Job Description
Dec 2013
Role:
Business Function:
Senior Assistant – Visitor Services
Properties & Visitor Services
Reports to:
Pay Band
Manager – Craigievar & Drum (based at Drum Castle) Band C / £17,200
Type of Contract:
Location:
Drum Castle, Drumoak, Aberdeenshire AB31
Permanent / full-time
Terms and conditions
The post is subject to the standard terms and conditions provided with the application pack.
Purpose of the role
This role has three key purposes:
1. To ensure that the property’s income targets are met in: membership, admissions, retail, catering,
functions and events;
2. To fulfil “duty management” responsibilities in support of the castle’s general operation as a
heritage visitor attraction, including supervising the castle staff and assisting gardens’ staff when
required
3. Ensure that the highest standards of collections care are maintained;
The Senior Assistant at a Trust property plays a pivotal role ensuring that management objectives are
translated into pragmatic actions by visitor services staff, and, with delegated responsibility for opening
arrangements, functions and events, is very often the “face” of the Trust to visitors and
corporate/private-hire clients. As s/he is also charged with ensuring the castle’s care, s/he has to find
and maintain a suitable balance between conservation, commerce, and engagement with the community
of members, visitors, clients and stakeholders. As such, s/he directly influences public perceptions of
the Trust and is crucial to developing and maintaining the property’s local/national reputation.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Income generation:
 Personally run the income generating areas in the castle (and, as necessary, ensure any cover
provided by staff/volunteers on an ad hoc basis is carried out to the required standards).
 Promote membership at point of sale - ensuring castle staff/volunteers promote membership as
an expected part of their roles – to meet (if not exceed) targets;
 Promote guide books at point of sale - ensuring castle staff/volunteers promote the guide book
as an expected part of their roles – to meet (if not exceed) targets;
 Manage the retail offer at Drum , including (but not limited to):
- Meeting (if not exceeding) retail sales targets through selling and up-selling;
- Maintaining a clean, tidy, appropriate shop area with appropriate merchandising to
maximize sales;
- Undertaking all stock management, including: orders, goods-in, stock-take (periodic and
year-end reconciliations), damage-returns and mark-downs;
- “Cashing-up” and reconciliation of till and safe, and recording sales through recognised
computer system;
 Manage the catering offer at Drum, including (but not limited to):
- Meeting if not exceeding catering targets through sales and up-selling;
- Ensuring cook safe procedures and hygiene procedures are complied with and accurate
records kept;
- Ordering catering stock and managing wastage to a minimum level;
- Maintaining a clean, tidy, appropriate tea-room
Work with the Property Manager to devise and deliver income-generating events and
private/corporate functions.
Duty Management:
 Make and effect suitable arrangements for public tours/opening, including (but not limited to):
- Assisting with the recruitment, training and management of castle guiding staff/volunteers;
- Physical “opening up” and “closing up” (alarms, doors, shutters, blinds) routines (including
toilet block checks/cleans, and car-park checks);
- Supervision of castle staff and volunteers, making ad hoc arrangements as necessary to cope
with unexpected situations or requirements, recording and reporting accurately time worked,
dealing with minor incidents relating to performance or conduct etc;
- Cashing-up, reconciliation and accounting of floats and takings – including entries to
recognised systems (the “Weekly Reporting Database”);
- Ensuring visitor facilities are cleaned stocked and available to the required standard e.g.
toilets, waiting areas, retail/catering/membership area;
 Ensure that general administration is carried out effectively, including (but not limited to):
- Devising and implementing the rota for guiding staff/volunteers;
- Telephone, email, written correspondence is logged and answered;
- Castle diary is maintained;
- Non-public visitors (e.g. internal staff/volunteers, corporate/private clients, researchers,
contractors) are welcomed and attended to appropriately;
- Any non-standard activities are recorded and brought to the attention of the Property
Manager;
- Maintaining Castle administration, including but not confined to time sheets, fire alarm /
emergency lighting checks, utility meter reading, Green Tourism Business Scheme files etc.
As stand-in “on-site” representative (in the absence of the Property Manager or Senior Assistant
(Functions/Events):
 Assume responsibilities as a “key-holder”;
 Respond to alarm call-outs (security and fire) timeously and follow established protocols or
Emergency Procedures as appropriate;
 Act as “first point of contact” for contractors/suppliers;



The current duties of this post require a criminal records (Disclosure Scotland) check to be carried out.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Drum Castle, Garden & Estate: The medieval 13th-century towerhouse is widely recognised to be one of
the most significant structures of its era still standing, with a fine Jacobean mansion added to it in the
early 17th century, and further additions of the 19th century. It is surrounded by delightful parkland,
including the Garden of Historic Roses, and the “Old Wood of Drum” (a SSSI and remnant of a 12 thcentury royal hunting ground). The collections within the castle reflect the 650 year continuous – until
transfer to the Trust’s ownership – ownership and occupation by the Irvine family, who continue to live
on the surrounding estate and take an active interest in the property.
Special Note:
Drum comprises a tower-castle with 17th and 19th century mansion additions disposed across 5 floors, all
of which are only accessible via staircases (some of which are narrow and spiral). The role of Senior
Assistant at Drum may be relatively sedentary when working at the admissions/membership desk
but when working in the small tearoom and shop there will be a significant amount of lifting and
carrying. The Senior Assistant may also be asked to undertake duties in the castle courtyard and on
lawns immediately adjacent to the castle, as well as at the Chapel (50m distant) or car park (100m
distant) – these outdoor areas are generally only accessible from the castle by gravelled paths.
Technical Knowledge & Qualifications
 Educated to degree standard in relevant discipline;
Will need to apply knowledge of running a heritage visitor attraction on a daily basis with particular
knowledge of visitor services, catering and retail.
People Management
 Supervises Drum guiding, retail, catering staff and volunteers;
 Works closely with the Senior Assistant (Functions) to give assistance with collections
care/conservation;
 Works closely with specialist Trust staff (especially [but not limited to]: membership, commercial,
conservation, marketing, health & safety, human resources) based at local and central support bases
to ensure Trust policies and standards are implemented;
 Works in a context where interacting with others (especially when managing visitor services
arrangements and in out-of-hours or emergency situations) may be quite pressured so is required to
be the confident, authorative voice/presence of the Trust.

Financial Management:
 Not a budget holder but will be expected to account for all admissions/membership/retail /catering
sales and donations transactions;
 Will process financial transactions (e.g. time-sheets, purchase ordering, invoicing) on a regular and
frequent basis using IT-based finance packages.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS OR ABILITIES:
Essential:
 Educated to degree standard;
 Substantial experience in a customer-facing role within a visitor attraction context;
 Experience of staff supervision;
 Personal belief in and experience of meeting (exceeding) sales targets;
 Eye for detail coupled with a diligent, organised approach to ensure that high standards are met
both within the castle, property and visitor areas;
 Personal belief in and demonstration of delivering excellent customer care and service;
 Confidence to be able to handle a wide range of individuals and to work alone, safely and securely;
 Adaptability and willingness to work closely with the Property Team on a variety of tasks;
 Excellent organisational, administrative and time-management skills with the ability to prioritise and
re-prioritise workload to meet changing demands;
 The ability to think and act quickly when confronted with emergencies;
 Competent user of Microsoft Office products;
 Personal belief in the aims and objectives of the National Trust for Scotland, and the desire to
promote its work to others for their enjoyment.
Desirable:
 2 years previous experience working at a heritage visitor attraction with a specific focus on an
income generating area.
The Key Responsibilities, Scope of Job, Experience and Skills/Abilities 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 17 January 2014. Interviews
are likely to be held at Drum Castle on 31 January 2014.