Visitor Experience Manager

National Trust; Conwy; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

National Trust in Wales is seeking a Visitor Experience Manager to shape and deliver engaging experiences across Bodnant Garden, Ty Aberconwy and Conwy Suspension Bridge. You will lead creative programming, events and partnerships to attract new audiences and encourage return visits.

Based at Bodnant Garden, you will manage a small team and work with volunteers, communities and partners to bring stories of nature, beauty and history to life, while ensuring accessible, high-quality visitor

Qualifications

• Background in planning and delivering visitor experiences, events or programmes within a customer-facing heritage, tourism, cultural or community setting.

Responsibilities

• Shape and deliver the visitor experience across the Conwy portfolio, using creative programming and audience insight.
• Lead and develop a small team and collaborate with volunteers to implement plans.
• Build partnerships with communities and organisations to deliver shared activities.

Job description

Summary We're looking for a Visitor Experience Manager to help shape the future of our Conwy portfolio, including Bodnant Garden, Ty Aberconwy and Conwy Suspension Bridge. You'll lead the development of engaging visitor experiences, events and programmes that bring our places to life, welcome new audiences and encourage people to return. Working with colleagues, communities and partners, you'll help turn our ambitions into meaningful experiences that connect people with nature, beauty and history.

*Please find the Welsh version of this advert in the attachments*

What it's like to work here

Our Conwy portfolio brings together three distinctive places, each with its own stories to tell and opportunities to explore. At the heart of the portfolio is Bodnant Garden, a world-renowned garden set against the beautiful backdrop of the Eryri mountains. With its changing seasons, historic landscapes and spectacular planting, it's a place that offers something different with every visit. Alongside Bodnant, you'll work with Ty Aberconwy, one of the oldest surviving medieval merchant houses in Wales, and Conwy Suspension Bridge, an impressive piece of engineering heritage set beside Conwy Castle. Together, these places offer an exciting opportunity to connect people with the history, nature and communities of North Wales in new and meaningful ways. Primarily based at Bodnant Garden, you'll work across the wider Conwy portfolio as part of the Property Leadership Team, leading a small team and collaborating with colleagues and volunteers who care for these special places. This is an opportunity to influence what comes next, developing new experiences, reaching different audiences and helping our places remain relevant, welcoming and accessible for generations to come. Some weekend working will be required, and you'll also take part in the duty management rota.

Although we encourage the use of public transport this job can involve driving to remote locations and so a full UK driving licence is required.

What you'll be doing

You are a key part in shaping and delivering the visitor experience across our Conwy portfolio, bringing together creative programming, audience insight and meaningful partnerships to help our places thrive. As part of the Property Leadership Team, you'll help turn our People & Place Plans into practical activities and experiences that support visitor growth, broaden our audiences and strengthen our connections with local communities. There will be lots of opportunity to develop and deliver events and visitor experiences that give people new reasons to visit and return. From exploring opportunities for families to creating experiences that connect our three properties, you'll work with colleagues to bring ideas to life while recognising what makes each place distinctive. Understanding our visitors will be central to your work. You'll use feedback, data and audience insight to identify opportunities, improve the visitor journey and help us reach people who may not currently visit our places. Building relationships will also be key to this role. You'll work closely with our volunteer community, supporting and developing their involvement, while building connections with local communities, organisations and partners to create opportunities for collaboration, share stories and develop experiences that reflect the people and places around us. Alongside this, you'll lead and develop a small team, working collaboratively with colleagues and volunteers across the portfolio. Balancing longer-term planning with day-to-day operational priorities, making sure our programmes contribute to sustainable visitor growth, income generation and a welcoming, high-quality visitor experience.

Who we're looking for

• A background in planning and delivering visitor experiences, events or programmes within a customer-facing, heritage, tourism, cultural or community setting.
• Skilled in using audience insight, data and feedback to understand visitor needs, improve experiences and reach new or underrepresented audiences.
• A track record of building relationships with communities, organisations and partners to develop and deliver shared activities or projects.
• Evidence of turning strategic objectives into practical plans, activities and measurable outcomes.
• Capable of managing competing priorities, resources and operational requirements to deliver projects or programmes successfully.
• Commercial awareness, with an understanding of how visitor experiences and programmes contribute to visitor growth, repeat visits and income generation.
• Experience of leading and developing a team, working collaboratively with colleagues and volunteers to achieve shared goals.
• Full UK Driving Licence

We're proud of the role the Welsh language plays in the places and communities we care for across Wales. Whether you're a fluent Welsh speaker, a learner, or completely new to the language, we'll support you to develop the skills and confidence needed for yo