Date as postmark
Dear Sir/Madam
Thank you for your interest in the post of Assistant Centre Manager (12 month fixed term contract) at Bedfords Park Visitor Centre, Essex Wildlife Trust.
The successful applicant will work 37.5 hours per week, 9am – 5pm, across Monday – Sunday. This role will require working as part of a rota and a minimum of alternate weekends is expected.
Please find enclosed with this letter a copy of the following information about the post and the Essex Wildlife Trust:
· A Job Description for the post of Assistant Centre Manager
· Terms and Conditions of Employment
Essex Wildlife Trust is the county’s leading conservation charity. It has more than 35,800 members, manages and protects over 8,400 acres of land on 87 nature reserves and 2 nature parks and runs 11 visitor centres. The aim of Essex Wildlife Trust is to Protect Wildlife for the Future and for the People of Essex. It is supported financially by members, local businesses and grant making organisations. It is one of the largest of the 47 county wildlife trusts that work together throughout the British Isles as The Wildlife Trusts.
The visitor centre is set in the grounds of Bedfords Park, an historic parkland site of 215 acres, owned and managed by the London Borough of Havering. The nature reserve affords fantastic views over London and into Kent.
The park includes many valuable habitats such as mature woodland, species rich wildflower meadows, ponds, streams and marshy areas. There are many exotic trees originally planted in the mansion gardens, such as Cedar of Lebanon
The main aims of this post are:
· Delivering a high-quality experience at our Visitor Centre to maximise Centre income.
· Ensuring the efficient and profitable running of the Centre and providing a high quality and engaging retail offer.
· Supervising volunteers to ensure the smooth running of the Centre.
· Support the Catering Assistant to ensure the highest standards of food hygiene and safety are maintained at all times.
· Ensure effective integration of catering activities within the day to day running of the visitor Centre by supporting the Catering Assistant as required.
· Supporting an engaging and exciting Centre annual events programme.
· Ensuring the Centre maximises opportunities to recruit new EWT members and increase levels of donations.
Please note this role will require regular weekend working as part of a rota, minimum of alternate weekends is expected. Flexibility to your working pattern is essential.
To apply for the post please return the application form together with your CV and a covering letter explaining why you think you are suited to the job. Your application must reach the above address by 9am on 13th June 2017.
Interviews will be held on 22nd June 2017 at Bedfords Park Visitor Centre.
Due to the high number of applicants we are not able to respond to your application unless you are selected for interview. If you have not heard from us by the interview date you have not been successful in getting an interview.
For further information please contact 01621 862960 or visit www.essexwt.org.uk
Thank you for your interest in the work of the Trust and I look forward to receiving your application.
Yours faithfully
Fay Chapman– Bedfords Park Visitor Centre Team Leader
Essex Wildlife Trust Job Description and Person Specification
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Assistant Centre Manager (12 month fixed term contract)
Location: Bedfords Park Visitor Centre
Reports to: Team Leader/ Centre Manager
Responsible for: Volunteers
Job Purpose: To support the Bedfords Centre Team in the efficient and profitable running of the centre ensuring a high quality and engaging visitor experience.
Responsibility Areas and Key Activities
Service Delivery
· To deputise in the absence of the centre manager, especially during days off, holidays and sickness.
· Ensure all front of house areas are well presented, tidy and promote a quality catering and retail experience.
· To offer a high quality coffee shop offer to maximise the customer experience.
· Ensure the day to day management of front of house is efficient and offers a smooth running service for visitors.
· Leading by example, ensure high standards of customer service and care by managing, motivating and training volunteers.
· Ensure visitors receive a high quality and inspiring retail offer.
· Ensure administration supports the smooth running of the centre.
· Ensure accurate centre data is recorded in a timely manner.
· To support the delivery of a varied and profitable events programme that maximises on the new Beatrix Potter sculpture trail.
· Take on all responsibilities involved in being a key holder.
· To ensure the centre maximises opportunities to recruit new EWT members and increase levels of donations.
· Ensure the highest standards of hygiene for the front of house at all times, setting and administering daily cleaning schedules.
People
· Manage and motivate volunteers through effective supervision using EWT procedures.
· Work as part of a close knit team.
· Deal with customer enquiries or complaints in an efficient and professional manner.
· Ensure the safety of staff, volunteers and visitors by complying with all legal and EWT policies and procedures relating to hygiene, health and safety, fire and security.
Problem Solving/Innovation
· Analyse customers’ needs to define priorities.
· Create innovative shop displays.
· Respond and efficiently resolve problems as they arise.
· Resolve any volunteer issues as they arise.
· Encourage, listen and respond to all visitor feedback.
· Assist with development of new interpretation.
Planning/Organising
· Assist in development and implementation of an annual programme of events,
· Work with Centre Manager to ensure centre cover volunteer rota in place.
· To ensure all financial activities related to the visitor centre are carried out to a high standard and to the required time scales.
· Ensure accurate completion of centre records in accordance with EWT centre procedure.
Communication
· Work closely with line manager to meet sales targets and EWT aims and objectives.
· Communicate with visitors on a daily basis.
· Assist with production of editorial, adverts and press releases and maintain social media sites to fully promote the centre and events.
· Promotion of good communication and team working with all staff and volunteers in the visitor centre.
· Promote the work of Essex Wildlife Trust.
To undertake any other duties which are commensurate with the role.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Specialist knowledge and experience:
1. Experience or understanding of working with or supervising a team of volunteers.
2. Experience in the following areas:
a) assisting in running a retail or visitor centre or
b) planning and running successful and profitable events
3. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including use of social media.
4. Proven ability to problem solve and to use own initiative.
5. Experience of providing excellent customer care.
6. A high level of administration skills.
7. Knowledge of /or interest in wildlife and an interest in working for a charity which is determined to protect wildlife for the future and for the people of Essex.
Essential skills and behaviours:
1. Team working
· Makes a positive contribution to the team, supporting colleagues in their day-to-day work.
2. Problem solving and analysis
· Identifies potential difficulties and their causes. Generates workable solutions and makes rational judgements.
3. Professionalism
· Able to produce accurate and high quality results, with excellent attention to detail.
· Ensures high standards are achieved and customer needs fulfilled.
4. Determination
· Able to remain calm under pressure.
· Gets results and willingly tackles demanding tasks. Sets and exceeds challenging personal targets.
5. Persuasive communication
· Identifies the key points to communicate on any interaction, selecting the right channel for the message and audience.
· Speaks clearly, fluently and in a compelling manner to both individuals and groups.
6. Customer focus
· Works hard to meet customer needs and looks after their interests.
· Quickly builds rapport and easily establishes relationships with customers.
7. People management
· Provides clarity when delegating work, setting boundaries and balancing the need for delivery.
8. Planning
· Able to organise time effectively, create work schedules, prioritise workload and meet deadlines.
· Recognise priorities and deal with them effectively.
Special conditions:
· Willingness to be flexible with working days.
· Work alternate weekends, as part of a rota, and weekends, evenings and bank holidays as required in order to fulfil your role.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
Name of Employer: Essex Wildlife Sales
Title of Post: Assistant Centre Manager (fixed term contract)
A detailed job description is available but this does not form part of the terms of employment.
Responsible to: Bedfords Park Centre Manager and Team Leader
Place of Work: Bedfords Park Visitor Centre
Hours of Work: 37.5 hours per week, normally 7.5 per day. Normal office hours are 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, however, work will be required outside these hours, including work at evenings, regular weekend work as part of a rota (usually working every other weekend) and Bank Holidays for which time may be taken off in lieu. Guidance and procedures on claiming time off in lieu are included in the Staff Handbook, located on SharePoint.
Itinerary: You must complete a staff itinerary in advance for each week for your Line Manager to read, this must show the days you are working, the hours you intend to work and indicate key jobs you are undertaking. This is held on Microsoft Outlook Calendar. Instructions are in the Staff Handbook.
Salary: up to £18,700 per annum. Salary is paid monthly in arrears. If for some reason it is clear that the Trust has over paid or under paid on one month it will adjust this by deduction or addition on the next month. Rates of pay are reviewed in November each year. Details of salary during Probationary period will be set out in your letter of appointment.
Travelling: When using your own vehicle on Trust business (excluding ordinary commuting) a mileage allowance may be payable (full details and current rates are available in the Staff Handbook). When you make a travel claim you will be asked to confirm that your private vehicle is appropriately insured, taxed and has an MOT (where applicable).
Travel at the beginning or end of the working day to/from your normal place of work is within your own time. It is not classed as working time and you are therefore not entitled to record time off in lieu for these journeys. If an employee travels from their place of work to another work related location or temporary place of work, this is normally in work time. If an employee’s role requires them to travel from home to a temporary place of work at the start of the day it would be reasonable for an employee to spend the first 30 minutes of the journey in their own time. The same would apply at the end of the day if an employee travels from a temporary place of work to home in that it would be reasonable for 30 minutes of that journey to be in their own time. Full guidance can be found in the Staff Handbook on SharePoint. Specific exceptions to this can be agreed by your Line Manager for going on a particular visit or training outside of Essex, where the length of the journey is more than a normal journey time you would do within Essex.
Annual Leave: Our holiday year runs from 1st January to 31st December. For a complete holiday year full-time staff are entitled to 23 working days in addition to days in lieu of statutory bank holidays rising to 25 days after 5 years’ service.
Holidays must be taken in consultation with other staff and with the agreement of your Line Manager. If you commence work part way through the holiday year, you need to base your entitlement on the remaining complete months in that holiday year.
You will not normally be able to take more than 3 consecutive weeks as holiday and at least three working days must be taken between November 1st and March 1st. Annual leave must normally be taken in the calendar year it is due, but some days can be carried over with agreement of the Line Manager providing they are taken by 31st March of the following year.
If you leave your employment your holiday entitlement will need to be recalculated for the completed months that you have worked in that holiday year. Discuss any over taken holidays with your Line Manager.
Probationary Period: 6 months during which time the employer or the employee may terminate the employment upon one week's notice.
Length of Contract: 12 months fixed term contract.
Other Expenses: Other legitimate claims for expenses on Trust business can be made on the appropriate claim form providing these have been agreed in advance by the appropriate Budget Head.
Pension: The Trust or its subsidiaries will offer a pension contribution of 4% to a pension scheme approved by Essex Wildlife Trust and which meets the criteria for auto-enrolment, providing that the member of staff also contributes 3% into that same pension scheme.
Notice: After the probationary period, one month's notice of termination of employment is required by either side. The Employer is required to give one additional week of notice for each completed year of continuous employment exceeding 4 completed years to a maximum of 12 weeks’ notice. The Trust may direct a staff member to take any outstanding holiday during the period of notice.
Disciplinary, Grievance and Appeals Procedures: Clear procedures for dealing with any Disciplinary matter or Grievance or Appeal are set out in a separate document as part of the Staff Handbook that may need to be updated from time to time and does not, therefore, form part of these terms of employment.
An employee should take any Grievance or Appeal in the first instance to the Line Manager to whom he/she is responsible. Any Disciplinary matter will, in the first instance, be raised by an Employee's Line Manager.
Retirement Age: The Trust does not operate a compulsory retirement age for its employees.
Sickness and Sick Pay: