necessary training on systems, post project evaluation and archiving of key Project documentation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. As the agent of the NTS Client Oversight Group, you will lead the Fyvie Castle Conservation Project and deliver exemplar conservation and refurbishment that respects and preserves the original design intent, while maximising access and benefit for all.
2. Manage the project from start-up to project close in accordance with NTS Project Management processes, producing, circulating and maintaining all project controls and documentation with particular emphasis on governance, managing risk, quality, cost, programme and change. Note this activity may in due course be undertaken in collaboration with external project managers.
3. Develop the overall Project Brief in consultation with internal teams and stakeholder groups and lead the delivery of that brief on behalf of the internal Customer. The Brief will set out the aims and objectives of the Project, its budget, programme and quality standards for approval by the Trust, including but not limited to:
a. Project Management Strategy in collaboration with NTS Head of Project Management.
b. Procurement plan in collaboration with NTS Head of Procurement.
c. Operations plan in collaboration with Operational Management Team.
d. Conservation strategy in collaboration with internal NTS specialist departments and external experts and consultants.
e. Stakeholder management plan in collaboration with NTS Communications Team.
f. Fundraising plan in collaboration with NTS Fundraising Team.
g. Change management process.
h. Risk and opportunity management process.
i. A BIM enabled future maintenance strategy.
4. Continually manage and monitor project quality, budget and programme, managing change and provide early warning of damaging divergence, risks and opportunities. Take action to rectify or mitigate as required and report regularly to the Project Client Oversight Group, Trust senior leadership and Board.
5. Ensure that Project delivery is managed in a sustainable a way as possible with minimum environmental impact.
6. Develop and deliver a strategy for a ‘low carbon’ Fyvie Castle site on completion of the Project.
7. Produce specific briefing documents for consultants and contractors and develop a procurement strategy. Lead the procurement of a suitable consultant team and contractor(s) to work with internal NTS specialists to deliver the project.
8. Organise and deliver audience research and development to help guide the development and ambition of the project.
9. Consider, consult and advise on optimum contract and insurance arrangements for the Project.
10. Bring together an internal team of specialists from across the Trust, to work alongside the external consultant team to develop and deliver the project and maximise shared learning across NTS.
11. Review design team proposals and monitor standards of workmanship to ensure compliance with the project brief.
12. Manage and monitor project delivery to ensure compliance with all statutory regulation including the Client duties contained in the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015 (CDM).
13. Collate and maintain the Project Risk Register and advise the Trust on the management of Project risk. Convene and chair a risk management panel to ensure full understanding of all risks and opportunities.
14. Consult, liaise, inform and negotiate at all stages of the project with the local planning and building control authority, Historic Environment Scotland and other key external stakeholders such as the CRM Society, to allow them to act as advocates for the project.
15. Represent the Project and NTS at internal, local, national and international forums.
16. Liaise with other project teams across NTS to share learning, promote continual improvement and ensure a uniformly high standard of project management.

JOB PURPOSE
To provide operational coordination and supervision of retail, learning, visitor services, and events at in line with the Trust’s policies, priorities, performance standards and targets to contribute to the enjoyment of the property by visitors and members, and help ensure commercial, financial, and conservation objectives are achieved.
The Visitor Services Supervisor at a Trust property plays a pivotal role ensuring that the management objectives are achieved through excellent customer service, and, with delegated responsibility for catering, retail, events and duty management is very often the “face” of the Trust to visitors and suppliers. As such, s/he directly influences public perceptions of the Trust and is crucial to developing and maintaining the property’s local/national reputation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
Supervising/undertaking the day-to-day operation of the Palace and gardens to ensure an excellent customer/visitor experience. This includes supervision of:
 Visitor services, catering, events and retail offer (including ordering, merchandising, sales targets).
 Line management of Visitor Services Assistants and volunteers.
 Duty management and oversight/maintenance of the property.
 Ensure the property social media is managed to generate interest, engagement and help drive visitors.
 Deliver the schools programme to meet the targets for number of visits, revenue generated.
 Support the informal learning and community engagement / outreach activity.
 Ticketing & Membership sales (to targets) and general customer service (individuals, education visits, other groups).
 Security of the Property;
 Health & Safety procedures, emergency procedures, and environmental procedures;
 Deputising for the Visitor Services Manager / Operations Manager on-site and off-site as required.

Responsible for day to day financial administration at the property, including:
 Ensuring the completion of Cash/till reconciliation.
 Week-end reports and reconciliation.
 Completion of the banking and all cash handling processes.

Supporting the Visitor Services Manager with:
 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 & supervisors across the Property to deliver a programme of visitor events, which increase visitor numbers, drive secondary spend and support overall Property targets.

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

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE
Qualifications
 No formal educational qualification required (but see “Experience” below).
 A full, clean driving license for driving in the UK.

Skills, Experience & Knowledge
Essential
 Significant previous experience of working in an operations role in the retail/visitor/heritage attraction industry – including supervision of staff and/or responsibility for specific activities.
 Previous event coordination/management experience.
 Strong personal belief in the value of excellent customer care with the ability to translate this into actions;
 Excellent organisational, administrative and time-management skills with the ability to prioritise and re-prioritise workload to meet changing demands.
 Proven sales skills with the ability to achieve targets.
 The ability to think and act quickly when confronted with emergencies.
 Competent user of Microsoft Office products.
 First Aid certificate or willingness to get one.
 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
• A formal qualification in Heritage Management, Hospitality, Tourism or Event Management.
• Experience of volunteer management.
• Access to own transport.

DIMENSIONS AND SCOPE OF JOB

Finance Management
 Share responsibility for achieving the income budget together with the Visitor Services Manager.
 Monitor commercial performance and adjust activities to capitalize on sales opportunities and run a cost-effective operation.
 Supervise daily till operations and perform end-of-day income reconciliation.
 Assist the Visitor Services Manager with stock-taking.

Tools / equipment / systems
 Access to laptop and relevant online people management, training, financial monitoring and stock ordering systems, including NTS intranet and Microsoft 365.
 EPOS tills and chip and pin machines.
 Fully equipped commercial catering kitchens.
 Use of internal finance and banking systems.

Performance indicators and targets
 Weekly, monthly and annual sales and cost of sales targets.
 Food compliance standards and record-keeping.
 Visitor enjoyment reviews and ratings from visitor surveys and visitor feedback.