Visitor Experience Officer

The Visitor Experience Officer leads on the Visitor Experience at their branch, putting customer satisfaction at the heart of what they do. They ensure that visitors receive an excellent experience whenever they visit so that IWM is able to achieve the financially sustainable income needed from our visitors. Recommendations from visitors who had a great time (both online and word of mouth) are essential to IWM success. There should be consistent visit quality for all visitors, whenever they arrive, across 7 days per week, but this should be able to be adapted to the requirements of each individual. The VEO should be able to put themselves in the place of the visitor, see the experience with fresh eyes, ensure standards are clear and make adjustments in reaction to feedback.

They will own the Customer Experience scorecard/FOH Standards for each site and work with other stakeholders to ensure the score is achieving its target. VEO’s should understand the organisational and Visitor Experience Strategy objectives for visitors and promote other products and services including events and tours, guidebooks, membership, shops and cafes to maximise IWM’s revenue. VEOs should maintain good, collaborative working relationships with FOH teams, relevant departments and stakeholders. Working with a team of volunteers they should ensure that visitors receive an excellent welcome to the site, with clear orientation, assistance in getting the best out of every visit and a thank-you for their visit on departure.

Key duties

You will be expected to work independently as well as across different teams in order to contribute to and deliver the priorities of IWM - using your knowledge, skills, talent and potential to the best of your ability.

You will focus at all times on delivering excellent customer service, ensure value for money at all times while being professional, courteous and demonstrating the behaviours and attributes expected of all IWM employees. You will also adhere to all corporate standards, and use corporate systems as directed to ensure consistency of service, brand and operational standards.

You will be expected to work across departments effectively, working with individuals, partners and where appropriate volunteers.

To identify and implement learning and development needs for both yourself and your team, including volunteers, if appropriate.

Your duties will include:

• You lead on and manage the Volunteer Insights programme. This includes scheduling, positioning, producing rotas, briefing, training and quality control- working with relevant departments to achieve a high quality and consistence experience.
• You will line manage the VEA and work with them to provide full seven-day week cover at their site.
• Lead on any initiatives designated to deliver on the Visitor Experience Strategy for your branch.

In addition, your duties will include:

Visitor Experience

• Ensure that the framework is in place for visitors to receive a proactive, friendly and welcoming arrival, are able to get the most out of their visit and leave knowing what they might want to do next with IWM. This can be delivered by the Visitor Experience Officer or by their team of Discover Volunteers and Visitor Experience Assistants.
• Ensure that visitors are welcomed and treated in a warm, empathetic, informative and courteous manner at all times, aware of special attention and individual needs where they may be required. Be able to flex your approach depending on the needs of each visitor, but with a consistent quality of service.
• You may be required to engage with visitors and groups about IWM collections when required, answer their queries and provide a personalised and knowledgeable service about what is on display, helping customers orientate themselves around the building and galleries (knowledge of site layout will be essential).
• Identify opportunities for enhancing a visit and enable relevant teams to make this happen. For example showing objects, but be sensitive to the interaction level required by different visitors. This might include the ‘must sees’ to suit the length of the visit, recommendations for family content and activities or where to find lunch on site.
• Take ownership of the Visitor Experience scorecard/FOH Standards for your site and ensure that measures are put in place to develop any low scoring areas, so that the overall target of visitor satisfaction is achieved.
• Monitor and react to reviews of the Visitor Experience at your allocated site and proactively work to resolve any issues.
• You should be able to find solutions to any complaints or issues raised and if unable to resolve them there and then should organise and communicate how they will be dealt with.
• Ensure that your site has appropriate wayfinding - maps, information and signage (both temporary and permanent) to facilitate a positive visit which maximises secondary spend.
• You will ensure that assistance is available for customers with disabilities including assistance with the use of audio-visual guides and possible sight guiding (after training).
• You will be an advocate for access and inclusion issues at every opportunity.
• Work with Visitor Experience team colleagues to cover for absences or participate in cross site projects as needed.
• Liaise with Digital to ensure the online experience before and after a visit, deliver appropriate information and can convert to ticket sales.
• Be the first point of contact for any Visitor Experience issues at your allocated branch.

Volunteer Management

• You will be required to line manage, lead, train and develop volunteers and work with the Volunteering team to ensure there is sufficient cover for all activities. You will role model the expected standard for Visitor Experience.
• You will need to ensure that you and the volunteer team have sufficient knowledge of the IWM’s subject matter and exhibitions to be able to interact with visitors to communicate the history and relevance of the museum and its collection in a lively, engaging and informative manner. You may be required to give short presentations to visitors. You are required to ensure that volunteers can do this to enhance the day-to-day visit.
• You will manage the delivery of the Volunteer Insight programme to a wider audience ensuring they are accurate & consistent with IWM’s programme and follow required governance processes, including liaising with curatorial and engagement colleagues. This activity should take place everyday at your site.

Team Management

• To manage the performance of all members of your team; to provide regular feedback, annual appraisals and forward job plan, probation reviews, counselling, grievances and to manage disciplinary matters in accordance with IWM’s policies and procedures.
• To manage the induction and training of the Visitor Experience Assistant ensuring they receive a quality induction highlighting all areas of work they will be involved in, continuous on the job training and are set objectives as part of their forward job plan.
• To prepare monthly staffing rotas at least one month in advance and to ensure that staffing levels reflect the needs of the business at all times.
• To ensure that all your team are fully trained and kept up-to-date on all processes, policies and procedures and are adhering to them.

Income Generation

• You and your team will ensure that income objectives for the IWM are considered when advising on a visit and actively promote the shops, cafes, tours, events, experiences and the value of membership amongst other products and services.
• You and your team should be trained and able to talk about memberships, its benefits for the individual and for the IWM and to be able to actively recruit members.
• You & your team will lead Membership ‘Welcomes’, greeting new members and providing orientation at your site to ensure new members are able to maximise the benefits of membership and understand the mission of
• Ensure that all initiatives for which you are responsible are appropriately costed and resourced.

Marketing & Internal Communications

• You will liaise with Marketing colleagues to ensure up to date collateral is in place across the site, including posters, leaflets and digital assets.
• You will carry out regular audits of onsite marketing materials, including stock checks, to ensure adequate stocks remain and replenished when necessary.
• You will provide regular updates for the Front of House newsletter every month.

Maintaining Standards

• Lead regular walkarounds at your site with key stakeholders to ensure the quality and standards for the visit are as they should be.
• Play an active role in daily staff briefings, ensuring all operational teams are updated on activities relating to Visitor Experience and any changes to the visitor journey are communicated.
• You will lead monthly, front of house team meetings with colleagues from operations, facilities, retail & admissions to ensure any issues impacting Visitor Experience are communicated & resolved as a priority.
• As a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) you will act as the first point of contact for any concerns regarding the safety of children or vulnerable adults. You will take the lead on contacting the appropriate statutory authorities as needed and keeping records of the incident.
• You will act as an IWM ambassador at all times. You will ensure that both you and your volunteers are smart at all times and wearing appropriate badges.
• You will ensure that we remain compliant with health and safety legislation and access and inclusion policies.
• The nature of this role will require you to be mobile and active for extended periods of time.

The VEO is expected to work a 5 day shift pattern which includes weekends. The shift pattern is decided on between the VEO and Head of Visitor Experience.

For a full list of duties and the person specification (which your application will be marked against) please view the Job Description.