Summary

Our Visitor Experience team aims to ensure that every visit to a National Trust place is an engaging, inclusive, and memorable one. Whether that’s learning about one of our historic buildings, enjoying a picnic in a park, or participation in a family tree planting event, we want to make sure there’s something for everyone.  

We’re now looking for an inspiring Director who will be responsible for setting the future vision for this creative function.  

Salary: Circa £90,000 

What it's like to work here

You can find out more about the work our team do in this short video.

We welcome 25 million visitors to our pay-for-entry properties each year, and far more to the open countryside and coast. It’s our Visitor Experience teams that make sure everyone who visits has the best possible experience. Roles in the team range from our helpful, knowledgeable Visitor Experience Assistants and Managers through to imaginative interpreters, and community, events and learning experts. They all share a passion for providing ‘exceptional experiences, every time, for everyone’. They also help to shape the long-term future of places cared for by the Trust so that they respond to the changing needs of diverse visitors – from new facilities to new layers of interpretation and new creative work.

What you'll be doing

In this role you’ll be instrumental to shaping our approach to experiences and inspiring others to work with you.   

You’ll be naturally creative and an entrepreneur who can find new ways to do diversify and evolve our experiences and partnerships. Translating your insight into a vision for your team and the organisation, you’ll lead on our approach to programming and ensuring the experiences at our places are informative, inclusive, and accessible, and meet the needs of existing and new audiences. You’ll be a champion for inclusion and diversity, you’ll commission and draw upon insights, stay close to external developments, and look for opportunities to create productive partnerships. 

Being an expert in building relationships, you’ll collaborate with our Operational and Support & Revenue teams to ensure there is a joined-up approach to visitors. You’ll be a bridge for our properties, regional teams and internal consultancy to the ideas, knowledge, and expertise they need. You’ll be able to identify key contacts and stakeholders and be someone who can open doors for new opportunities for the Trust.  

Understanding of National Trust places and visitors is essential so there will be a requirement for travel as necessary. 

Who we're looking for

We’re looking for someone who: 

• Has in-depth knowledge and strong experience of the visitor business, programming and partnership 

• Has a strong commitment to inclusion, and a track record of leading and implementing approaches and programmes that build diversity, accessibility, and inclusion 

• Is an innovator who can develop and embed new approaches, and who can identify and champion positive change wherever it’s needed 

• Is a strategic thinker, with strong analytical skills and the ability to translate strategy into action 

• Can think long-term, about the development of Trust places over decades, as well as about short-term programming 

• Has excellent leadership skills including the ability to inspire and motivate teams 

• Is experienced in creating partnerships to enable focused delivery across a complex organisation and beyond 

• Has a proven track record of managing and delivering change in a multi-disciplinary environment  

The package

Salary: Circa £90,000 including private medical cover, bi-annual health screening, pension scheme with a generous matched contribution rate and other benefits.

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

Wherever you’re from, and whatever your background, we want to hear from you – and it doesn’t matter if you’re jam first, cream first, or even if you don’t like scones at all. Everyone is welcome.

Benefits for working at the National Trust include:

• Flexible working whenever possible
• Free parking at most locations
• Free entry to our properties for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.