Site Gardien

Download the role profile.

The role of a Site Gardien a unique job opportunity, unlike any other caretaker, maintenance, or groundskeeping role.

This role is largely independent (with support where required), allowing you the ability to take pride in and have ownership of being the Gardien of your site. You will be responsible for opening and closing our sites to the public and ensuring the visitors safety and security during their visit. You will supervise and maintain your site to a high standard throughout the day, reporting anything that needs further assistance to management (e.g. specialist work, health and safety concerns). Depending on your site you may be responsible for tasks including animal welfare, gardening, preparation of event spaces and ongoing maintenance etc.

As a Site Gardien, you will also assist your Visitor Services Assistant and volunteers to create a memorable visitor experience. This will include covering breaks on the front desk of each site. You will greet visitors from members of the local community, loyal JH members and worldwide visitors to our unique sites. You will aim to create a welcoming, informative and friendly visitor experience, assisting with orientation and information about the sites, events, exhibitions and facilities wherever you can.

You will work with and alongside a supportive and close-knit team of paid and volunteer office-based or site-based staff. These teams, including curators and caretakers have the combined goal of preserving and sharing Jersey’s rich history and culture.

You will be provided with full training to deliver this visitor experience, it is not imperative you have knowledge of the site you will be working at, this will come with time and training. You will need a passion for Jerseys unique history, to be a welcoming and friendly people-person with a desire to learn and to be part of a pro-active team working towards the important responsibility of making Jersey’s history accessible to all and providing the best visitor experience.

Knowledge, Skills and experience needed

• Knowledge of visitor experience principles and approaches to optimising visitor enjoyment
• Good interpersonal skills enabling strong and effective working relationships with those in your team and across the wider organisation. Good people skills, able to deal with visitors in a wide variety of situations and a practical, hands on ‘can do’ attitude
• Commitment to customer service standards. Flexible customer focused approach with experience in delivering high standards of customer service.  Experience of following complaints handling procedures.  Knowledge of all relevant Health and Safety compliance requirements and emergency procedures relevant to people, historic buildings and collections.  Experience of assessing and managing operational risk, including the production of risk assessments.  Knowledge of different access requirements and how to assist visitors.
• Relevant experience or demonstrable ability to learn till operations, EPOS, cash handling and retail procedures
• Good IT skills.
• Some supervisory, coaching and training experience. Good team worker.
• Experience of working with and supervising volunteers.  Understand the different approach needed to reward, recognise and motivate volunteers.
• Able to plan and organise. Able to work on own initiative without immediate assistance from manager and take responsibility for getting things done.
• Some historical knowledge and/or keenness to learn more in relevant areas.
• Basic understanding of collections management and/or curatorship. Familiarity with Museum Accreditation standards.
• Full, clean driving licence is desirable
• Good administration and literacy skills (writing emails, forms, reports etc).

What you will deliver

Visitor Experience

You will help create a memorable visitor experience to a wide range of audiences, through the proactive provision of exceptional service and the support of the delivery of visitor engagement, interpretation and education activities on the site.  You will solicit, listen to and respond to visitor feedback, elevating where appropriate.  Your role will help deliver high standards of presentation and cleanliness, bring our curatorial and conservation work to the forefront of the visitor experience and offer a consistently warm welcome to the site.

Teamwork:

You will be an excellent team player helping to create a great place for your colleagues (staff and volunteers) to work.  You will supervise, and help train and mentor site staff and volunteers, fostering a culture of good teamwork.  You will manage periodic site team meetings and work with colleagues to complete actions arising from them.  You will be proactive in maximising volunteer involvement.

Managing Risk:

You will identify and manage specific risks to the Site and ensure that you and all members of the site team comply with procedures to manage and minimise risk to the public, staff, volunteers and contractors.  You will undertake high quality risk assessments for the site in line with Jersey Heritage guidelines.  As a key holder, you will work closely with the Operations and Security Manager to maintain, test and operate all Fire and Security systems daily within defined procedures.

Financial performance:

You will help the site maximise its income generation, using Jersey Heritage guidelines and procedures.  You will support wider Jersey Heritage fundraising initiatives as promoted from time to time.  You will strive to be efficient and ensure cost effectiveness in all the work that you do.  You will be fully conversant with the operation of the till and associated EPOS systems and comply with all relevant financial procedures.

Supporting our Purpose:

Working with the site team, you will enthusiastically provide visitors with information on the site, and the broader work of Jersey Heritage to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of our cause.  You will maximise sales and income generation onsite through the promotion of ticketing offers, retail, guide books, membership and donation boxes.

Standards of Presentation, Collections Care and Interpretation:

You will wear your Jersey Heritage uniform with pride.  Working closely with the Curatorial, Collections, Property and Visitor Service teams you will help to develop, present and improve the Site’s interpretation and story in displays, exhibitions, events, formal and informal learning opportunities.

Benefits

• Free access to all JH sites, events, tours of closed to the public areas (object store, cold war bunker etc). Opportunities you will only get by working for JH.
• Discount on Heritage Lets.
• Encouragement to work collaboratively and have your voice heard to help better the visitor experience and access to Jersey’s history, as you will know your sites best.
• The opportunity of career progression.

Scope of the Role

Reports to:  Head of Visitor Services

Salary:  £15.16 per hour (upon commencement) but roles up to £16.06 including the mandatory holiday allowance

Location:  Jersey Heritage Sites

Working hours/Pattern: Ad-hoc

Line management: Will have some delegated staff supervisory responsibility.  High involvement in supervising volunteers and Living History staff on site.

Operating budget: No direct budgetary responsibility but may have delegated responsibility for some aspects of site related budgets.