Visitor Services Manager – Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Barnsley Council are seeking an energetic, ambitious and dynamic Visitor Services Manager to join our team based in Barnsley. You will be working on a full-time, permanent basis. In return, you will receive a competitive salary of £36,371- £39,571 per annum.

The Visitor Services Manager role:

It is an extremely exciting time for us and all our museums. We are a National Portfolio Organisation funded by Arts Council England and Barnsley has just been named as one of 15 Priority Places in the North of England by ACE.

Experience Barnsley was a finalist in Museum of the Year 2021, the biggest museum prize in the world. Elsecar Heritage Centre has just been awarded a £3.93M Cultural Development Fund grant. Our 17th century watermill at Worsbrough has been transformed over the last year and a major restoration of Cannon Hall’s parkland, gardens and lakes completed.  Three new BM galleries have been created in Barnsley’s new 21st century retail complex and our art gallery, The Cooper Gallery, continues to go from strength to strength.

You will head up our visitor services operation across our portfolio, bringing fresh ideas to how we deliver visitor services for both our local communities and visitors to our Borough.

Responsibilities as our Visitor Services Manager will involve:

• Overseeing the day to day operation of all the venues in line with Business and Service plans
• Ensuring rotas are in place for effective operation of each site and that a list of keyholders is maintained ensuring Business Continuity measures are in place, as well as hold keys for each site and respond to emergencies as necessary
• Designing, implementing and monitoring systems for the safe operational management of the venues
• Ensuring regular inspections of the buildings are carried out and maintaining high levels of housekeeping, reporting and acting upon defects
• Ensuring all necessary security measures are in place to protect the buildings and collections in liaison with the relevant officers
• Managing a team of staff, providing direction and coordination of workloads, support and guidance dealing with recruitment, motivation, training, welfare and discipline issues as appropriate
• Managing time-limited capital and revenue projects
• Overseeing the service’s volunteer programmes
• Proactively liaising, negotiating and collaborating with a range of internal and external stakeholders including the wider team, managers, employees, councillors, contractors and partnership agencies as required

Education and training we’re looking for in our Visitor Services Manager:

• Level 6 qualification
• Willing to undertake training and continuous professional development in connection with the post 

Skills and experience we’re looking for in our Visitor Services Manager: 

• Experience of facilities management
• Experience of working in a customer-focused environment
• Experience of managing a team
• Experience of working in the leisure sector or similar front-facing service
• Knowledge of the care of historic buildings
• Strong communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills with the ability to deal with a variety of internal and external stakeholders
• Well developed ability to manage a challenging and diverse workload under pressure
• and to deadlines, using own initiative and demonstrating ability to prioritise and manage
• time effectively.

Here at Barnsley, we live and work by four important values: honesty, teamwork, excellent service, and taking pride in what we do. As part of our team, you can be sure we’ll do all we can to support you in being truly excellent. You see, we prioritise learning and enabling you to achieve your potential.

How to apply

Closing date: Friday 15 April 2022

If you feel you have the necessary skills and abilities to help us on our transformation journey and to achieve your ambitions while shaping a bright future for our communities, we would very much welcome your application, apply now to become our Visitor Services Manager.

To apply, click here>>