Father Christmas (Seasonal Santa)

Dobbies Garden Centres; Ashford; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Staff discount

Wagestream access

Retail Trust support

Dobbies Academy

Job summary

Dobbies Garden Centres is seeking festive-hearted individuals to bring Christmas magic to our grotto. You will greet families, listen to wish lists, pose for photos and hand out gifts with warmth and charm, creating inclusive experiences for all ages.

You’ll also welcome guests at Santa’s Breakfasts and Santa Paws events, helping mornings become memorable for children and adults alike. This temporary role runs from 16th November to 24th December, with potential for permanent opportunities

Qualifications

• DBS check must be completed and evidenced before start.
• Right to work in the UK.
• Willingness to attend a short induction/training session before the grotto opens.

Responsibilities

• Greet families, listen to wish lists, pose for photos, and hand out gifts with festive warmth.
• Host Santa's Breakfasts and create memorable mornings with storytelling.
• Be an ambassador of festive cheer at Santa Paws for all ages and pets.
• Deliver an inclusive grotto experience with training from Santas and Elves.

Skills

Customer service

Storytelling

Punctual

Empathy

Reliability

Job description

'Tis the season for magic, mince pies, and gift lists a mile long.

Don't have the big red coat? Don't worry, we provide a full costume, training and guidance, so it's personality that counts to bring an authentic experience to life!

If you love Christmas, love people and have a presence that can charm a queue of children and parents alike, we'd love for you to join our team and help bring the magic this festive season.

Rate of Pay

First time leaving the North Pole with limited experience? £17p/h

Coming to see us again or with similar proven experience? £20p/h

Responsibilities

• Bringing Christmas to life for every family who visits the grotto: greeting children and their families, listening to Christmas wish lists, posing for photos, and handing out gifts with the warmth, charm and festive spirit that makes each visit an inclusive experience they'll never forget.
• Hosting our enchanting Santa's Breakfasts: welcoming families to magical mornings full of laughter and storytelling, turning breakfast at Dobbies into an unforgettable festive experience for children and grown-ups alike.
• Acting as our ambassador of festive cheer at Santa Paws: bringing twinkling smiles to children, adults and four-legged friends alike.
• Delivering a truly inclusive grotto experience: with training and support from your fellow Santas and Elves, adapting your approach to each visitor's individual needs and preferences, so every family, however they experience the grotto, gets a magical visit.

Who We Are Looking For

We’re on the lookout for the real Santa Claus. You’ll have a heart full of kindness, a laugh that rumbles like sleigh bells and a natural ability to make everyone you encounter, believe in the magic of Christmas.

You are:

• A wonderful listener, a master storyteller, and endlessly patient: being intuitive with the different needs of those coming to see you (and not at all fazed by long wish lists or tricky questions).
• Warm, jolly and full of festive cheer as well as calm, gentle, and full of genuine care : whether you’re engaging with young children, grown adults or even dogs.
• Punctual and reliable: ready for each shift in costume and character, helping keep the grotto looking magical throughout the day.
• Previous panto, am-dram, customer service or event-hosting experience is a bonus, though not essential. Santa experience isn't required, just warmth and presence.

Essential Requirements

• Due to safeguarding, a basic DBS has to be completed & evidenced before your start date (we'll guide you through this, as it’s just a few steps & is expensed to us).
• Right to work in the UK
• Willingness to attend a short induction/training session before the grotto opens

Start/End Dates

• Start Date from 16th November
• End Date 24th December
• If you are interested in staying with the team as a permanent Customer Advisor, this will depend on role availability in Dec/Jan

What We Offer

• Generous annual leave entitlement. Use your holidays when you want with limited statutory days off required.
• Treat yourself with generous uncapped discount across our stores with 50% off in our Restaurants, 25% off in the Garden Centre and 10% off in our food halls.
• Access to Wagestream: support your financial wellbeing, with ability to access earnings ahead of pay day, save for future and financial advice.
• Access to Retail Trust: seek confidential support, access to a virtual GP, free counselling service and discounted retail rewards with our employee wellbeing platform.
• Access to Dobbies Academy: continue your development with our eLearning platform and seasonal sessions like Santa School & North Pole Academy
• Thriving culture; the Dobbies team are passionate, diverse and committed to making it work for our customers.

About Us

At Dobbies, we’re proud to have a history dating back to 1865. We were founded by James Dobbie and are the only garden centre retailer to have stores in every nation across the UK.??

Our passion and joy for gardens and plants is what makes us special. In our stores, we showcase this through own brand and branded products,?concession partners and services. We champion garden living all-year-round.??

Many of our stores feature a restaurant or coffee shop, where customers can enjoy refreshments or meals in a relaxed and welcoming environment.??

We offer a calendar of events and experiences that bring people and communities together, and we have a national charity partner that both our colleagues and customers raise money for.??

We’re committed to being a great place to work. We’re one team and we encourage our colleagues to be the best version of themselves, every day; to share their wins and celebrate success. Together, we make it work for our customers.