JOB DESCRIPTION & FURTHER DETAILS
Title:
Grade:
Salary:
Reports to:
Responsible for:
Volunteers
Contract Duration:
Hours:
Visitor Services Team Manager
Grade 5
£22,971 – 27,428 p.a.
Front of House Manager
up to 55 Visitor Services Assistants and a team of
Permanent
36.5 Hours per week
Alongside the Museums opening hours of 10:00 – 18:00, you will be required to work
Bank Holidays, weekends and evenings throughout the year, these events are shared by
all team managers. Overtime will be paid in line with University policy and procedure.
Location:
Other entitlements:
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
38 days' annual leave including public holidays
Background
Founded in 1683, the Ashmolean is the oldest and one of the finest museums in Britain.
The Museum is a department of Oxford University, and therefore has the highest
standards of collecting and research.
We are to be an open door to the excellence of Oxford, sparking in everyone a curiosity
for the beauty, diversity and intellectual richness of our collections.
There is now a rare opportunity to join the Ashmolean Museum’s Visitor Services
Team.
Objectives
It is imperative that we create a friendly and welcoming environment in order to
stimulate the visitor to open his/her mind to the joy of learning. While at the same time
it is equally important to protect the visitors, staff, the building and artefacts from both
accidental and/or intentional harm. In order to achieve this, the objectives of the Visitor
Services team are a combination of visitor service and security.
Therefore the core objectives of this role are that you will support the Front of House
Manager in the day to day supervision of the team of Visitor Services Assistants
ensuring that we provide exceptional service to our visitors. You will provide security
by ensuring that public areas are always efficiently staffed and that the team is well
trained, motivated and managed.
Main Duties of the Visitor Service Team Manager
Visitor Services

Ensure that all VSAs provide excellent visitor care. This is to be achieved by
displaying and encouraging behaviour that is engaging, confident, enthusiastic and
expert.

Ensure all VSAs interact appropriately with the visitors as well as respond quickly
and positively to questions, requests, problems or complaints. The VSA
Supervisors are to provide support for VSAs in resolving problems and deal
personally with any visitor complaints that are referred by the VSAs.

Ensure the smooth running of the reception, information, audio guide desks.

Ensure all leaflet distribution points are appropriately stocked.

Ensure ticketing of temporary exhibitions is properly administered and that cash
handling procedures are observed.

Liaising with external suppliers and the ordering of items as and when required.

Take responsibility for briefing VSA staff with any information relevant to their
role, the Museum, exhibitions or any other information given by the FOH
Manager for cascade.

Ensure that income for the Museum is maximised through the sale of some
merchandise and the promotion of audio guides, gift aid and membership.

Create and evolve procedural manuals for the department, responsible for
managing and prioritising your own work load, and operate independently with
minimal supervision.

Indentify the needs of the visitors and determine courses of action in order to
satisfy these needs.

Desire to open visitors’ minds to the joy of learning about the Ashmolean Museum
and its collections.

Able to effectively communicate and to implement the policies and practices of the
Visitor Services Department.

Willing to search out and attend training courses.

Demonstrate continuous professional development by proactively seeking further
professional training relevant to the VSTM post and support best practice in the
team.
Security

Provide a weekly and daily rota that ensures that public areas are always
efficiently staffed.

Maintain a Supervisory presence within the public areas of the Museum, prevent
the team congregating together, ensuring all opening/closing checks have been
carried out, oversee opening/closing of the Museum.

Ensure there is correct signage throughout the Museum.

Keep abreast of all Museum rules and ensure that they are properly applied at all
times.

Make frequent checks of the artefacts in and out of the display cases to ensure that
their condition and security are maintained.

Deal promptly and appropriately with any individual whose behaviour poses a
threat to the safety of visitors, staff and/or the security of the collection.

Alert and inform the Front of House Mgr and/or Head of Security immediately
when any serious problem occurs.

Ensure that the emergency exit routes are clear and that the Museum is free from
hazards prior to opening and that any hazards discovered are promptly dealt with
prior to allowing the public to enter the area.

Ensure that staff members implement their emergency duties to the required level
of competence.

Encourage awareness of the Museum’s Health and Safety guidelines.

Ensure that all incidents and near misses are reported to the Front of House Mgr.

Responsible for the creation and updating of risk assessments as well as ensuring
compliance with relevant Health and Safety Regulations.
Team Management

Help build an effective team by training, encouraging, motivating, coaching and
supporting staff in the performance of their duties. Bring to the attention of the
Front of House Manager any staff performance issues.

Ensure that lateness, sickness and other absences are properly recorded and the
team are in the correct and clean uniforms to the agreed standard of appearance.
Ensure that return to work interviews are routinely carried out, and follow
discipline procedures in line with universities policies

Ensure that every member of the VSA team receives an annual appraisal and
probation reviews are completed on a timely basis.

Processing payroll on a monthly basis for all staff members working for up to 65
individuals.

Assist with the identification and assessment of staff skills on an ongoing basis and
recommend further training and development as appropriate.

Together with the Front of House Mgr assist with the recruitment of all VSA
staff.

Work effectively as part of the Visitor Services Team. Maintaining close liaison
with the Front of House Mgr, Security, Events, Building Services and Cleaning
staff as and when required.

Forge links with other Ashmolean Museum and Oxford University departments
in order to facilitate staff development and secondment programs within the
university and to ensure the smooth operation of the Front of House on a daily
basis.

Responsible for managing a team of more than 50 VSA’s, as well as overseeing a
team of 80 Volunteers in the absence of the Volunteer manager (this includes cash
handling and a willingness to learn and then instruct Epos systems and
MuseumPlus)

Events planning and logistics (separate rota and recruitment for staff from our
internal team)
This is not an exhaustive list of duties and the Museum’s management may, at any time,
allocate other tasks which are of a similar nature or level.
Person Specification for the Visitor Service Team Leaders
Experience
We expect the role-holder:

To have previously enjoyed and gained substantial (several years) experience
of supervising/managing a team in a busy visitor or customer focussed
environment such as retail, catering, nursing, museums or galleries

To have a commitment to working to high standards and show initiative to
introduce those where a need has been identified.

To have experience of working in an environment with strict security
procedures.

To have experience of responsibility for cash handling.
Competencies
We expect the role-holder:

To have excellent Staff Management skills including, recruitment,
performance management, motivation and staff development.

To have excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate
clearly and to lead with authority, showing tact and diplomacy when
necessary.

To have good rostering, organisation and administrative skills.

To have a good command of the English language, both written and
spoken, although English does not have to be your first language.

To have excellent computer skills in both Word processing and Excel.

To be able to demonstrate a reliable, responsible, flexible and trustworthy
attitude and approach.

To adhere to the dress code and behave in a manner that is appropriate for
the Museum and University.

Demonstrable ability to promote a positive environment that supports to
Museum’s Brand.

To have some awareness of health and safety issues.

To have confidence in taking a proactive approach to issues arising.

To have sound judgement when, and enjoy, dealing with people.

To have a good eye for attention to detail.

To be willing to acquire a good working knowledge of the Museum and its
future, the University and the City.

To have the desire to keep up to date on any information which might assist
the visiting public.
How to apply
All applications must be made on an application form and sent by email to
human.resources@ashmus.ox.ac.uk (it is possible but not preferred to send applications
by post to The Human Resources Department, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford OX1 2PH).
The closing date for applications is 5:00 pm on Friday 11th February 2011. No
applications received after this date will be considered. All applications will be
acknowledged. In the interests of economy we will only contact those candidates who
have been shortlisted for interview and they will be informed by telephone or email.
An interview date has not yet been scheduled, but once confirmed it will not be possible
to alter the interview date, as there are several staff members involved in the selection
process. If you pass the initial interview stage you will be invited to attend a second
stage interview which will include a practical element (role-play scenario).
Please note we are unable to pay travel expenses to interview from outside the UK.
This post does not meet the minimum requirements for work permit employment: we
can therefore only accept applications from those who can prove their eligibility to work
in the UK.
Pay and benefits
The salary for this post is Grade 5 Salary: £22,971 p.a. rising to £27,428 p.a. If you are
appointed at a salary below the top of this range, your salary will automatically be
increased each year until you have reached the top point. There is also an annual costof-living salary review.
Payment is made by credit transfer to a bank or building society, monthly in arrears.
The annual holiday entitlement is 38 days a year pro rata (this includes public holidays
and any Museum closed days).
The post is pensionable and the post holder eligible for membership of the Oxford Staff
Pension Scheme.
The University has a generous maternity leave scheme and also offers paternity leave to
expectant fathers, and adoption leave. It offers subsidised nursery places, a childminding
network, a holiday playscheme, and tax and National Insurance savings schemes. For
further information see http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/child.
All appointments are subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and medical
questionnaire followed occupational health clearance and the provision of original
documentation which indicates the successful applicant’s right to work in the UK.
Equal opportunities policy statement
The policy and practice of the University of Oxford require that all staff are afforded
equal opportunities within employment and that entry into employment within the
University and progression within employment will be determined only by personal
merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each particular
post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to fulfil the requirements of
the post will be the primary consideration. Subject to statutory provisions, no applicant
or member of staff will be treated less favourably than another because of his or her sex,
marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, racial
group, or disability.
Data protection
All data supplied by applicants will be used only for the purposes of determining their
suitability for the post, and will be held in accordance with the principles of the Data
protection Act 1998 and the University’s Data Protection Policy.
Useful Web Links
The Ashmolean - http://www.ashmolean.org/
The Ashmolean Vacancies Page - http://www.ashmolean.org/about/vacancies/
The Ashmolean Staff / Contact List - http://www.ashmolean.org/contact/
Oxford University - http://www.ox.ac.uk/
Oxford University Personnel Services - http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/ps/
Staff Benefits - http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/ps/staff/benefits/
Oxford Maps & Directions http://www.ox.ac.uk/visitors_friends/maps_and_directions/index.html