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At the National Garden Scheme a central office with a team of 13 is the hub for a wide range of activity involving hundreds of volunteers, thousands of garden owners and a large audience of beneficiary charities, suppliers, supporters and partners, as well as members of the public who want to visit gardens and engage with the charity.
The Head of Operations leads and manages County Support, a team of four who deliver the resources, information and support needed by our volunteer county organising teams who support the garden owners. The Head of Operations is key in ensuring that the volunteers feel valued and supported.
The right candidate will have experience of database management, ideally Microsoft Dynamics, so that they can update, interrogate and maintain our database and online portal through which garden owners register and manage their garden data. We are currently updating our IT system and there will be a need for change management to ensure that staff and volunteers are comfortable using the new system.
The successful applicant will thrive in a busy, hands-on and varied role and the key requirements are efficiency and excellent communication skills. This is a role for a meticulous, problem-solving people person.
The ethos of the organisation is rooted in generosity and kindness and the office is a warm and welcoming place to work.
Key responsibilities
Manage the county support team
- Lead and manage the county support team
- Manage smooth working relations between the county support team and other staff
- Lead the county support team in their day to day activities and relationships with county organising teams, garden owners, visitors and other stakeholders
To work closely with and manage liaison with county team volunteers
- To work with county organisers to maximise levels of service from head office
- To work with county organisers for smooth recruitment and succession for volunteer roles
To manage and deliver the annual data gathering and fulfilment operations
- To work with county support and county teams in annual gathering of garden data
- To ensure timely delivery of material to publisher
- To organise and deliver with county support the annual delivery of bulk orders to county teams
To manage key operational elements for the organisation
- To oversee the insurance of garden openings, including claims
To support the Chief Executive in the provision of HR to employees and volunteers
- To recruit, induct and train new members of staff as required
- To carry out performance reviews for some members of staff
- To manage welcome days at head office for new volunteers.
Other duties include:
- Attend national garden shows (e.g. Chelsea) and other events as required.
- Protect and enhance the organisation’s public reputation when speaking on its behalf.
Benefits:
- 28 days holiday (inclusive of public holidays), subsequent increases up to 33 days.
- Permanent, full time role, 35 hours a week – 9am to 5pm with one hour lunch break.
Person Specification
Skills
Essential/Desirable
Confident knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
E
Knowledge and experience of databases, preferably Microsoft Dynamics
D
Experience as an office administrator
D
Personal Skills
Efficiency and reliability
E
Excellent interpersonal skills
E
Excellent oral communication skills
E
Accuracy and attention to detail
E
Ability to prioritise and work to strict deadlines
E
Car owner and driver
E
Registered Charity 
11 - 20
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
As Engagement Coordinator you will be responsible for the planning and delivery of an audience led, public programme of talks, tours and exhibitions at the Cathedral, as well as working with us to plan and deliver a great visitor experience. As a champion of great public engagement you’ll deliver high standards of presentation at the Cathedral, maximising opportunities to deepen visitors understanding of our stories and mission.
If you have experience in:
- Developing and delivering income generating visitor engagement programmes
- Working with difference audiences
- Working within a cultural, commercial or visitor attraction setting
And are:
- Customer focused, passionate about excellent engagement
- Flexible, positive and creative
- Results focused, self-motivator with an entrepreneurial attitude, with an understanding of and enthusiasm for the Cathedral’s overall vision and values, and sympathy with the Christian faith.
Then we would love to hear from you.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Engagement Programme
- Plan, co-ordinate and deliver an engaging public programme of visitor led events, aimed at building new audiences and boosting our visitor numbers
- Work with the Head of Engagement, to develop the group visit offer, ensuring forthcoming anniversaries and activities are exploited
- Support the Head of Engagement to deliver the Social Justice Programme, identifying opportunities within existing talks and tours programming to further support the annual theme
- Provide administration of all groups and public tours, ensuring they are booked and co-ordinated accurately
- Coordinate with the Audience Development Coordinator to evaluate visitor and volunteer feedback, taking action to make improvements as necessary
- Work with external stakeholders and speakers to deliver an engaging year-round expert talks series
Financial administration
- Work with the Finance Team, ensure all fees for engagement events are invoiced and paid for in advance
Relationships
- Line management of the Cathedral Guides volunteer team, working with the Head Guide to ensure guides are kept up to date of Cathedral policy and are trained and delivering excellent customer service
- Work with the Verging and Property team to ensure events are coordinated and delivered to a high professional standard
Other
- Support the Head of Engagement to deliver large scale public events providing administrating and on the day delivery support
Closing date: 11.59pm on Tuesday, June 16th
Interviews are planned for Monday, June 29th
Introduction to the Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral has been a place of Christian worship for over 1400 years. Now it stands on the vibrant and exciting regenerated south bank of the Thames surrounded by cultural venues such as Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe and Borough Market, the offices of major companies as well as schools and diverse residential communities. It is an inclusive Christian community that offers a welcome to all.
The Cathedral’s mission, ministry and musical tradition are core to its life as a Cathedral and a parish church serving the community. It also relies on the valuable financial contribution made by its income generating activities such as its shop, café, conference rooms, corporate events and concerts. It is a very busy place, attracting 200,000 visitors a year to the Cathedral, its churchyard and medieval herb garden. The Cathedral relies on a small but dedicated team to be inclusive and welcoming to all.
Southwark Cathedral is committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer. We believe in promoting and building a diverse and inclusive team, and workplace, culture and governance structures that are welcoming to and respectful of all. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified people whatever their ethnicity, background, age, disability, long term condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Southwark Cathedral is committed to a culture of safeguarding, especially for children, young people, and vulnerable adults. The Cathedral has adopted the Church of England policy statement ‘Promoting a Safer Church (2017)’; Safeguarding Learning and Development (2024) and the Safer Recruitment and People Management Guidance (2021). Every member of our team is recruited according to these policies and is required to complete safeguarding training.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
As Welcome Team Leader you will work as part of the Engagement team, leading a team of Welcome Hosts to provide a warm welcome and overall excellent visitor experience at Southwark Cathedral. Acting as a central point of contact, you will lead, support and develop the Welcome Team to deliver a friendly and engaging visit and ensure a high standard of customer service. You will work closely with the Head of Engagement to support the development of the Welcome Team through training and support, organise rotas and ensure adequate cover of all positions, and support the overall goal to increase visitor numbers, donations and visitor engagement.
If you have experience in:
- Managing a team, supervision and team training
- Working within a heritage, public engagement or visitor attraction setting
- Dealing with customer feedback or complaints
And are:
- Customer focused, passionate about excellent engagement and welcome
- A skilled and engaging communicator
- Committed to continuous organisation improvement and the ability to act as an agent of change, with an understanding of and enthusiasm for the Cathedral’s overall vision and values, and sympathy with the Christian faith.
Then we would love to hear from you.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Act as main point of contact with Welcome Team acting for daily visitor engagement operations, liaising with other onsite teams, including Vergers, Retail, Property and Enterprise;
- Line manage the paid Welcome Team, ensuring a high standard of welcome and visitor service is provided;
- Carry out regular walk rounds of the site to support Welcome Team members, collaborate and provide feedback and ensure standards are consistently met;
- Cover Welcome Team positions as an when required, providing a welcoming, friendly and engaging visitor experience to all visitors to the Cathedral;
- Organise monthly rotas for the Welcome Team to ensure all days are adequately staffed, managing annual leave, sickness and overtime requests;
- Work alongside the Head of Engagement to develop and maintain training sessions and ensure mandatory training is up to date;
- Attend weekly Cathedral Diary meetings and manage daily service sheets and promotional materials;
- Handle complaints procedure and any difficult customers;
- Manage the recording of daily visitor numbers and donation figures;
- Take the lead on card payments for on the day ticket sales for public and group tours, and other engagement events;
- Attend the Health and Safety Committee and ensure the Welcome Team are confident and compliant with all health, safety, security and safeguarding policies and procedures;
- Take an active role in providing visitors with information about the Cathedral and its history, upcoming events, donation points, services and more;
- Communicate with pre-booked and un-booked tour groups requiring access to the Cathedral;
- Refer any visitor in need of pastoral care to the Day Chaplain or clergy;
- Encourage visitors to donate to the Cathedral through the various platforms available in the Cathedral and online and to encourage those making a donation to Gift Aid it should they be eligible to do so;
- Direct visitors to the Cathedral Shop and Café encouraging secondary spend;
- Promote the sale of information products such as the Visitor Map and Guidebook;
Closing date: 11.59pm on Wednesday, June 17th
Interviews are planned for Friday, June 26th
Introduction to the Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral has been a place of Christian worship for over 1400 years. Now it stands on the vibrant and exciting regenerated south bank of the Thames surrounded by cultural venues such as Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe and Borough Market, the offices of major companies as well as schools and diverse residential communities. It is an inclusive Christian community that offers a welcome to all.
The Cathedral’s mission, ministry and musical tradition are core to its life as a Cathedral and a parish church serving the community. It also relies on the valuable financial contribution made by its income generating activities such as its shop, café, conference rooms, corporate events and concerts. It is a very busy place, attracting 290,000 visitors a year to the Cathedral, its churchyard and medieval herb garden. The Cathedral relies on a small but dedicated team to be inclusive and welcoming to all.
Southwark Cathedral is committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer. We believe in promoting and building a diverse and inclusive team, and workplace, culture and governance structures that are welcoming to and respectful of all. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified people whatever their ethnicity, background, age, disability, long term condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Southwark Cathedral is committed to a culture of safeguarding, especially for children, young people, and vulnerable adults. The Cathedral has adopted the Church of England policy statement ‘Promoting a Safer Church (2017)’; Safeguarding Learning and Development (2024) and the Safer Recruitment and People Management Guidance (2021). Every member of our team is recruited according to these policies and is required to complete safeguarding training.
Appointment to this role is subject to satisfactory references and the right to work in the UK.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.