Are you passionate about delivering exceptional events in a heritage environment? West Berkshire Council is seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Visitor Services Officer to join the team at Shaw House. As the lead for events, you will play a central role in both the planning and the hands-on delivery of our events programme. You will play a crucial role in ensuring an outstanding experience for all, while contributing to the preservation and promotion of our historic Grade I listed venue.
The Role
Reporting to the Shaw House Manager, you will be responsible for:
-
Organising and delivering public events within our year-round programme
- Building relationships with suppliers, providers and clients
- Managing the on-site and online gift shop
- Leading on the development of children's activities
- Delivering excellent customer service, providing information and assistance to visitors
- Overseeing the day-to-day operation of visitor services
- Ensuring the highest standards of presentation and cleanliness are maintained
- Handling visitor enquiries, feedback, and complaints in a professional manner
- Supporting the Shaw House Manager in the effective management of the venue
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and attributes:
-
Experience in a visitor services role, ideally within a heritage or cultural environment
- Experience of delivering public events and activities
- Knowledge of retail processes
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with a diverse range of visitors
- Strong organisational and time management abilities, with the capacity to prioritise tasks effectively
- A proactive and solution-focused approach to problem-solving
- Have the ability to work flexibly within the team rota, including the cover of weekend and evening opening and events.
- Team player with the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and volunteers
- Passion for heritage and a commitment to delivering exceptional visitor experiences
Why Work for West Berkshire Council?
West Berkshire Council offer excellent employment benefits such as:
-
Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities
- Generous Local Government pension scheme
- Family friendly policies
- A range of local discounts
- Wellbeing Programme including Employee Assistance Programme and employee benefits
- You will also be entitled to a generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days per annum (plus public holidays) Rising by an additional 5 days after 5 years’ service.
Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Join us at West Berkshire Council and make a positive impact in our community while advancing your career. Explore everything that a career with West Berkshire Council has to offer here: Working with Us
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Sarah Somerville on 01635 279279 or email
[email protected]
Equal Opportunities
The Council supports Equal Opportunity of employment and positively encourages applications from people who fall within any of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.
How to apply
Please now complete a short online application form. You will then be able to upload your CV.
This role has been identified as public facing in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016; the requirement to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English applies.
This privacy notice applies to job applicants applying for vacancies with West Berkshire Council https://info.westberks.gov.uk/pnapplications
AI in Applications
We recognise that candidates may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the preparation of their job applications. When used appropriately, AI can be a helpful aid in structuring responses, checking clarity, and improving presentation.
However, applications must reflect your own skills, experience and understanding. If an application appears to rely excessively on AI-generated content, it may not meet the required standard and could be rejected.
We encourage all applicants to ensure their submissions are authentic, tailored to the role, and clearly demonstrate their own knowledge, experience and suitability
