Summary

Working within a bustling atmosphere as part of passionate team this role as a Welcome & Service Assistant, plays a core part in providing fantastic customer service.

Lindisfarne is a tidal island, with access via a causeway. Due to the impact of working on a tidal island, this directly affects the castle’s opening hours, which will vary on a day-to-day basis. Opening hours will sometimes match the length of the open tide e.g. safe crossing times 9am to 3pm, but the castle can equally operate on a closed tide e.g. tide closed 10am – 3pm meaning you will be working whilst not being able to get back across to the mainland. 

At the Farne Islands the main attraction is bird life and our busy periods revolve around them. During May, June and July the puffins are nesting, and we enter our peak visiting time. This can mean early starts and late finishes to catch the Islands at their best time of day and maximise the visitor experience.

Due to the variable nature of business, employees will be guaranteed their contracted hours as a minimum, but the occasion may arise for additional hours if there is visitor demand to increase operating hours. Due to this, we are looking for people who are happy to be flexible, change shift patterns at short notice, work weekends/bank holidays and occasional evenings. The role does require working outside, in varying weather conditions and often requires you to be on your feet for much of the day. This role is based across the Northumberland Coast portfolio, so you will regularly be expected to work and travel, between Lindisfarne Castle admissions, within Lindisfarne Castle itself, and the admissions point at Seahouses harbour. 

Interviews to be held 7th March

What it's like to work here

The Farne Islands, already one of Europe’s most important nature reserves, attracts a significant number of visitors and extensive media coverage every year. Like Lindisfarne Castle, the islands can act as a portal for a significant number of people, introducing them to the wider coast, the outdoors, and the organisation as a whole. The whole of the Northumberland Coast, renowned for the quality of its beaches and dramatic stretches of unspoilt coastline, offers a sense of freedom and discovery.

Click here for more information about this location

What you'll be doing

As the largest conservation charity in Europe we work hard to raise funds, so that we can continue to care for all the heritage in our trust. Visitors are a vital part of what we do, so you’ll be responsible for ensuring that you provide an excellent service to all our visitors, every day. As a Welcome & Service Assistant, it’s your role to ensure that the welcome our visitors receive is perfect, setting them up for an amazing experience for the rest of the day.

You’ll be responsible for answering queries and making sure visitors can find everything they need for their visit. Understanding how and why we engage our supporters is key. Working with our spirit of place you’ll work with the visitor welcome team to link everything we do back to our cause and the on-going work we do.

You’ll deliver high standards of presentation at the property, and ensure all our communications with our visitors are clear and consistent, from the first click on the website, to the posters and signs around the property.

Who we're looking for

• Can demonstrate an empathetic, understanding and adaptable approach to different people’s needs, with a passion to deliver the highest standards of customer care.
• Proven experience of working to measurable targets
• Good team worker- flexible and adaptable and willing to grow experience and skillset across several different operation aspects of the property
• Skilled listener with great people skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Well organised and able to work with minimum supervision

The package

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.