HES/22/328a - Seasonal Castle Guide Edinburgh, Scotland
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Location
About the job
Job summary
Thank you for your interest in the post of Seasonal Castle Guide with Historic Environment Scotland, based at Edinburgh Castle. This is a fixed-term and pensionable appointment.
As a Guide at Edinburgh Castle, you will be responsible for providing excellent service to visitors and enhancing their experience of the castle. This post includes weekend working.
Job description
Overview of the post and information about the team
Edinburgh Castle is the most popular paid visitor attraction in Scotland. The Guiding team works to provide all aspects of the visitor journey within the castle and is responsible for delivering a world-class visitor experience. This includes a diverse range of activities from passing on castle/historical information to visitors, maintaining exhibition areas and assisting in managing events of various sizes.
Key responsibilities, duties, and objectives
- Provide assistance and information in a friendly manner to maximise visitorexperience
- Develop existing knowledge of the castle’s history and share this with visitors
- Ensure the security and cleanliness of apartments and look after their contentsduring opening hours. Report any suspicious activity or behaviour to SeniorGuides/Duty Manager
- Ensure visitor safety throughout the working day and prevent any damage to thecastle
- Implement correct closedown procedures, ensuring site is clear of visitors andapartments secure
- Engage with visitors who may require use of wheelchairs, lifts or the mobility vehicle
- Manage visitor flow and report any issues to Senior Guide/Duty Manager
- Manage vehicle access inside the castle
- Assist with procedures on ceremonial occasions
- Assist with functions out with castle opening hours
- Provide information on other Historic Environment Scotland sites and servicesavailable to visitors
- Comply with any Covid guidance and our own Resumption Operating Standardsrestrictions in place at the time.
Person specification
Post Competencies
We are looking for you to complete a statement of competence looking at the below essential and desirable requirements of this role.
Guidance on completing the application can be found in the ‘Guidance notes for applicants’ document, also available at the above website, which we recommend that you read, in conjunction with the Job Description.
Knowledge, skills and experience
You will be required to demonstrate that you meet the requirements and qualifications below as part of the selection process.
- Interest in and knowledge of Scottish history
- Excellent customer service skills
- Experience of working in a fast-paced, busy environment
- Familiarity with Edinburgh Castle’s operation and layout
- Experience of conducting guided tours
- First Aid experience
Benefits
What we offer
We welcome applications from all nationalities, assuming that they have the right to work in the UK: applying for a job with us could open the door to a unique work environment. It will give you job satisfaction and excellent development opportunities, plus a competitive salary, 25 days paid holidays (rising to 30 days after 3 years’ service) and 11.5 public holidays a year – pro rata for part time staff.
In addition we offer a great benefits package to our employees which includes:
- flexible working hours (where appropriate)
- special leave
- maternity/paternity leave
- adoption leave
- reimbursement for relevant professional subscriptions
- support for further education and personal development
- study leave for work related courses
- access to a learning resource centre
Health and welfare
We offer you access to:
- our Employee Assistance Programme – for confidential advice and counselling
- an occupational sick pay scheme
- discounts at some local authority leisure facilities
- access to a free Headspace membership
- interest free loans for bicycles and annual travel passes (see ‘season ticket’ below)
- reasonable adjustments when needed, as part of our Equalities policy
Staff discounts
You will receive:
- free entry to all of our properties (with up to three guests)
- free entry to English Heritage, Manx and Cadw properties
- 20% off purchases in our retail outlets
Season tickets
You can receive an advance to help with the cost of buying an annual season ticket for travel between home and work. The advance is then repaid from your salary over the life of the season ticket. Available to all permanent and fixed-term staff.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
How to apply for this post
You can apply on-line by visiting our website at https://applications.historicenvironment.scot/
Your application must arrive by the advertised closing date. Please note that when applying online, we will only be able to see your application once you fully submit it.
HES is committed to making reasonable adjustments and is happy to answer any questions you may have about the recruitment process in order that you can identify any adjustments that may be required.
Please contact us if you need a copy of the job description, person specification and/or application form in an alternative format, or if you require any other adjustments because of a disability.
If you are unable to complete an online application form, please email [email protected], quoting the job title and recruitment reference, and we will arrange for an application form to be sent to you.
Please note that, as we operate an electronic recruitment system, we will contact you via the email address that you provide in your application to inform you if you have been selected for interview.
For further information about the post, please contact Neil Nairne at: [email protected].
HES is committed to not only avoiding unlawful discrimination against people with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, but also to positively promoting equality and doing more than equality law requires.
We welcome all applicants from under-represented groups within HES. We know from our equality monitoring that we need to increase our diversity in terms of ethnicity and disability. We also want to address occupational areas where the ratio is disproportionately in favour of women or men. We ask all applicants to complete the Equality Monitoring section of the recruitment paperwork to help us pursue a diverse and inclusive workforce. In support of our Gaelic language plan we welcome applications from Gaelic speakers.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
