Senior Castle Guide / Castle Custodian (Seasonal)

Dunvegan Castle & Gardens; Scotland; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A historic heritage attraction in Scotland seeks a Senior Castle Guide for the 2026 open season. This full-time role involves welcoming visitors, providing engaging information, and supporting operations. The ideal candidate will have strong front of house skills, be comfortable in public speaking, and possess problem-solving abilities. The position offers training, genuine responsibility, and the opportunity to develop leadership experience. On-site accommodation is available if needed.

Benefits

On-site staff accommodation available

Training provided

Leadership experience opportunity

Qualifications

• Experience in a busy, customer-focused environment, preferably in a supervisory role.
• Confidence in engaging with the public and handling queries and complaints.
• Interest in Highland, Scottish, or clan history is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Welcome visitors and provide engaging information about the castle.
• Support the Custodian with daily operations and manage visitor flow.
• Handle ticket sales, cash management, and assist with guided tours.

Skills

Front of house skills

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving

Public speaking

Adaptability

Job description

Dunvegan Castle & Gardens, Isle of Skye. Full time. Seasonal contract: 1 April to 15 October.

Dunvegan Castle & Gardens is recruiting a Senior Castle Guide to join its team for the 2026 open season, offering a junior management role within one of Scotland’s most significant heritage attractions.

As the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for over 800 years, Dunvegan Castle welcomes around 180,000 visitors each year and sits at the heart of the 41,000 acre MacLeod Estate on the Isle of Skye.

This role combines front of house guiding with supervisory responsibility, supporting daily visitor operations and deputising for the Castle Custodian when required.

The role

This is a dual role combining Castle Guide, Visitor Assistant, and junior management duties.

You will welcome visitors to the castle, share accurate and engaging information, and help deliver a consistently high quality visitor experience while ensuring the safety of the castle, its collection, and its visitors.

Alongside guiding and visitor interaction, you will support the Custodian with daily operations, help lead and supervise the Guide team, manage visitor flow during busy periods, and step into a leadership role when required.

You will handle visitor queries and complaints calmly and professionally, assist with rotas and cover arrangements, and support guided tours including private and after-hours tours.

The role also includes ticket sales, cash handling, reconciliation of tills, cross-promotion of other estate attractions, and close coordination with the ticket office and other departments to manage capacity, queues, and weather-related changes.

You will also play a key role in maintaining presentation standards throughout public areas of the castle and ensuring health, safety, and security procedures are followed sympathetically and professionally.

Working pattern

Dunvegan Castle operates seven days a week during the open season.

The role will include weekend working and occasional evening overtime to support events.

On-site staff accommodation can be provided if required.

What we are looking for

This role suits someone with strong front of house skills and previous experience in a busy, customer-focused environment, ideally with some experience of supervising or leading others.

You should be confident engaging with the public, comfortable with public speaking, and able to remain calm under pressure while managing high visitor volumes.

Strong communication skills, reliability, adaptability, and the ability to resolve issues professionally are essential.

An interest in Highland, Scottish, or clan history is highly desirable, though full training on the castle and its collection will be provided.

Cash handling experience is useful but not essential.

A foreign language skill and a full driving licence are desirable but not required.

What is on offer

This is a unique opportunity to work in a world-renowned heritage setting as part of a friendly, passionate team dedicated to preserving and sharing Highland history.

Training will be provided, and the role offers genuine responsibility, variety, and the chance to develop leadership experience within a cultural environment.

How to apply

Apply through Highland Jobs