Position: Visitor Services Manager
Location: Seven Sisters Country Park
Closing Date: 3rd July 2022
Interview Date: 12th July 2022
Salary: £27,984 to £30,019
Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible
Type of post: Permanent

South Downs National Park Authority became owners of Seven Sisters Country Park in the summer of 2021. Sitting on the Eastern edge of the National Park, the area, already immensely popular with both locals and tourists is now the focus of our plans to ensure the conservation of the area for future generations and at the same time deliver the world class visitor experience this much-loved place deserves.

We are now recruiting for a new Visitor Services Manager to lead the way to create a world class visitor experience and commercially viable business. Our aspirations are high and the successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the delivery of our key objectives. We are looking to maintain the highest environmental standards, ensuring sustainability and offering as many locally sourced products as possible; so you will need to work collaboratively with local suppliers and producers to identify and secure supply chains which meet these goals.

Although your focus will be in the food and beverage outlets and the visitor centre (including retail), your remit will cover the whole country park.

Working alongside the Visitor Services Officer, you will be responsible for a team of approximately 12 casual staff and a team of volunteers, so experience of people management is essential, as is strong knowledge of running a Food and Beverage facility with its associated food hygiene standards. Your team will be the main point of contact with visitors and you will need the skills to be able to engage with customers and sell not only the products on offer but also the ethos and special qualities of the Seven Sisters Country Park.

You will develop an exciting programme of activities to engage a diverse audience with the special qualities of the country park. The programme will be delivered both in-house and with partners so you must be able to communicate and build relationships with external stakeholders.

You will work closely with our central communications team to create quality and inspiring marketing and communications for Seven Sisters Country Park.

As a new undertaking, you must be a self-starter, flexible, committed and willing to “get stuck in” to solve issues across the whole project. The working pattern for this post includes regular weekend and bank holiday cover on a rota basis and working longer hours between April and October with a shorter week for the remainder of the year.

Sound like something that interests you? Think you can really add value to the role? Meet the person specification? Then please apply!

To apply: Please select the apply button and complete the application and monitoring form. All applications must be submitted on the SDNPA application form (CVs will not be considered) & must reach us by 11.30pm 3 July 2022.

SDNPA is an inclusive organisation and we welcome applications from everyone irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, faith and religion, disability and age.

We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) for disabled applicants.

In all circumstances the SDNPA appoints on merit based on evidence the applicant supplies in meeting the essential criteria for the post.

SDNPA Benefits
- Local government pension scheme
- Healthcare - includes cash plan, counselling and wellbeing discounts
- 27 days’ annual leave, increasing to 30 days, plus bank holidays
- Professional development
- Flexible working
- Cycle to work scheme
- Car sharing
- Regular staff events / activities, which support the SDNPA’s Purposes and Duty