Working for an independent environmental charity that works with local communities and landowners to conserve and enhance the distinctive landscape and wildlife whilst improving access, understanding and enjoyment for the benefit of everyone, this role provides a unique opportunity for someone to join a passionate team and use their skills and entrepreneurial flair to develop opportunities that achieve the Trust’s strategic aims and also maximise the income generation possibilities of the leisure enterprises on the land being managed in a sustainable manner. 

This is a real opportunity to make a difference to the environment and, as a member of a smaller independent non-profit making organisation, have scope to deploy your knowledge and skills, developing services and new initiatives in line with objectives for the benefit of the environment and its communities.

The Trust achieves its objectives by engaging people and creating partnerships which enable the conservation, access and enhancement of the area for the benefit of all its communities both people and wildlife.  Over recent years the Trust has through partnership working developed a range of visitor facilities to enhance access and enable revenue generation to support these aims.

The Trust seeks someone with significant experience in visitor facilities management/ revenue generation to join their family of 20 staff and over 100 volunteers to drive forward their ambition to provide sustainable countryside management for the enhancement and benefit of its communities.  You must have either experience in or a keen interest in conservation/ countryside site management. 

This role will seek to develop and optimise high quality visitor services such as refreshment, retail and other site activities, championing the highest standards of presentation and customer care at Trust centres, whilst ensuring minimal environmental impact. 

Key to your role in developing quality visitor services will be to manage and optimise the development and revenue potential of the Country Park some 400acres of woodlands, meadows and heathland

KEY DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Visitor Experience

• Working closely with other teams be responsible for delivering an excellent visitor experience across Trust Centres and provide the expertise and leadership on visitor related services and revenue development.
• In conjunction with the Trust’s Management Team ensure the achievement of a high visitor enjoyment rating in annual visitor surveys by ensuring the visit engages, excites and inspires visitors.
• Ensure that Visitor Engagement Cover is provided for the Visitor Centre during opening hours.
• Ensure visitor complaints, enquiries or comments are dealt with appropriately and that problems are identified to deliver a consistently high visitor experience
• Work closely with Trust Staff and Volunteers, promoting high levels of customer service and providing relevant training and development to enable staff and volunteers to develop effective engagement skills.
• Working closely with Senior Community Development Officer, ensuring all signage, and interpretation (fixed and face to face) is informative, engaging and supports the values of the Trust and Partners.
• Use customer profiling, research and evaluation techniques to ensure that all facilities, services on site are appropriate and relevant to the needs of visitors.
• Understand the visitor attraction marketplace and how the Centres fit within it.
• In collaboration with other Heads of Department, maximise accessibility and ensure all areas open to the public are safe and well presented of the properties for all visitors, consulting with relevant stakeholder groups.

Financial Performance and Revenue Development

• Manage functional operating, project & capital improvement budgets and contribute to the financial planning process. Ensure effective use of resources and delivery of agreed key performance indicators.
• Be accountable for the delivery of all relevant operational budgets relating to the Visitor Experience at thecentres, such as car parking, permits, retail, donations and Gift Aid and report on these to relevant management groups.
• Working with the Senior Management Team, to develop and implement activities which will help deliver growth in visitor numbers, retail and catering contributions and maximise other activity revenues, in order to deliver targets set out in the Business Plan.
• Develop monitor and support retail and catering services to ensure the offer is both appropriate and in line with both Trust and Visitor expectations of high quality and sustainable  facilities.
• Ensure Trust policies in relation to best practise financial management are adhered to.
• Seek to maximise revenues from Events and other Activities, with a particular emphasis on developing sponsorship opportunities, licence and contract management and controlling costs.
• Provide contract management and oversee work of contractors and other partners in relation to Trust Centres
• Help develop, co-ordinate and promote fundraising initiatives.
• Project Manage as required, delivering to agreed cost, quality and time targets.

Staff and Volunteer Management

• Lead, motivate and develop a multi-functional team of staff and volunteers, promoting team working and effective communication, to achieve defined objectives.
• Be accountable for your own and your staff’s development, seeking opportunities to develop new skills.
• Ensure all performance objectives are met, encouraging staff to develop within and, where appropriate, beyond their posts.

Compliance & Protection

• Ensure that your staff and volunteers comply with statutory and Trust Health & Safety, Fire and Security procedures to minimise risk to the public, staff, volunteers and contractors employed by the Trust.
• This will include conducting regular workplace and fire inspections, undertaking site hazard surveys and producing risk assessments for Centres and Centre related activities 
• Ensure that effective emergency plans are in place for Visitor Centres and are regularly tested and adhered to.
• Ensure the protection of the Trust’s finances, holdings and other assets through the operation of appropriate controls and risk management techniques
• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

Person Specification

Experience in Customer Services and Visitor Care
Proven business acumen in any discipline in the private or public sector including financial management and budgetary control
Experience of Operational Visitor Services and  related H&S practises and requirements
Experience of procurement , contracting & contract management
Experience in the leisure and catering industries
Knowledge and understanding of tourism /visitor marketplace and management.
Knowledge or keen interest in the environmental and countryside issues, landscape, wildlife, habitat or heritage
Knowledge of the importance of green infrastructure and open space to public health, welfare and happiness
Understanding of Customer Service Principles and standards, engagement/ interpretation
HR and H&S practises and requirements
Understanding of catering, retail or hospitality environment
Highly self motivated with excellent administration and organisational skills
Flexible and adaptable to changing workloads and outputs
Good Office IT skills: Competent in working with MS Word, Excel, Outlook and the internet
Ability to generate new and innovative ideas and communicate them
Ability to communicate effectively with diverse group
Self-motivated, with an ability to work independently
Ability to work as part of a team and lead others
Ability to analyse problems and devise appropriate, creative but realistic solutions
Ability to manage a demanding workload, remaining calm under pressure and delegating effectively to others
Sense of humour and a lot of common sense

Salary: c£35k depending on experience
Prospects: In this fast developing area of the Trust activities, opportunities are expected.
Hours of work: An average of 37.5 hours per week based on a 7.5 hour day.  You will need to work flexibly including evenings, weekends and Public Holidays
No overtime will be paid.  You may negotiate your own flexible work hours, within reason, with your line manager and colleagues so long as it is not to the detriment of your work or the rest of the team.
Annual leave entitlement: You will be entitled to 25 days annual leave plus public holidays (or days off in lieu of public holidays worked).
Pension: A Stakeholder Pension is available with employer’s contribution of 5%
Vehicle & travel requirements: A certain amount of travel will be required as part of your work between sites and to the Trust’s other offices.  A mileage allowance is given for travel for work purposes in your own vehicle or by bicycle.

The Recruitment Hub is a recruitment business and agency.

We would like to thank you for your interest in this vacancy and hope that you are successful in your application, however if you have not heard from us within two weeks of your application, we must ask you to assume that you have not been selected for interview for this particular role, we do however express the hope that you will apply for future job opportunities with The Recruitment Hub.