Visitor Services Officer

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL; Hedge End; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority is seeking a leader for its visitor services team at an outdoor education facility in the New Forest. The successful candidate will possess strong catering and hospitality experience, demonstrating excellent customer engagement and team leadership. You will lead the culinary operations while ensuring high standards and compliance, contributing to an exceptional visitor experience at the center.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated understanding of catering operations under one policy.
• Ability to align with the vision of Hampshire Outdoor Centres.
• A team player with strong leadership and coaching skills.

Responsibilities

• Deliver outstanding customer experiences while meeting operational KPIs.
• Lead by example, promoting a collaborative team culture.
• Develop and maintain a high-quality catering operation.

Skills

Hospitality experience

Catering experience

Team leading

Communication skills

Collaboration skills

Tools

IT proficiency

Job description

A unique opportunity has come up at Calshot Activities Centre. As we grow our business and our internal catering provision, we are looking for someone with hospitality, catering, and team leading experience to support the delivery of excellent visitor services across our site.

The Role:

Calshot Activities Centre is a unique outdoor education facility and visitor attraction in the New Forest National Park.

We offer outdoor education to 10,000 children each year through various residential packages, alongside a thriving campsite, boat park, Tudor Castle, and a busy seafront café. The beach attracts thousands of visitors annually, and this role is crucial in ensuring all customers have an excellent experience.

This position is within the visitor services team, reporting to the visitor services manager. The team includes facilities maintenance, catering operations, and front of house staff, overseeing catering, facilities, site maintenance, projects, accommodation, the campsite, boat park, and castle. Our goal is to provide high-quality, value-for-money experiences that encourage repeat visits.

What you'll do:

You will focus on delivering outstanding customer experiences while maintaining operational efficiency aligned with KPIs. You will lead by example, demonstrating professionalism and excellent customer engagement. Developing effective working methods will ensure compliance and uphold high standards. You will promote a collaborative "one team" culture, encouraging teamwork and shared success.

You will also be responsible for developing a high-quality, cost-effective, and adaptable catering operation. Building strong relationships will be essential to promote efficiency and meet evolving business needs.

What we're looking for:

• An understanding of the needs of specific catering units, operating under one policy but two models
• Demonstration of Hampshire Outdoor Centre's core values
• Alignment with the vision of Hampshire Outdoor Centres and passion to bring it to life
• A team player with strong collaboration skills
• Excellent communication skills to coach, demonstrate, and motivate a team
• Leadership skills to guide a team through change and inspire pride and understanding of their roles
• Proficiency in IT and accurate record-keeping