Visitor Experience - Duty Manager

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS KEW; Little London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading botanic garden institution in the UK is seeking a Visitor Experience - Duty Manager to oversee daily operations at Wakehurst. This dynamic role involves ensuring maximum visitor enjoyment and maintaining high presentation standards while prioritizing health and safety. Ideal candidates will have a proven track record of exceptional customer service and supervisory experience within visitor attractions. The position offers a competitive benefits package including flexible working, professional development opportunities, and free entry to national museums and gardens.

Benefits

Continuous learning opportunities

Generous annual leave entitlement

Flexible working arrangements

Employee Assistance Programme

Discounted gym membership

Competitive pension

Free entry into national museums and galleries

Qualifications

• Dynamic, proactive, and motivated individual with a 'can do' attitude.
• Previous operational management or supervisory experience within a visitor attraction is advantageous.
• Willingness to be flexible and 'get stuck in' as required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and coordinate the daily running of Wakehurst.
• Ensure maximum visitor enjoyment and quality presentation standards.
• Maintain health, safety, and security for gardens, buildings, staff, and visitors.

Skills

High levels of customer service

Strong people-management skills

Ability to work under pressure

Job description

Overview

This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at Wakehurst, Kew’s Wild Botanic Garden in Sussex, in the recently established role of Visitor Experience - Duty Manager.

Responsibilities

Our Duty Managers are at the heart of the visitor operation and are responsible for overseeing and coordinating the daily running of Wakehurst. Working with teams across the site, the Duty Managers ensure that we consistently deliver maximum visitor enjoyment and quality presentation standards whilst maintaining the health, safety and security of the gardens, buildings, staff, volunteers, and visitors.

Requirements

An Enhanced DBS Check is required for this role.

We are looking for a dynamic, proactive, and motivated individual with a ‘can do’ attitude and a willingness to be flexible and ‘get stuck in’ as required. A proven track record of delivering high levels of customer service is an essential requirement and previous operational management or supervisory experience within a visitor attraction would be a key advantage. Strong people‑management skills with the ability to work collaboratively and make informed decisions under pressure will be pivotal to the success of this role.

Interviews

Interviews are due to take place on 3 February 2026.

About RBG Kew

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) is a leading plant science institute, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and major visitor attraction. Our mission is to understand and protect plants and fungi for the well‑being of people and the future of all life on Earth.

We are working to end the unprecedented extinction crisis and to help create a world where nature is protected, valued by all and managed sustainably. We will achieve these goals by drawing on our leading scientific research, unrivalled collections of plants and fungi, global network of partners, inspirational gardens at Kew and Wakehurst, and our 260 years of history.

Join us on our journey as protectors of the world’s plants and fungi.

Benefits

Our fantastic benefits package includes opportunities for continuous learning, a generous annual leave entitlement, flexible working to help you maintain a healthy work‑life balance, an Employee Assistance Programme and other wellbeing support such as cycle‑to‑work scheme and discounted gym membership. We also offer a competitive pension, an employee discount scheme and free entry into a wide range of national museums and galleries, as well as access to our own beautiful gardens at Kew and Wakehurst.