Visitor Experience Officer x3 – Loch Garten

Located in the heart of Abernethy reserve, surrounded by Caledonian pine forest and in the
shadow of the mighty Cairngorms, the Loch Garten Nature Centre is one of the RSPB’s most
high-profile visitor facilities, with a legacy of delivering a top-quality visitor experience
spanning over sixty years. We are looking for our seasonal team of Visitor Experience Officers
to deliver the visitor experience at the Nature Centre, maintaining a first-class visitor
attraction and maximising support for nature through encouraging membership of the RSPB. 

Loch Garten is RSPB Scotland’s premier site for building support for nature conservation. It is
a 7-day-a-week seasonal facility and has recently undergone a complete refurbishment which
widened the focus of the visitor experience from a single species (osprey) to a wider reserve
focus – in particular on the Caledonian pine forest habitat and the species which live here. We
are also nearing the end of a project to bring running water to the site, which will give us
better facilities for visitors and the team, including a Changing Places for those with
disabilities. This represents an exciting new era for the Loch Garten Nature Centre, and we are
keen to share these upgraded facilities with a wide audience, helping our visitors to connect
with the nature surrounding them and growing income and support for nature conservation.

As a Loch Garten Visitor Experience Officer, you will be part of a dedicated and enthusiastic
team, including visitor experience and retail, bringing the story of the forest to life for all
visitors. Abernethy reserve is part of the Cairngorms Connect partnership, and you will work to
ensure the partnership aims are communicated effectively and inspiringly at the Nature Centre.

After receiving full training and whilst being mentored, you will be expected to promote RSPB
membership to every visitor you meet, ensuring stringent fundraising standards are met. You
will work with visitor experience and retail colleagues to ensure the efficient day to day
running of the Centre – guaranteeing a high quality, on brand, visitor experience for all and
maintaining exceptional customer care standards. You will occasionally be asked to patrol the
local trails in the evening with a colleague, to engage with visitors who may be wild camping,
ensuring the forest and local communities are protected from visitor impacts, including
wildfire.

Responsibilities:

• Ensure the efficient and smooth day-to-day running of the Centre, upholding exceptional
  customer care standards
• Deliver a top-class experience for visitors, ensuring every visitor has positive and
  memorable contact with the RSPB
• Promote RSPB membership to visitors and recruit new members, ensuring stringent fundraising
  standards are met 
• Proactively facilitate and enhance visits from people / groups with additional needs
• Give presentations to visitors via daily talks and occasionally help on guided walks 
• Work with the Visitor Operations Manager to organise volunteers and rotas
• Produce regular, engaging content for reserve social media platforms, including occasional
  blogs, ensuring communication is of a high standard and adheres to RSPB Brand guidelines
• Deputise for the Visitor Operations Manager and provide cover for colleagues as required

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• 4 GCSEs or equivalent at grades A-C 
• Computer literate
• Knowledge of visitor engagement techniques
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills 
• Proven ability to plan and prioritise workloads 
• A team player who can motivate and inspire people
• Problem solving skills and ability to work on own initiative 
• Ability to manage and respond to customer needs and feedback 
• Ability to maximise opportunities for visitor engagement and income generation 
• Able to build and maintain strong working relationships
• Experience of delivering a high-quality visitor offer 

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Delivering against targets and KPI’s
• Working knowledge of Equal Opportunities & Diversity
• Health and Safety in the workplace

This role is based in a remote and rural location and will involve lone working. Some standby
and on-call work will be required. This role will require occasional travel and overnight stays
away from home within the UK. A driving licence is desirable but not essential. 

There are three full-time roles available for 37.5 hours per week – 2 x six-month contracts and
1 x eight-month contract.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position as soon as suitable candidates present
themselves, so please do not delay in applying. Please note that we are actively
recruiting for this vacancy, and reserve the right to close once sufficient applications have
been received.  For further information please contact [email protected].

As part of this application process you will be asked to complete an application form including
evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above. 

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels
supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world
richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of
colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate,
sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled,
we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any
additional support you may need to complete your application. 

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of
Offenders Act 1974. 

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship – the successful applicant will need to have
a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.