Overview
We’re looking for a passionate and dynamic Visitor Operations Manager to join our team at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, one of the most iconic places in Yorkshire and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a fantastic opportunity to shape unforgettable experiences for visitors at one of the busiest and most loved properties in the National Trust. This role is about the delivery of brilliant visitor experience & conservation that grows engagement, membership, and income.
The role is an exciting one: it leads for exceptional service standards that make everyone feel welcome. It leads the operation & efficiency of the site managing the welcome, volunteering, business services and facilities teams, as well as collaborating with our commercial teams. It turns our plans into operational delivery on the ground.
This role involves weekend and evening work as part of the duty manager rota.
What You’ll Be Doing
As Visitor Operations Manager you will be key to delivering a brilliant & inclusive visitor experience at Fountains. You will lead the visitor welcome, business services, facilities and community & volunteering teams and work with a network of national and regional specialists.
You’ll be passionate about great service & standards, responsible for compliance across the site and develop close relationships with our commercial, membership and fundraising teams. Through efficient delivery of our operation you’ll engage our supporters, deliver great experiences, meet our conservation standards and grow income.
Working with the facilities team you’ll be responsible for conservation & maintenance spend as well as being closely involved in project delivery. You’ll champion access & inclusion and support departments to develop the right priorities, balancing access and conservation while providing the resources and inspirational leadership to ensure their care, confidence, and capability in delivering our strategy.
You’ll need to know when to delegate, and when to take ownership. Everything you do will be in harmony with our Spirit of Place, but it will also make perfect commercial and financial sense.
The £5.7m Studley Revealed project will be a key focus for the property team in 2026 & 2027, and this role will be the operational lead for the project working closely with the General Manager.
You’ll work collaboratively with the Fountains Visitor Experience Manager and the Brimham Property Operations Manager, as well as the wider property leadership team. You’ll deliver a great experience for our local visitors and recognise that Fountains draws visitors from a wide geography in the North of England as well as domestic and international tourism.
Who We’re Looking For
* experienced in leading and inspiring others, and working with a range of staff, volunteers and external partners
* a champion for inclusion and diversity
* skilled at creating and evaluating experiences and events for visitors, including those being run by external partners
* good at prioritising and delegating, empowering staff and volunteers at every level
* precise and observant, focused on excellent standards of presentation, interpretation and customer service
* able to think on your feet and adapt to change, working with others to solve problems and react to opportunities
* comfortable with managing budgets and resources to meet set targets
Benefits
* 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
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.
#J-18808-Ljbffr