Visitor Services Supervisor

ASVA: Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions; Poolewe; On-site; GBP 80,000 - GBP 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A renowned heritage organization is seeking an experienced individual to oversee daily operations at the Inverewe Garden Visitor Centre in Scotland. The successful candidate will ensure excellent visitor experiences and manage retail activities, while also supervising a team of assistants. Strong customer care skills and prior retail experience are essential, along with a full UK driving license. This role contributes to the overall success and sustainability of the garden's operations.

Qualifications

• Significant previous experience in a busy retail environment with staff supervision.
• Strong belief in excellent customer service and ability to act quickly in emergencies.
• Current UK driving license.

Responsibilities

• Supervise day-to-day operations of the Visitor Centre.
• Manage financial administration within the retail operation.
• Support recruitment and development of visitor services staff.
• Instil a Health & Safety culture across the property.

Skills

Customer care

Organisational skills

Sales skills

Time-management

Microsoft Office proficiency

Job description

Overview

Organisation: The National Trust for Scotland

JOB PURPOSE: This role exists to ensure a best-in-class visitor experience that compliments the quality of an internationally recognised heritage garden of outstanding horticultural importance; leading all staff to contribute fully to the operations overall commercial and conservation success. You will be a member of the Inverewe welcome team assisting with the operational delivery of retail, admissions and the visitor experience at the property. Delivering performance standards and targets to ensure enjoyment of the property by visitors and members is maximized 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 joined up service provision. You will be based at Inverewe and report to the Visitor Services Manager.

Responsibilities and accountabilities

• Supervising/undertaking the day-to-day operation of the Visitor Centre to ensure an excellent customer/visitor experience. This includes:
• • Supervision of the retail offer (including ordering, merchandising, sales targets);
  • Membership sales (to targets) and general customer service (individuals, education visits, other groups).
  • Health & Safety procedures, emergency procedures, and environmental procedures.
  • Deputising for the Visitor Services Manager on-site and off-site as required.
• Responsible for day-to-day financial administration within the retail operation, including cash/till reconciliation, day-end and week-end reports and reconciliation, completion of the banking processes, and reporting of working hours for payroll.
• Supporting the Visitor Services Manager – Retail with the 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 across the Property to deliver a programme of visitor events, which increase visitor numbers, drive secondary spends and support overall Property targets;
• Instil a Health & Safety culture across the property, ensuring the teamwork 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

Essential

• No formal educational qualification required (but see “Experience” below);
• A full, clean driving license for driving in the UK.

Experience

Essential

• Significant previous experience of working in a busy retail environment, including supervision of staff and/or responsibility for specific activities.
• Previous retail supervisory 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.
• Current driving license valid for driving in the UK.

Desirable

• A genuine understanding of and belief in, the work of the National Trust for Scotland;
• Access to own transport.

Dimensions and scope of job

Scale: Inverewe Garden & Estate comprises an area of 2103 acres in total with an area of 54 acres specifically dedicated to Inverewe House and Garden. Additionally, the wider estate has both natural and cultural features including; species, habitats and archaeological sites which hold considerable international, national and local significance.

There is one retail outlet located within the property at Inverewe Garden Visitor Centre. Delivering 200-250k per annum.

There are two catering outlets within the site; Osgood’s Café situated out with the garden and the Bothy café situated within the garden.

The property also hosts, visitor events, specialist festivals and offers holiday accommodation.

• People Management: Daily interaction with customers/clients (including members, visitors, coach and tour organisers).
• Supervisory responsibility for between 6-15 visitor services assistants.
• Some volunteer management as part of overall property responsibilities and during events.
• Finance Management: Assists with the management of the retail budget at Inverewe and works alongside the Visitor Services Manager.
• Tools / equipment / systems: Access to desktop PC and relevant IT systems, i.e. standard NTS management systems including Intranet, T:Drive, Dynamics, EPOS.