Visitor Services Assistant

Job summary

Work within the Recreation team to welcome visitors to Westonbirt, the National Arboretum. Contribute to providing visitors with a service that exceeds their expectations. Promote a work environment that is positive, productive and practices support and respect between individuals and teams.

Job description

Key responsibilities & accountabilities

• Work within the Recreation team to welcome visitors to Westonbirt, the National Arboretum.
• Contribute to providing visitors with a service that exceeds their expectations.
• Promote a work environment that is positive, productive and practices support and respect between individuals and teams.
• Operate the admissions area scanning tickets checking membership and handling cash, credit and debit card sales.
• Help give information and deal with enquiries from customers in a positive and friendly manner.
• Ensure the public areas are kept clean and presentable.
• Assist the events and learning teams in setting up and delivering events and activities.
• Work with and support volunteers.
• Welcoming all visitors including school groups, vulnerable adults and children.
• First aid.
• Follow set guidelines and processes to provide customer services, such as cash handling procedures and risk assessments.
• Liaise with delivery partners such as the Restaurant and Shop concessions to ensure a cohesive customer offer.
• Working outdoors in all-weather completing manual tasks including maintenance and manual handling.
• Provide overtime: If overtime is needed then staff will be invited to volunteer. If there are not enough volunteers, you may be required to work overtime with at least 48 hours' notice.
• Responsibility for supervision of volunteer teams as required.

And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager.

Person specification

Skills, knowledge & experience

Essential professional and technical experience

• Experience of delivering excellent customer service.
• Proven ability to work as part of a team.
• Competent IT user with experience of Microsoft Office packages, the internet and email.
• A full current driving licence that enables them to drive in the UK.
• Willingness and ability to work outdoors in all weathers and to carry out manual maintenance tasks.
• Experience of undertaking cash handling duties.

Desirable professional and technical experience

• Experience of operating electronic admissions or retail till systems.
• A working knowledge of risk assessments and safe working in an outdoor setting.
• Experience of working at a visitor attraction in the heritage and or environment sector.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £26,959, Forestry Commission contributes £7,810 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

How to apply…

We cannot accept applications via email. Please follow the steps outlined below. Any CVs and/or personal statements sent outside the system will not be considered for shortlisting.

You will be asked to write a 200 word statement on your relevant experience and career history, along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words. You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form.

The Behaviours being assessed at interview are –

• Changing and Improving
• Making effective decisions
• Working Together
• Managing a quality service
• Delivering at Pace

You may also be assessed on Experience, Strength based questions, and/or the Technical Success Profile at the interview. The technical element could include a presentation, practical or written task.

Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check and the government baseline personnel security standard check.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, please email [email removed].

If you're planning to use AI to support your application, please ensure you've read our guidelines here first.

Read more about our application process and working with us on the Forestry England website.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo an enhanced (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the