Jobs

Eden Scott is delighted to be working with the National Trust for Scotland, a charity established in 1931, to provide access and enjoyment to the properties, places and collections in its care. They also exist to protect what they look after for future generations to enjoy; and increasingly they are keen to act as a strong conservation voice for heritage and climate change response across Scotland.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the team at the Trust as Visitor Services Manager – Food & Beverage (Catering) which will be responsible for the operational delivery of the Food & Beverage experience at Crathes Castle, Drum Castle, Craigievar Castle and Leith Hall in the Trusts Aberdeenshire South Cluster.

The role will be based at Crathes Castle, which stands against a backdrop of rolling hills and set within its own glorious gardens. Café 1702 at Crathes is the perfect hangout for all the family, serving a selection of delicious freshly prepared hot and cold food, including an unrivalled selection of home-baked treats and ice cream with both indoor and outdoor seating.

At Drum Castle Mary’s Larder – named after the resourceful and plucky sister of the 17th laird they offer a variety of a selection of coffees, teas and hot chocolates, their famous scones, made fresh every da, and Craigievar Castle the beautiful pink castle said to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle offers a tea room.

This role will ensure performance standards and targets are delivered to ensure enjoyment of the properties by visitors and members is maximised and key commercial, financial and development objectives are achieved to make the property fully sustainable.

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

Key responsibilities of the role:

• Driving the Food & Beverage department to achieve its 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.
• Directly manage the Food & Beverage Visitor Services Supervisors at Crathes Castle, Drum Castle, Craigievar Castle and Leith Hall.
• You will work closely with the sites Visitor Services teams and will be responsible for the visitor experience on a day-to-day basis when they are not present.
• Create a culture of ‘exceptional service, every time’. Delivering high standards of delivery and a consistently warm welcome on every occasion.
• You will ensure high standards of presentation across the properties; you may have delegated tasks within other departments and you will understand and help deliver your overall property 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
• 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;
• 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.
• Budgets – (setting, phasing, monitoring, reporting, pro-active and re-active adjustments together with the Operations Manager) to ensure that the finances are sustainable within the context of the wider property budgets;

Key skills and experience required:

• Direct experience of managing multi-strand visitor/commercial services in a hospitality, heritage or tourist-attraction context;
• Catering skills and knowledge
• Excellent leadership and influencing skills;
• Excellent understanding of report writing and financial management;
• Well developed time management and organisation skills.
• A full, clean driving license for driving the UK essential.

This role offers an excellent competitive salary within a range of £33,702 to £37,281 per annum with significant company benefits.

Eden Scott are dealing exclusively with the Trust on this vacancy so to be considered for this exciting opportunity with a truly unique and best in class employer, please submit your CV online or to sally.rae@edenscott.com and for an informal chat or to receive the full role information pack and job description please email or call Sally on 07776 662506.

Closing date 5.00pm Friday 15th July 2022

Application Deadline: Friday 15/07/2022