Castle Guide

**Starting salary**:£25,770
Permanent & Fixed Term roles available
**Band**:A
**Location**:Edinburgh Region
**Working Hours**:5 out of 7 days, 35 hours per week

Edinburgh Castle is one of the most popular paid visitor attractions in Scotland. The Guiding team works to provide all aspects of the visitor journey within the castle and is responsible for delivering a world-class visitor experience. This includes a diverse range of activities from providing guided tours, passing on castle/historical information to visitors, maintaining exhibition areas and assisting in managing events of various sizes.

This is an exciting opportunity to work for the lead body responsible for the historic environment in Scotland. You will be actively involved in work which supports providing the best experience for our visitors.

We are looking for someone who enjoys interacting with diverse groups of people, who has a passion for customer service and who would thrive in a fast paced and constantly changing workplace.

Benefits of joining us at Historic Environment Scotland
- Enrolment onto a Civil Service Pension scheme - 28% employer contribution
- 25 days annual leave, pro-rata (increasing to 30 days after 3 years) + 11.5 public holidays
- Reimbursement for relevant professional subscriptions
- Support for further education and personal development
- Study leave for work related courses
- Flexible working hours (where appropriate)
- Free entry to all of our properties (with up to three guests)
- Free entry to English Heritage, Manx and Cadw properties

Key Responsibilities of this role

You will provide information and assistance for visitors whilst also ensuring visitor safety at Edinburgh Castle. The duties are detailed below:
Customer Service
- Provide the warmest welcome, assistance and information to our visitors and engage proactively, providing excellent customer service to maximise visitor experience.
- Engage with visitors who may require use of wheelchairs, lifts or the mobility vehicle.
- Develop knowledge of the castle’s history and share this with visitors.
- Ensure a high standard of presentation throughout the site, following appropriate cleaning processes in both public and staff areas.
- Support the team in achievement of quality assurance Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
- Actively support HES seminars, events, functions and promotions.
- Interact with visitors as part of the core visitor experience.

Teamwork
- Proactively communicate with colleagues across the site to ensure high performance, standards and consistency.
- Assist with procedures such as ensuring signposting for visitors, setting up barriers and crowd control on ceremonial occasions.

Commercial Awareness
- Working together with your Castle Team to achieve overall commercial performance targets.
- Assist with functions within Castle opening hours, such as escorting guests to their venue and signposting to areas where necessary.

Health and Safety & Compliance
- Ensure the security of the site, buildings and contents.
- Implement correct closedown procedures, ensuring site is clear of visitors and interior areas are secure.
- Monitor and comply with all H&S procedures/guidance relevant to the site.
- Follow correct procedures to ensure safe operation of all equipment.
- Ensure that the health and safety of staff, visitors and contractors is paramount at all times.

Key requirements of the role:
In order for you to be successful in this post, we will be looking for you to complete a cover letter which addresses:
1. Why you are interested in the post with Historic Environment Scotland

2. How you can meet each of the essential and desirable criteria (in up to 800 words), using examples of where you have used these skills in the past.

Please ensure that you provide real life examples for each of the criteria to be considered for this post. You can use examples of how you have met this criteria from your work life, home life, education or volunteer experience.

Essential Criteria:

- Experience delivering high standards of customer service in a fast-paced environment.
- A genuine interest in working in the heritage tourism industry.
- Ability to work independently at times.
- Excellent team working skills.
- Interest in and knowledge of Scottish history.

Please note that, at this time, we are unfortunately unable to provide sponsorship as part of the recruitment process, therefore you must have current right to work in the UK to be considered for a post.