Senior Visitor Officer

We’re looking for someone with great people skills, who loves to inspire and delight by providing top-quality experiences for visitors, to join us as a Senior Visitor Experience Officer at Knightshayes & East Devon.

This role supports the Visitor Experiences Manager in making sure everything runs smoothly in what is a complex and lively visitor business.

Over the past four years, the visitor experience at this grand gothic revival house has been transformed by introducing a year-round programme of events, activities and entertainment. The ambitious 40-member team has further plans to grow and develop Knightshayes’ visitor offer and welcome creative customer-focused people to join the team. The property has one of the finest gardens in Devon with a vast plant collection and walled garden which supplies produce to the estate’s Stables Café.

For more information about our property please visit

As part of the Visitor Experience team, you'll be focused on achieving the highest standards of presentation and service, helping everything to run smoothly during projects, events, active conservation work, busy school holidays throughout the year. You’ll work alongside colleagues in to make sure everyone who visits has everything they need to enjoy their day.

You’ll carry out duty management as needed, and will work weekends on a rota basis. Sometimes you may need to get stuck in and help wherever you’re needed, to keep the whole place running smoothly.

You’ll have plenty of opportunities to talk to visitors, introducing them to all that makes Knightshayes & East Devon so special. You may also be managing and supervising others, including volunteers.

You can view the full role profile for this role in the document attached. You don't need to have all the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile; this is just to provide a full picture of what’s possible in this role.

• knowledge of audience engagement and inclusive programming in heritage or cultural settings
• strong leadership and team co-ordination skills
• ability to respond to operational challenges with agility and professionalism
• ability to effectively monitor budgets and track performance
• deep understanding of health and safety, safeguarding, and compliance in public environments

• experienced in devising and running activities to inspire and engage people
• skilled at communicating, and building good working relationships with people in your team and beyond
• aware of ways to interpret precious collections of art and objects to a wide variety of people
• well-organised, and able to work at pace and keep to time
• confident that you can deal with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations
• flexible, yet with a focus on always giving high standards of customer service
• used to working with and supervising volunteers

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
• Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
• Rental deposit loan scheme
• Season ticket loan
• EV car lease scheme (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
• Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts
• Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.
• Flexible working whenever possible
• Employee assistance programme
• Free parking at most Trust places