Job Description
Role: Visitor Services Manager
Reports to: RBBM Director and General
Manager
Location: RBBM
July 2015
Business Function: RBBM Visitor Services
Pay Band/Starting Salary: Band F / £32,138
Type of Contract: Permanent / full-time
Terms and conditions
The post is subject to the standard terms and conditions provided with the application pack and the
following special terms also apply.
Working hours
40 hours per week at such times to suit the needs of the Property and will be confirmed by the
Director and General Manager. This will include weekend and evening work as required to suit the
business.
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
This role exists to manage the visitor experience at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum (RBBM) in its
entirety. The Visitor Services Manager (VSM) will focus on joining-up the visitor offer, striving for
excellence and financial sustainability at RBBM. From the marketing and promotion of the property, to
managing and developing every aspect of the visit to Alloway itself, the VSM will play a central role in
overseeing, coordinating and championing the experience of every visitor to RBBM, making RBBM a
must-see visitor attraction, acclaimed internationally and loved locally.1
As a key part of the management team, the VSM will work strategically with colleagues at RBBM and
NTS Head Office to shape and manage the visitor experience, and drive and deliver excellence in
customer service on the ground via a team of front-of-house supervisors, staff and volunteers. Using
exceptional management skills and a sound understanding of meeting audience needs, the VSM will
ensure that visitor services at RBBM are visitor-centred and exceed our Visit Scotland 5 star rating. The
VSM will also use proven commercial awareness and excellent financial planning to make sure that
RBBM takes advantage of new opportunities and runs profitably. Key to this will be improving
performance within and across departments.
Working closely with the Learning Manager and Curator to develop interpretation and build audiences,
and with the Function and Events Manager to promote cross-departmental initiatives to attract new
audiences and develop new business opportunities, the VSM will ensure that the highest standards of
professionalism are developed within the department and that visitors are provided with a first class
level of service and customer care. The VSM will oversee the Volunteer Co-ordinator role to ensure that
appropriate standards of volunteer recruitment and management are maintained throughout RBBM.The
post holder will also work closely with collections care staff within the property to ensure collections are
protected from and not damaged by commercial activities.
Staffing Structure
1
The Museum’s vision is ‘to be Scotland’s must-see attraction, acclaimed internationally and loved locally’ [August 2014]
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Key purposes of the job will be met by:
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Owning the visitor experience and ensuring staff and volunteers work as a team to deliver an
unforgettable visit to RBBM for a wide range of audiences
Managing the public catering, admissions and retail offer at a strategic level. Ensure the delivery
of each department’s operational objectives
Promote team-working within and across departments
Maintaining an overview of the presentation of the public site and the standard of customer care
Playing a key role in all projects that impact on the service to the public
Playing a key role in the forward planning of the role of Visitor Services front of house staff and
undertake periodic efficiency reviews of departmental practices
Maintaining an overview on the presentation of the public site and the standard of customer care
Producing departmental management reports such as absence and budget
Writing reports for the Director and General Manager, or for funding applications
Presenting information to staff and volunteers, other NTS staff, or RBBM stakeholders
Ensuring the efficient operation of visitor entrance and parking arrangements, and all admission
staff on event day
Overseeing the recruitment of permanent and temporary staff and ensure they are trained to
carry out their duties efficiently and flexibly
Ensuring appropriate training is provided for the development of staff and handling
departmental disciplinary matters Keep abreast of developments and communicate them
effectively to others.
Showing deliverable financial management and commercial awareness
Planning and monitoring the work of the team and carry out appraisals ensuring that
information is filed appropriately, with development plans that are actively used
Holding team meetings on a regular basis to communicate targets, standards required, company
and client information
Proactively developing relationships with key industry players
Acting as Trust Duty Manager, assuming overall responsibility for the security of RBBM
Managing allocated budgets to ensure that expenditure is prudent and ‘value for money’ and
income budgets are met and where possible exceeded in admissions, retail, and catering. Ensure
that income potential is maximised
Working within Health & Safety regime to ensure the H&S of staff/volunteers, clients, and
visitors within the context of the Trust’s “Safe System of Work” regime
Customer Service
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To be customer-focused at all times
To work with the Learning Manager and Curator on developing audiences
To regularly monitor customer feedback, Mystery Visitor and Visit Scotland Audits and develop
suitable action plans based on the results
To proactively gather, interpret and act upon visitor data
Health and Safety, and the Environment
 To ensure that the property meets statutory and company requirements of Health and Safety,
Food Safety and Environmental legislations and procedures
 To ensure that the property maintains its Green Tourism award status
 To ensure that all Trust procedures and work instructions are fully understood and practiced by
all employees
The current duties of this job do require a criminal records (Disclosure Scotland) check to be carried out.
SCOPE OF ROLE
People Management
 Direct line management of Catering Supervisor, Admissions Supervisor, Retail Supervisor, and a
close working relationship with the Volunteer Coordinator
 Building and maintaining relations with catering and retail suppliers with whom we have or
could build business relationships for RBBM
 Developing and maintaining sound relationship with other local businesses
 Working closely with specialist Trust staff (e.g. Collections Care, Curatorial, and Hospitality)
based at local and central support bases to ensure Trust policies and standards are implemented
Financial Management
 Delegated responsibility for the Admissions, Retail, and Catering budgets at RBBM
 Overseeing ordering and stock control in Admissions, Retail and Catering
SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE
The above outlines the key skills the job holder will need to possess and exercise. In addition, either
knowledge of or experience in the following is required:
Essential
o Educated to degree level or equivalent
o Management experience within a museum, visitor attraction, or service industry
o Thorough understanding of how to plan, monitor, and change the visitor experience at a heritage
attraction
o Proven experience of team building within and between departments
o Experience of planning and carrying out visitor evaluation, and managing feedback
o Proven experience of managing large teams in a busy environment of face to face interaction with
public
o Proven experience of commercial management within retail and catering environment
o Volunteer management experience
o IT Proficient - Word and Excel
o Demonstrable knowledge of Health & Safety
o Flexible attitude to duties and hours
o Uses delegation and coaching skills to help others develop new skills
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Has a solution focused approach and is able to act independently
Communicates effectively and persuasively, orally and in writing, with internal and external
contacts
Proven ability to act as part of a management team
Proven ability to form part of a team and lead staff with strong clear direction and purpose
Proven ability of working to and exceeding targets
Recent experience of change management
Develops positive and productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders
Personal commitment to excellence in customer care.
Attentive to detail with an eye for presentation and finish.
Excellent interpersonal skills, with an ability to get along with a wide range of people
Encourages their team to develop a better understanding of visitors and staff from nontraditional backgrounds
Excellent presentation skills
Ability to project gravitas and authority when representing the Museum
Desirable
o Good IT skills
o Significant sales experience and front-line interaction with customers
o Knowledge of various approaches to museum interpretation
o Previous experience of working with hospitality/catering suppliers and specialists
o A genuine understanding of and belief in, the work of the National Trust for Scotland.
The Key Responsibilities, Scope of Job, and Required Qualifications, 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 abilities.
Applications
Interested applicants should forward a completed application form to Human Resources Department
(Applications), The National Trust for Scotland, Hermiston Quay, 5 Cultins Road, Edinburgh, EH11
4DF, by mail or by email via workforus@nts.org.uk, by first post (i.e. 10.00am) on 14 August 2015.
Interviews are likely to be held at RBBM during late August 2015.