Jobs

We are looking for an experienced and forward-thinking individual to join the management team at the vibrant Pitmedden Garden and Museum of Farming Life.

This is an exciting opportunity within the heritage industry and the ideal candidate must be passionate about our vision for the future and what we do every day as a business: Bringing people together and providing them with the greatest visitor experience.

Brilliant design and meticulous maintenance give Pitmedden Garden its unique charm. With almost 6 miles of clipped box hedging, the parterres at the heart of the garden are a masterpiece of intricate patterns and sparkling colours, drawing visitors from near and far.

JOB PURPOSE

You will be responsible for the operational delivery of the overall visitor experience within Pitmedden Garden and the wider Estate.

Delivering performance standards and targets to ensure excellent levels of visitor satisfaction, while maximising key commercial, financial and development objectives, to ensure the property is property fully sustainable.

Your vision and drive will continue to build on our current , from creating fresh visitor numbers, bringing fresh ideas to showcasing our site to a wider audience, to handling initial enquiries and delivering memorable visitor experiences. Ultimately ensuring Pitmedden Garden is recognised as a first-class visitor attraction.

You will be part of a broader management team responsible for delivering an overall visitor service strategy, promoting good communication within the property and across the division as well as a joined-up service provision.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Staff and volunteers – (recruitment, induction, development, motivation, performance management) such that they are fully equipped and motivated to undertake their duties to the required Trust standards and that staffing budgets are adhered to;
• Responsible for the line management of Visitor Service Supervisors and Visitor Services Assistants, within Pitmedden Garden.
• Instil a Health & Safety culture across the property, ensuring the team work within the properties Risk Assessments to reduce risk of incidents and accidents to volunteers, employees and visitors.
• Budgets – (setting, phasing, monitoring, reporting, pro-active and re-active adjustments together with the Operations Manager, General Manager, Business Manager and Finance Manager) to ensure that the finances are sustainable within the context of the wider property budgets;
• Plan and deliver annual events and functions strategy with support of NE regional office and Visitor Service Supervisors.
• Create a culture of ‘exceptional service, every time’. Delivering high standards of delivery and a consistently warm welcome within the catering department
• Driving the visitor services experience to achieve financial targets, maximising income and profitability, using the Trust’s procedures and instructions. You will strive to be efficient and ensure cost effectiveness in all the work you do.
• Ensure the cornerstones of the National Trust for Scotland are achieved at every property namely, conservation, access and memorable visitor experiences for all guests.
• You will ensure high standards of presentation at all times, you may have delegated tasks within other departments and you will understand and help deliver your overall properties business plan.
• Taking responsibility for opening and closing and security of buildings as well as emergency procedure implementation, duty management and providing relief cover as required;
• The post holder will be designated for the property as the “responsible person” concerning issues around the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. For this element of your role, you will be required to undergo a criminal record check.

Department specific – visitor services

• Managing visitor-related buildings and facilities (e.g. retail and admissions, building, plant sales area, rental accommodation, holiday accommodation, nature hide).
• Ensuring that the longevity of the Trust’s buildings and fittings are maximised through appropriate maintenance and/or replacement regimes;
• To ensure that the property meets statutory and company requirements of Health and Safety, Food Safety and Environmental legislations and procedures including Waste Disposal and Allergens
• Adhering to the sale of alcohol legislation, being a Premises Manager.
• Deliver an attractive and engaging programme of tailored events which drive footfall to the estate.
• Supporting the Visitor Services Manager (Catering) to ensure catering standards are maintained.

Structure
The structure of the NE region includes three clusters named Aberdeenshire North (Haddo, Fyvie, Pitmedden, Fraser), Aberdeenshire South (Crathes, Drum, Craigievar) and Angus (House of Dun, Barries Birthplace, Barry Mill).
The Visitor Services Manager for Pitmedden Garden reports directly to the Operations Manager (Aberdeenshire North).

Additional support is provided through the NE Regional office team which comprises of General Manager, Business Manager, Heritage Services and Garden and Design Landscape Manager.

Central support resource is also provided through Consultancy Services.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications

Essential
• NVQ3/BTEC/City & Guilds/HND/Degree or equivalent experience;
• Management experience within a museum, visitor attraction or hospitality industry.
• Ability to work ‘hands-on’ – including in the retail, events and admissions areas – alongside the team members, demonstrating the customer service skills required of all staff.
• Proven experience of team building within and between departments.
• Has a solution focused approach and is able to act independently.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Experience in a retail and sales environments
• Hold a valid and recognised SQA Licensing Qualification e.g. Scottish Personal License Holder’s Certificate and Personal License.
• Experience of managing social media and delivering promotional activities.

Experience

Essential
 Have direct experience of managing multi-strand visitor/commercial services operation – ideally in a heritage or tourist-attraction context;
 Possess excellent communication skills (written and oral)
 Computer literacy with excellent ability on MS software;
 Excellent leadership and influencing skills;
 Excellent understanding of report writing and financial management;
 Well-developed time management and organisation skills.
 Current driving licence.

Desirable
 Current First Aid certification (or willingness to train and use).
 Significant sales experience and front-line interaction with customers.

DIMENSIONS AND SCOPE OF JOB

Scale
– The Visitor Services Manager will be accountable for delivery of c.21 k visitors, Income generation of c. £262k and expenditure management of c. £440k.

People Management
• The post-holder will directly manage both full time, seasonal staff and volunteers within all disciplines within the commercial & visitor services disciplines.
• The post will also work alongside the Head Gardener, who will line manage the garden team and the Visitor Services Manager (Catering), who will line manage the catering team.
• The post-holder will support delivery of cluster led Operations Manager initiatives.
• The post-holder will work frequently with the following centralised departments: Buildings; Finance & IT Support; Human Resources and regionally with the Development Managers for Retail and Catering.

Finance Management
• The Operations Manager is the overall budget-holder, but the post-holder has devolved responsibility and accountability for the following budget activities: Admissions & Membership; Property income, Retail & Plant Sales; Rental & Holiday Accommodation and annual expenditure.
• Is responsible for managing staffing costs within the property as per delegated budgets.

Key performance indicators and targets

• To monitor the work of the team and carry out appraisals ensuring that information is filed appropriately, with development plans that are actively used;

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.

Application Deadline: Friday 19/11/2021