Visitor Services Assistant

**Role**: Visitor Services Assistant - Castle

**Region**:South and West

**Reports to**: Visitor Services Supervisor - Castle

Pay Band/Starting Salary: Grade 2 Lower - £10.90 per hour, £22,672 pro-rata, per annum

**Location**:Culzean Castle and Country Park

**Type of Contract**:Fixed term 20th March to 31st October to include weekends

**Cost Centre: 3CUZ**

**Activity Code: VSZ**

**Available Posts**

**5 x 18 hours posts (3 days from 7), 4 x 24 hours posts (4 days from 7),**

**PURPOSE OF THE ROLE**

Culzean Castle is one of Scotland’s most loved castles, as one of the Visitor Services team within the castle, you’ll ensure that all visitors receive an excellent visitor experience and leave felling inspired by this magical place. This will be achieved through being welcoming; engaging and knowledgeable; prepared to answer visitors’ questions about objects, stories of the castle and its family and the NTS.

The role involves some physical activity and will include standing for periods of time and/or walking through the building during guided tours. Due to the historic nature of the building physical access from the upper levels in the event of an emergency is currently only by stairs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Warmly welcome Visitors to the Castle by checking tickets and upselling Guidebooks to enhance their visit.
- Sharing the benefits of Membership with ticket holders and always actively looking at innovative and interesting ways to encourage Membership recruitment.
- Ensure the highest level of customer service ensuring all visitors receive an excellent visitor experience
- Maximise visitor enjoyment and understanding of the property through engaging visitors with the history of Culzean and the Kennedy family
- Delivery of a broad range of high quality guided tours and talks about Culzean for the general public and organised groups
- To deliver a range of engaging school workshops, for all ages and abilities
- Enhance the visitor experience through use of third person costumed interpretation, object handling and cookery demonstrations where applicable
- Actively promote the work of the NTS and the value of NTS membership to existing and potential members
- Be mindful of security needs of the property and its contents, minimising opportunities for theft or damage through diligent monitoring of visitors and the implementation of security measures (e.g. locking up procedures etc.)
- Be aware of the conservation needs of the property and its contents and minimise the risk of accidental damage through engaging with visitors and the implementation of appropriate conservation measures
- Share in the common responsibility of implementing the Trust’s Health & Safety policy, being mindful at all times of health & safety of self, staff, volunteers, and visitors
- Share in the common responsibility for the safe evacuation/management of colleagues and visitors in the event of a fire or security alert or alarm

**SCOPE OF ROLE**

**People Management**
- Not a line manager but will work closely with other property colleagues and will have interaction with other technical/specialist advisory colleagues based in other locations and departments;
- Will have daily interaction with members of the public of all ages and abilities

**Financial Management**
- Not a budget holder.

**Essential**
- A personal commitment to excellence in customer care with the ability to enthuse and motivate others
- Must have enthusiasm for Scottish heritage and in particular family history and history of art/architecture
- Must be a very able and enthusiastic communicator, in particular verbally
- Must have sound working experience dealing effectively with a wide range of people in a public situation
- Must have a genuine understanding of and belief in the work of the NTS
- Willing to show commitment and flexibility in work practice
- Ability to be flexible, in particular to adapt working patterns and tasks to meet day-to-day variations in property needs.
- Ability to adjust pace to match customer flow without compromising quality of service.
- Excellent front of house persona - warm, welcoming, patient and understanding.
- Excellent selling skills
- Genuine belief in the value of good customer service.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Demonstrable time management skills and the ability to prioritise.
- Ability to be proactive and to take the initiative.

**Desirable**
- Previous cash handling experience
- Historical knowledge of the site and a passion for heritage
- Previous experience or volunteer experience in museum, tourism or conservation sector
- Epos

The Key Responsibilities, Behaviours and 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 abilitie