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Operations Manager

Employer
Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway
Location
Exbury, Southampton
Salary
£25,000 - £35,000 (DOE)
Closing date
14 Dec 2018

Operations Manager

 

REPORTING TO: Exbury Gardens Board (In their absence the Estate’s Managing Agent)        

SALARY: £25,000 - £35,000 Subject to Experience

EMPLOYMENT: Full Time

HOURS: 37.5 Hours per Week Including Weekends on a rota basis, two in every four

ROLE SUMMARY:  

As Operations Manager you will be responsible for managing and developing the front of house operations at Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway.

Your principle objective will be to develop the offering and increase footfall.

You will advise the Board of Directors and Trustees on strategies to drive the business forwards, and report to them regularly with visitor numbers and other statistics as requested.  You will continually monitor progress of projects and systems, highlighting improvements that could be made and liaising with suppliers to facilitate change.

You will take the lead in ensuring visitors enjoy their time here at Exbury Gardens, dealing with customer queries and issues whenever required.  You will oversee and direct the front of house staff to promote Exbury Gardens positively at all times, and help them achieve membership, guidebook, customer satisfaction and Gift Aid sales objectives, whilst ensuring every visitor receives the warmest of welcomes and any help they need.

You will ensure that there are appropriate support structures in place to meet all legal and company requirements.  You will be responsible for health and safety across the attraction in conjunction with other department heads and an external consultant.  You will be capable of making the right decisions under pressure for the safety of your team, staff and visitors.

You will be responsible for the training and development of all operations staff, will lead by example and mentor the Head of Visitor Services and back office team. You will assist with the continued implementation of the EPOS systems, databases, facilities and attractions within the Gardens

You will take responsibility for our daily takings balance and maintain high standards of organisation, including personnel, office and financial administration, completing any necessary records and documentation and creating the daily staffing rota.

This role will include regular weekend, Bank Holiday and occasional evening working and to perform other duties or tasks as may be reasonably requested by the company.

KEY AREAS:

The post holder shall:

  • Develop current systems to provide additional income such as setting up Direct Debit systems for seasonal ticket holders and provide strategy for automated group bookings systems adding value to the customer experience.
  • Implement a wide selection of 3rd party horticultural and arboriculture events to develop footfall within the summer and autumn seasons.
  • In conjunction with the Head Gardener and Visitor Services develop visitor trails for different seasons and events to maximise the enjoyment of the visiting public.
  • Plan and procure a small 3rd party retail facility and offering at Exbury Gardens providing visitors with the ability to purchase memorabilia and horticultural effects.
  • Develop and improve Gift Aid appeals to the visiting public and engage with day visitors to encourage the application of seasonal membership.
  • Encourage the team to actively sell seasonal membership, admission tickets and guidebooks to visitors and ensure all Members’ cards are checked and correctly recorded along with other forms of free entry to the property and develop a visitor identity system. Encourage Gift Aid on Entry and promote rail and buggy ticket sales.
  • Develop telephone sales procedure and group event bookings.
  • Motivate, train and champion the front of house team and engaging the visitor public on social media platforms and groups.
  • Encourage staff to achieve survey, membership and visitor satisfaction targets and develop a variation on the social offering and culinary experience.
  • Provide support, guidance and training for front of house staff in reception administration tasks such as membership enrolment, gift voucher sales, group bookings and cashing/balancing takings.
  • Analyse reports on visitor numbers, takings, events and other statistics to generate efficiencies within the gate team and reduce expenditure.
  • Complete regular analysis of competitor services and make recommendations on ticket pricing, amongst other offers, to ensure Exbury Gardens’ offer remains competitive, current and in line with our visitors’ expectations.
  • Effectively manage customer complaints and ensure all incidents and accidents are recorded, investigated and reported to HSE.
  • Produce all financial reporting required for accounts team and undertake credit control where necessary.
  • Sign off all departmental invoices and regularly review rates to ensure the company is receiving competitively priced products and services.
  • Ensure all systems and procedures comply with the Data Protection Act, HMRC regulations and other relevant laws.
  • Work with Managing Agent and external consultants to ensure there is an appropriate Health and Safety structure in place to meet organisational and regulatory requirements. Ensure COSHH Regulations are fully complied with, updated and monitored.
  • Evaluate, monitor and review all external contracts in place for front of house operations to ensure they remain appropriate and competitive, negotiating as required.
  • Be familiar with and implement procedures laid down by the company. Observe at all times the National Code of Practice for Visitor Attractions as defined by Visit England and always project a friendly, helpful and approachable image of Exbury Gardens.
  • Ensure that the various constraints on visitors, which are essential to the conservation of the environment, are applied in a sympathetic manner in order to protect the Gardens’ image.
  • Develop recycling systems to improve the Green credentials of the visitor experience.
  • Provide first aid assistance to staff and visitors as required.
  • Attend Board and Trust meetings as required and present at the annual Strategy Day and report on progress of current projects and provide costed recommendations for future projects.
  • Be accountable for your own development, seeking out opportunities to learn new skills and attend relevant training.
  • Ensure staff are appropriately inducted and trained in all areas relevant to their job role/s and that training is maintained and refreshed as required by law or company policy.

This is an outline job description and may be subject to change, according to the needs of the company, in consultation with the post holder.  It is not exhaustive and the post holder will be required to undertake other duties and tasks from time to time as reasonably requested.

In addition, all employees are expected to work within the terms of their contract of employment and adhere to the company’s policies and procedures at all times.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Essential

  • Demonstrates full understanding of excellent visitor service
  • Excellent communication skills and an ability to engage with a wide range of people of different ages, backgrounds and experiences
  • Extensive experience in recruiting consultants and training staff
  • Proven track record of successful staff management
  • Ability to work both individually and as a member of a wider team
  • IT skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook and a willingness to learn more as necessary
  • Ability to prioritise and manage deadlines
  • Ability to juggle numerous tasks simultaneously
  • Experience of planning and managing change i.e. changes in policy, procedures and new technologies
  • Demonstrable ability to negotiate and manage third party contracts
  • Experience of developing, implementing and monitoring procedures, policies and standards
  • Experience of cash handling and accounting for money
  • Good analytical and financial skills
  • Ability to create and design reports from a variety of sources for a multitude of functions
  • An aptitude for selling and the drive to meet budgets
  • Willingness to work in an outdoor environment
  • Able to cope with busy working environment
  • Full car driving licence
  • Computer literate and numerate
  • Health and Safety awareness
  • Calm attitude under pressure

Desirable

  • Knowledge of Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway and its customer base
  • Knowledge of Merlin EPOS system
  • First Aid Certificate
  • NEBOSH certification

 

ACCOUNTABILITIES OF THE ROLE:

The Operations Manager will be responsible to Exbury Gardens Board.

Reporting to the Operations Manager will be the Head of Visitor Services, Marketing Executive, Group Bookings Administrator, Account Manager (PT) and Catering Manager.  

You will be part of the senior management team comprising of the Managing Agent and Head Gardener, working together to promote the visitor attraction and increase visitor numbers.

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