Vacancy -- Senior Visitor Services Manager

'Pan Wales' means that the location in which the vacancy can be based is flexible, subject to the needs of the business. Please note it may not always be possible to accommodate a preference for a specific office location, but requests will be taken into consideration.

Cadw is an internal agency of the Welsh Government and combines regulatory, advisory and grant-making functions in the wider historic environment with the conservation, maintenance and presentation of a national collection of historic monuments, including two World Heritage Sites.

Cadw’s objectives include providing a world class visitor experience at our properties in care, increasing commercial performance through maximising the use of our monuments and increasing the benefits to communities by creating more opportunities for people to enjoy, learn about and take part in heritage activities. We also have a role in increasing awareness and enjoyment of the wider historic environment, and the need to care for it, for the well-being of present and future generations.

This is a senior management role within Public Engagement and Visitor Services, reporting to the Head of Branch, managing 2 Regional Managers and providing leadership for over 100 custodians, based at 24 staffed sites across Wales

This post will lead the provision of visitor services at Cadw’s properties in care, with particular responsibility for the quality of public service and the performance of custodians at staffed sites. The post-holder will lead the development of a culture which balances customer service excellence, community engagement and entrepreneurship across the estate.

• Lead a large and geographically dispersed workforce responsible for welcoming visitors to the 24 staffed monuments in Cadw’s care.
• Manage, coach and develop staff within the team to ensure day to day operations are delivered effectively and a culture of respect and dignity between colleagues is promoted.
• Manage the Visitor Services’ (VS) contribution to the annual and 3-year Cadw Business Plans, outlining how the branch will deliver on its government programme and business targets, particularly focusing on the commercial viability of the monuments.
• Undertake ongoing performance analysis to set direction, ensuring that work programmes support wider business objectives and implement changes to ensure best use of resources.
• Work with the VS regional managers to develop a learning and development strategy that focuses on the development needs of the custodians.
• Act as lead source of advice for Ministers and senior grades on key areas of Visitor Services, preparing submissions and briefings on a range of activities and issues, and presenting options and recommendations for implementation.
• Responsibility and accountability for the monitoring and expenditure of a revenue budget programme, including providing monthly reports to senior management.
• Responsibility and accountability for compliance across staffed sites with regards to health and safety for staff, visitors and the general public, including consistency in maintaining appropriate records and developing policies to ensure sites are safe workplaces and visitor attractions, working in collaboration with specialist staff.
• Lead in maintaining and improving customer service standards and visitor satisfaction, including monitoring visitor feedback, responding to and addressing issues arising from customer complaints and investigating new methods of collecting customer feedback and usage of Cadw sites.
• Maintain a close working relationship with Cadw colleagues responsible for maintenance, conservation and property issues, so that sites are well presented, clean and safe places to visit and work.
• Proactively work with colleagues across Cadw to contribute effectively to activity related to marketing, events, learning and commercial activities and ensure that visitors’ needs are taken into considered as part of monument development projects and programmes.  
• Encourage a culture that supports excellent relationships between Cadw sites and local communities and stakeholders to promote the positive impact of heritage sites with their local communities.
• Design research methods and collect data to help measure the economic impact of Cadw sites on local economies.
• Be the initial point of contact, for responding to out of hours matters at sites, drawing in support, as required, from other key support staff via the Out of Hours Emergency Contacts List.

Cadw encourages staff to pursue opportunities for continuous professional development as well as supporting specific learning and development activities linked to business needs.

The role involves leading visitor services at Cadw’s heritage attractions, including two World Heritage Sites, The Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd and the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape in Torfaen. It offers the opportunity to work in a leading heritage organisation, delivering a world class welcome to Wales and increasing visitors’ knowledge, enjoyment and appreciation of our unique history.

28/01/2020, 16:00

Posts recruited to as part of this recruitment campaign are broadly open to UK nationals, those with right to remain and work in the UK and those that meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules only. Check your eligibility here:

• UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK

• Nationality rules – GOV.UK

Prior to appointment, all successful applicants will be required to produce original, acceptable documents as part of the pre-employment checks. If it becomes apparent at a later stage in the process that you aren’t eligible to apply, your application will be withdrawn, or offer retracted.

The Welsh Government is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. This is underpinned by the Equality Act 2010 and will be adhered to at each stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure that these commitments are also embedded in our day-to-day working practices with all our customers, colleagues and partners.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and increasing diversity in the Welsh Government by removing barriers and supporting all our staff to reach their potential. We are committed to recruiting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and disabled people who are currently under-represented in Welsh Government.

We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, marriage and civil partnership (both same sex and opposite sex), impairment or health condition, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, gender identity or gender expression.

We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion and a Disability Confident Level 3 (Leader) organisation. Key to supporting this work and providing peer support are five Board sponsored Staff Networks (Disability Awareness and Support (DAAS); Minority Ethnic Support Network (MESN); Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex +) and Women Together.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Welsh Government is a bilingual organisation and Welsh language skills are considered an asset to the organisation. We encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills in the workplace. 

The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the line manager on behalf of the Welsh Government of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.

In Welsh Government, the relationship between the employer and trade unions is based on social partnership. We believe our goals can best be achieved by management and trade unions working together.

Our 3 recognised trade unions are:
•         PCS
•         Prospect
•         FDA

This relationship is underpinned by a partnership agreement. This sets out how our unions work with Welsh Government on issues such as:
•         pay
•         terms and conditions
•         policies and procedures
•         organisational change.

Our Welsh Government trade union colleagues work together to give their members a real say in the workplace. They make sure that the interests of their members are promoted and protected. They also help reduce inequalities and improve terms and conditions.

The Welsh Government has an excellent track record of working in partnership with its trade unions. We encourage staff to get involved. We support you to join a recognised trade union, to ensure your voice is heard in the workplace. and to learn more about trade unions and partnership working.

• Unless stated otherwise in ‘actual starting salary’, all candidates will start at the minimum of the pay scale being appointed to (this includes existing civil servants).This is not negotiable.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘type of opportunity’, this recruitment advert is not open on a Loan or Secondment basis.
• For more information on the eligibility criteria and terms and conditions for Loan and Secondment positions in Welsh Government, please see external recruitment candidate guidance.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘Location of Post’ the role/s recruited to via this campaign can only be worked in the UK, not overseas.

All applications for this vacancy should be made online via the Welsh Government's online application system.  If you have a disability which would prevent you from applying on-line, please e-mail SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales to request an application pack in an alternative format, or to request a reasonable adjustment related to a disability in order to submit your application.

To apply, you'll need to have an account on our online application system.  Click the 'Apply' button below, and you'll be asked to 'Log in' if you already have an account, or 'Register' if you don't yet have an account.  Registration takes just a few minutes to complete.  You'll need an e-mail address to be able to register.  Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form, which you'll need to fully complete and submit before the deadline on the closing date.  

If you’d like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

For further information regarding the Welsh Government recruitment process, please see the Recruitment Guidance for External Candidates (link).

When evidencing your suitability for the post, it is recommended that you refer to the Civil Service Competency Framework (link)

Anyone who believes they have been treated unfairly, or has a grievance or complaint, about how the process was conducted should either write to the Head of Resourcing, Welsh Government, Cathays Park 2, Cardiff CF10 3NQ or email SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales.  If you are unhappy with the outcome of the complaint raised with the Welsh Government and feel that the principles of appointment on merit through fair and open competition have not been met you have the right to pursue your grievance with the Civil Service Commission.