City Regeneration City Development Cultural Development Services Post title: Senior Visitor Centre Officer Job no: 8112 Salary £22,001 - £23,473 Per Annum pro rata (subject to moderation and pay review) Contract: Permanent 26 hours per week including regular weekend and Bank Holiday working. Main duties: To provide a wide range of information and tourism products to visitors Provide day to day co-ordination for the TIC front line staff To support the development of the retail sales culture. Essential Criteria Extensive practical experience in Tourist Centre operation Substantial experience in retail environment Ability to co-ordinate front line staff to deliver excellent services Ability to manage conflicting and competing priorities effectively Proven record on achieving income targets Ability to communicate clearly and effectively For an informal discussion about the post please contact David Clark, Town Hall & Visitor Centre Team Leader on 01865 252559 or email dclark@oxford.gov.uk Closing Date: Friday 3 July 2009 Disabled Applicants who meet the essential criteria on the Person Specification will be invited to interview Oxford City Council is not currently licensed as a sponsor and cannot employ migrant workers outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland under the Point Based System rules, issued by the UK Border Agency. Full details of the posts above, including application forms & job descriptions are available on-line to download at www.oxford.gov.uk For an application pack by post please contact 01865 252258 E-mail: recruitment@oxford.gov.uk oxford city council is currently undergoing job evaluation Valuing differences and making equal opportunities a reality OXFORD CITY COUNCIL CITY REGENERATION Executive Director: Melbourne Barrett City Development FURTHER PARTICULARS FOR THE POST OF SENIOR VISITOR CENTRE OFFICER (2 Posts) The specific details of the post are as follows:GRADE: 6 SALARY: £22,001 – £23,473 (subject to job evaluation exercise) POST NUMBER: 8112 HOURS OF DUTY: The hours of work are based on 26 hours per week. Exact times to be worked are to be agreed with your manager. The City Council is involved in serving the public and as part of your duties you may be required to undertake work and attend meetings outside normal office hours. A sessional fee, overtime, or time off in lieu may be available on these occasions in accordance with the conditions of the scheme. Payments for childcare responsibility may be claimed. REPORTING TO: Tourist Information Centre Supervisor OTHER INFORMATION: This is a permanent pensionable post Relocation expenses are not payable for this post. Two references are required. The Council has a childcare voucher scheme. Employees who pay a registered childcare provider may be able to make tax and National Insurance savings on some or all of their childcare costs. The Council’s normal retirement age is 65. In line with the Age Discrimination Legislation exemptions the Council does not accept applications from people over 65yrs of age or who are within 6 months of our normal retirement age. This authority is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers, and to this end may use the information you provide on your application form for the prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes. For further information, see http://www.oxford.gov.uk/privacy CLOSING DATE: Completed application forms should be returned to Human Resources, Town Hall, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1BX by no later on 4.30pm on Friday 3 July 2009 Applicants please note that if you have not received notification from us within 3 weeks of the above closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion. UK BORDER AGENCY Oxford City Council is not currently licensed as a sponsor and cannot employ migrant workers outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland under the Point Based System rules, issued by the UK Border Agency. FURTHER PARTICULARS The postholder must at all times carry out their duties and responsibilities with due regard to the Council’s Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety Policies. Oxford City Council aims to recruit, retain and develop a committed and diverse workforce. Criminal records will be taken into account for recruitment purposes only when the conviction is relevant. Unless the nature of the work demands it, you will not be asked to disclose convictions that are unspent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (ROA 74). Having an unspent conviction will not necessarily bar you from employment. This will depend on the circumstances and background of your offence. Certain positions within Oxford City Council meet the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation Act 1974 (ROA 74) because of the nature of the work involved. Where posts meet these requirements, the successful applicant will therefore be subject to a criminal record check from the Criminal Records Bureau before appointment is confirmed. This will include cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions. A copy of the Council's Policy on the Employment of People with Criminal Records is included in the application pack. SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Job Title: Job purpose: Senior Visitor Centre Officer To provide a wide range of information and tourism products in response to enquiries from members of the public and local tourism trade requiring assistance in person, by telephone, letter and electronic mail. To provide day to day co-ordination for the front line staff at the Tourist Information Centre. To support the development of the retail sales culture. To support the administrative and operational requirements of the Centre. The post holder will be responsible for: 1. Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the Centre and monitoring staff in all aspects of their duties. 2. Ensuring adequate cover at the Centre for all opening times reporting any problems to the TIC Supervisor. 3. Ensuring effective communication within the Centre team. 4. Responding to day-to-day enquiries from members of the public and local tourism trade and maintaining a welcoming centre with appropriate information available at all times. 5. Supporting and developing the retail sales culture of the Centre staff. 6. Shop stock including ordering, checking deliveries, pricing and stocking display shelves. The identification of new products to offer on sale to visitors to the Centre and the confirmation of invoices to the line manager to authorise payment. 7. Regular shop stock takes and reporting any deficiencies to the TIC Supervisor. 8. Ensuring that all TIC staff are conversant with the shop stock available and trained to sell and stock display shelves as necessary. 9. Cashing up daily cash up balancing money/cheques/credit cards. Investigate any discrepancies in line with procedures. 10. As required by the TIC Supervisor preparing takings for banking and bank in line with accountancy procedures. 11. Identifying marketing and advertising opportunities for the Centre. 12. Using the software systems available for the operation of the Centre including Destination Management System and ensuring that staff is competent in their use of the systems. 13. Compiling and recording statistical information as required. 14. Carrying out the duties and responsibilities with due regard to the Council’s Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety Policies and ensuring the Centre staff are aware of their responsibilities in these areas. 15. Any other administrative or operational duties commensurate with the post holder’s grade necessary to support the working of the Centre. Along with other members of the Centre staff the post holder will be responsible for the opening, securing and responding to emergency call out procedures for the Centre. The post holder will be required to wear issued uniform appropriate to the Centre. PERSON SPECIFICATION Job Title: Senior Visitor Centre Officer Grade: 6 Post No: 8112 Essential/ Desirable Method: Application (A) Interviewed (I) Test (T) E A E AI Computer literate to be able to operate effectively office and specialist TIC software systems and to oversee and advise staff in the systems use. Knowledge Up-to-date working knowledge of tourism development E AI D AI Knowledge of the marketing uses of databases and customer relationship packages. D AI An understanding of local government and of the social policy issues to be faced in a multi-cultural city. An understanding and commitment to diversity and community cohesion An ability to speak one major language in addition to English, or a commitment to gain a language qualification. Key competencies Ability to deal with health and safety requirements. Ability to develop individuals to promote high performance and innovation. Ability to co-ordinate a team of frontline staff to deliver excellent services. Ability to deal with conflicting and competing priorities effectively, keeping team performance on track Proven record in achieving sales income targets. Ability to communicate clearly and D AI E AI E A E AI E I E I E I E AI E I Experience Extensive practical experience of day-today activities in a tourist information centre. Substantial experience in retail environment including stock management, display and sales technique and operation of electronic cash machines. effectively. A good listener who consults well. Qualifications GCSE standard or equivalent with passes in English and Mathematics NVQ in a relevant tourism or sales subject. Evidence of continuing professional development E I E A D A E AI