Seasonal Cultural Assistant particulars
ATHLONE ARTS & TOURISM 2019 SEASONAL CULTURAL ASSISTANT PARTICULARS & RECRUITMENT DETAILS
Athlone Arts & Tourism operates Athlone Castle, Luan Gallery and Abbey Road Artists’ Studios. These sites are of major significance to the heritage and cultural landscape of Athlone and in the emerging tourist region of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. Athlone Arts & Tourism is seeking to appoint a Seasonal Cultural Assistant(s) for Athlone Castle. Details and particulars of the post are set out hereunder:
The Role
A Seasonal Cultural Assistant is required to work at Athlone Castle for the 2019 visitor season.
This position will ideally suit a third level student with a genuine interest in customer service, front of house duties, tour guiding and heritage.
The successful candidate will have at least completed the first year of obtaining a third level qualification in heritage/ hospitality/tourism or a related subject. The Cultural Assistant will be required to undertake a range of duties including; customer service, ticketing, bookings, tour guiding, retail/café sales, administration and event coordination and delivery and must have the ability to promote interest and engagement in Athlone and the region.
Previous experience in customer service and cash handling is essential. Tour guiding in a visitor attraction, heritage site, museum or related environment is desirable. Applicants will bring with them previous customer service and cash handling experience, willingness to learn and a friendly, outgoing personality.
Key Job Responsibilities
- Customer Services: Ensuring a warm welcome to visitors, tour operators and group leaders and assisting groups to visit, experience and exit the site.
- Reception/ticketing: Front of house duties involving; till operations, cash handling, record taking, reporting, data collection (visitor profile research) and visitor information.
- Retail: Café and gift shop, including till operations, cash handling, merchandising, stocktaking and other retail activities as directed by senior staff and management.
- Tour Guiding: providing site orientation information to visitors, conducting guided introductions and guided tours of Athlone Castle, costumed storytelling and engaging with and interpreting the castle story to visitors of Athlone Castle. Gaining a good knowledge of the history and story of Athlone Castle, Athlone and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands to pass on to visitors is a core function of this position.
- Sales: Cash handling, targeting new and recurring customers i.e. tour operators, coach groups, special interest groups, schools, third level students, liaising with agencies and local and regional tourism trade in respect of rates, offers, events etc.
- Customers/Suppliers: dealing with set-up, liaison, bookings, administration of customer and supplier accounts.
- Administration: Administrative duties such as gathering data on visitors, issuing emails, developing databases, filing, generating reports, research and development, managing the booking system etc will be required.
- Marketing: Social media and ongoing marketing efforts will be required.
- Research: conducting visitor and trade research, processing data and generating reports on the findings
- Events: Assisting the Cultural Officer, Management, staff and volunteers in the coordination, delivery and manning of successful events. Events duties may also include; café duties, catering, meet and greet roles, dealing with media, guest list management, decoration, invigilation, costumed guiding, visual recording etc.
- Cultural Assistant must have a flexible approach to work, and be adaptable to carry out duties in other tourism amenities / facilities associated with Athlone Arts & Tourism as required by the Manager.
- Facilities cleanliness – To assist in ensuring all facilities, grounds, public areas are clean and functioning, conducting regular and recorded checks of all areas.
- An excellent standard and comprehension of key principals of customer service is essential.
- All other duties as assigned by Senior staff and Management.
The above duties outline the main functions and responsibilities of the post of Cultural Assistant and may be subject to review in the future.
Conditions of Employment
- The Cultural Assistant will be employed on the basis of a fixed term contract for the 2019 visitor season with a probationary period of 3 weeks and will be subject to two week’s notice in writing on either side and depending on continuing finance being available.
- Duty at weekends and at night (as required) will be an integral part of the working week.
- An hourly rate of €11.04 per hour Monday to Saturday and €12.14 per hour on Sunday will apply with a varied number of hours per week based on a roster system.
- Applicants must have the flexibility to work hours in line with the seasonal and operational considerations of the attractions/facilities.
- Applicants will be required to work at weekends and evening events.
- Physical demands of the role include standing, walking, delivering guided tours, delivering workshops and carrying objects and merchandise.
- Applicants must be flexible with both their time and approach to work and be comfortable carrying out a variety of tasks.
Full terms and conditions will be provided with contract at time of appointment.
QUALIFICATIONS
Character
Candidate must be of good character.
Health
Each candidate must be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
Essential Education/Experience
Each candidate should have:
Essential
- A minimum of 1 year (part-time/full-time) in a customer services and a cash handling role.
- Be at least in the process of obtaining a third level qualification in heritage/hospitality/ tourism or a related subject
- Computer/IT competency to manage an integrated PC based booking system and till operation.
- The ability to manage ticketing, reporting and cash handling procedures as they relate to a visitor attraction.
- The ability and confidence to provide guided tours of and around all tourist attractions and facilities associated with Athlone Arts & Tourism.
- The capacity to interact effectively and in a friendly professional manner with people from a broad range of sectors and groups, including local tourism trade.
- The ability to manage and grow tourism bookings online, over the phone and by direct contact with customers and others from the tourism sector.
- Fluency in English.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- The capacity to work on own initiative and to contribute well in a team based environment.
Desirable Education/Experience etc.
- Tour guiding in a visitor attraction, heritage site, museum or related environment is desirable.
- A good basic knowledge of the history of Athlone Castle, Athlone and connected sites in the region.
- Conversational skills/fluency in additional languages.
- An understanding of the opportunities afforded by social media for tourism marketing and development and visitor servicing.
Recruitment
- Selection shall be by means of a competition based on an interview conducted by or on behalf of Athlone Arts & Tourism Ltd.
- Short listing will be applied where necessary on the basis of information supplied by candidates.
- Interviews will be held in early March 2019.
- Athlone Arts and Tourism shall require a person to whom an appointment is offered to take up such appointment within a period of not more than one month (must be available to start in early April 2019) and if they fail to take up the appointment within such period or such longer period as the company in its absolute discretion may determine, the company shall not appoint them.
- Candidates who do not attend for interview or other test when and where required by Athlone Arts and Tourism, or who do not, when requested, furnish such evidence as the company requires in regard to any matter relevant to their candidature, will have no further claim to consideration.
- A panel maybe formed on the basis of such interviews. The life of the panel will be for the 2019 season only.
- Appointment will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory Garda Vetting and references.
Application Procedure
Please ensure that you provide a valid postal and email address and a contact telephone number on your cover letter. Applicants to send two copies of their Curriculum Vitae and a cover letter (including 2 x references) outlining their specific experience as it relates to the role by 4.30pm on Sunday 17th February 2019 to;
The Manager,
Athlone Arts & Tourism,
C/o Luan Gallery,
Elliot Road,
Athlone,
Co. Westmeath.
Please note an email confirmation of receipt of application will be sent.
