Jobs

JOB PURPOSE

The Seasonal Ranger will support the Culzean Rangers team during the busy summer months. Specifically, to combine responsibilities on nature conservation, visitor services, learning and community engagement to help deliver the strategic objectives of the property and wider National Trust for Scotland.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Visitor Services
• Welcoming and engaging visitors, enhancing their experience by providing information about Culzean, its geology, natural and cultural heritage, including strong messages around safety and respect for wildlife.
• Encourage people to further contribute to caring for Culzean through donating or taking up membership of NTS.
• Assist with practical countryside management including litter picks, beach cleans maintenance and safety checks of visitor infrastructure (including play parks).
• Lead and assist with events such as guided walks and talks as appropriate.

Nature conservation
• Contribute to biological monitoring programmes.
• Manage and collate biological information in a consistent manner compatible with Trust and national datasets.

Learning
• Assist with educational and other outreach activities on site or to the local community and to communities of interest, including for volunteers.

Marketing & Communications
• Enthusiastically promote awareness and understanding of the role that NTS plays in protecting and caring for Culzean and wider work across Scotland.
• Regularly update and contribute positive stories to NTS social media and other communication outlets relevant to Culzean.
Livestock Management
• Will support the team with feeding and care of the property’s livestock; deer and llama.

Other responsibilities
• Ensure that all activities undertaken are compliant with the Trust’s health and safety policies and procedures including the Safe System of Work, Visitor Safety in the Countryside, and environmental policy and practices, mindful of impacts on people and environment.
• Contribute knowledge and experience to projects and management decisions within the NTS Plan for Nature.
• Criminal records (Disclosure Scotland) checking and clearance essential for safeguarding of children/vulnerable adults. The role is one for which the duties/responsibilities/accountabilities of the role will require staff to become a member of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications

Essential
• Graduate level qualifications or equivalent experience in one or more of the following subject areas: heritage or cultural studies, visitor services, rural land management, nature conservation, environmental studies.

Experience

Essential
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to interact positively with a wide range of people in person and through other written or visual forms.
• Ability to implement work in a lone working and challenging environment, and within a small team.
• Willingness to initiate conversational relationships with visitors and community partners, be approachable and welcoming.
• Excellent organisational, time-management skills with the ability to prioritise and be flexible according to weather and changing demands.
• Competent user of Microsoft Office and social media.
• A sound knowledge of issues affecting the conservation and management of Scotland’s environment (landscapes, habitats, and wildlife).
• Proven track record of delivering visitor experience within a countryside context.
• Experience of managing safety in the countryside.
• 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 encouraging colleagues to do the same.

Desirable
• Working knowledge of ecological survey and monitoring techniques.
• Practical land management and maintenance of small-scale rural estates infrastructure.
• Ability to think and act quickly when confronted with emergencies.
• Up to date First Aid certificate.

DIMENSIONS AND SCOPE OF JOB

Scale
• Formerly the home of the Marquess of Ailsa and the Kennedy family and with a history dating back to the sixteenth century, Culzean Castle and its landscaped grounds was acquired by the Trust in 1945 and is generally considered one of the flag-ship Trust properties. The Country Park extending to about 286 hectares, is visited by around 300,000 visitors each year, who come to enjoy the wildlife and scenery, of which the gardens, woodland and coastline are an integral part. The Country Park is open all year and the castle from April to October.

People Management
• No line management responsibility but will be required to supervise volunteers on occasion.
• Part of a team consisting of Head Ranger and two permanent Ranges.
• Will have regular interaction with members of the public of all ages and abilities. Culzean attracts around 300,000 visitors each season.

Finance Management
• Assist in making the best use of resources and ensuring best value.
• Contribute to the income of the Trust through recruiting new members and encouraging donations.
• This role is not a budget-holder.

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.

Applications
Interested applicants should forward a completed application form to the People Department by email via workforus@nts.org.uk, by 10th February 2023

Application Deadline: Friday 10/02/2023