Coach Visit Co-ordinator

 Job Title: Coach Visit Co-ordinator

  • Based at Calanais Visitor Centre (CVC), Isle of Lewis, HS2 9DY
  • Fixed term contract for 6 months, starting 1 April 2023 (or as soon as possible thereafter)
  • 25 hours/week – working flexibly to deliver the job purpose. Working hours will normally fall between 8am and 6pm, from Monday to Saturday depending on requirements.
  • £12/hour, plus free meals at work and contributory pension scheme

How To Apply

  • Please send a covering letter and CV to Donalda Williams, General Manager, Calanais Visitor Centre – donalda@calanais.org
  • Applications to be received no later than 30 March 2023.

Job purpose:

To provide a smooth, excellent and welcoming experience for visitors, tour guides and drivers that has a minimal impact on other visitors, staff, and the monument itself. Work with the General Manager and wider team to identify the needs of differing tour types and develop improved services to the benefit of both CVC and the coach parties.

Background:

The world-famous Calanais Stones are the best-known and most visited attraction in the Outer Hebrides, with 150,000 visitors each year. As a result, the attraction is on every coach tour itinerary and offered by every cruise ship that visits Lewis.  Cruise ship calls to Stornoway are increasing, with 64 ship visits in 2022 and 104 planned for 2023.  Coach tours numbers are also increasing. The Calanais Visitor Centre expects around 400 coaches during the period April to September, and this post has been created to support our trade customers.

At the same time the visitor centre provides facilities, refreshments, retail and interpretation for independent travellers and the local community, so it is important to all visitors and staff that coach arrivals are managed well.  This is an opportunity for the right person to be able to shape and deliver a wonderful memory for all our visitors.

Key Duties:

  • Manage and maintain our online coach booking system to ensure that it meets the needs of the Trust, our trade customers and other partners
  • Liaise with tour and coach companies to ensure that bookings are correct and that both the tour company and CVC have all the information needed. Proactively manage bookings to maximise the utilisation of our coach bays and general facilities
  • Check the booking system weekly to plan the week ahead and ensure that all information required by CVC has been entered.  Pursue and obtain missing information. Feed back any problems or suggested improvements to General Manager
  • Check the booking system each morning to check for any changes and take appropriate action.
  • Manage the availability of the coach bays to ensure that the coach bays are reserved, welcome signs are available and clearly marked with the day’s bookings.
  • Create a concise set of visitor experience guidelines that define the ideal visit to Calanais, and deliver that experience to every group.
  • Meet and greet each coach, answer queries and hand out Interpretation tickets as required.
  • Deal with any delays to coach schedules, working with CVC staff and other coach parties to minimise impact.
  • Record numbers, time of arrival, time of departure for each coach, with any other information from the passengers, driver and tour guides.
  • Provide all information necessary to the CVC Administrator to facilitate prompt and efficient billing of services supplied. Record daily information gathered from the café and retail team with regards to income generation, successes and failures
  • Prepare weekly report for General Manager with this information and suggestions for improvements
  • To carry out further duties as reasonably requested by the Senior Management Team.

Required skills and knowledge:

  • Excellent front of house persona – warm, friendly, patient, and enthusiastic in all weathers.
  • Ability to adjust pace to match customer flow without compromising quality of service.
  • Ability to work constructively within a team or independently, with minimal supervision to a high and safe standard.
  • Ability to be flexible and adapt working patterns and tasks to meet day-to-day changes.
  • Ability to adjust pace to match customer flow without compromising quality of service.
  • Ability to keep on the go over a long day if required.