Visitor Experience and Operations Manager

Role Purpose
The Visitor Experience and Operations Manager plays a crucial role in leading the day-to-day visitor experience and commercial operations across all Lakeland Arts venues. This individual is responsible for ensuring a high-quality, welcoming experience for visitors, while maximising revenue generation from retail, catering, events, and other commercial activities. The role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and operational management to support the organisation’s mission and objectives.
Key Responsibilities
Visitor Experience Management
Operational Leadership
Oversee daily operations of visitor-facing services at all Lakeland Arts venues, including ticketing, retail, catering, and information points.
Ensure venues provide a clean, safe, and welcoming environment, maintaining excellent standards of customer service.
Address operational issues or emergencies as they arise, ensuring continuity in visitor experience.
Team Leadership and Development
Lead, manage, and motivate the Visitor Experience team, including catering, retail, and front-of-house staff, as well as volunteers.
Recruit, train, and develop team members to achieve excellence in service delivery and foster a culture of inclusivity and collaboration.
Collaborate with HR to ensure effective training programs in customer service, health and safety, and knowledge of exhibitions and venues.
Visitor Engagement
Develop and implement strategies to enhance the visitor experience, ensuring inclusivity, accessibility, and a broad audience reach.
Collaborate with Marketing, Collections, and Learning teams to create engaging programming, interpretive materials, and special events.
Gather and analyse visitor feedback, using insights to continuously improve the experience and increase visitor satisfaction and repeat visits.
Health and Safety Compliance
Ensure all visitor-facing operations comply with health and safety regulations, including fire safety and risk assessments.
Train staff on health and safety policies, ensuring all teams understand and follow best practices.
Commercial Operations Management
Revenue Generation
Lead and manage Lakeland Arts’ commercial activities, including retail, catering, events, and festivals.
Develop strategies to maximise revenue while aligning with the organisation’s brand values and mission.
Identify and pursue new commercial opportunities to enhance both visitor experience and income streams.
Financial and Business Planning
Set and manage budgets for all commercial operations, including retail, catering, and events, ensuring they meet financial targets.
Monitor and report on financial performance, identifying areas for improvement and recommending adjustments as needed.
Produce monthly reports for the COO, outlining key performance indicators (KPIs) related to visitor numbers, financials, and overall visitor satisfaction.
Event Management
Oversee the planning and delivery of all public and private events at Lakeland Arts venues, working closely with the Events Coordinator.
Ensure that events contribute to both visitor engagement and revenue generation.
Crisis and Emergency Management
Serve as the primary point of contact for operational issues, including technical failures, security incidents, or adverse weather, ensuring swift resolution to maintain visitor experience.
Collaborate with security and facilities teams to maintain readiness for emergency situations.
Person Specification
Essential Skills and Experience
Proven experience managing successful visitor experience, catering, and retail operations, ideally within a cultural or heritage setting.
Strong leadership skills with experience managing diverse teams across multiple venues or sites.
Experience in setting, managing, and reporting on budgets, with a track record of achieving financial targets.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.
Strong analytical and numerical skills, with a focus on using data to make sound commercial decisions.
Commitment to Lakeland Arts' values of inclusivity, sustainability, and delivering an exceptional visitor experience.
Desirable Skills and Experience
Experience managing volunteers and developing staff training programs.
Personal License Holder for event and catering management.
Experience managing large-scale events and festivals.
Key Personal Attributes
Proactive and Flexible: Able to work under pressure, think on your feet, and adapt to changing circumstances.
Collaborative: Demonstrates the ability to work across teams and departments, supporting organisational goals and promoting teamwork.
Innovative: Embraces creativity and seeks continuous improvement, always looking for ways to enhance visitor experience and operational efficiency.
Caring: Shows empathy and respect for colleagues, visitors, and the collection, consistently delivering high-quality work.
Sustainability Focused: Committed to the long-term care of the collections, venues, and environment.
Working Conditions
Location: Primarily based across Lakeland Arts venues, with travel required between locations. Hybrid working options may be available during select periods.
Hours: 40 hours per week, with flexibility for evening and weekend work. Overtime compensated through TOIL.
Employee Benefits
25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays.
Staff discounts in on-site cafés and retail outlets.
Professional development opportunities and pension scheme.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced manager to play a critical role in shaping the visitor experience and commercial success at Lakeland Arts. If you have the passion, skills, and experience, we look forward to hearing from you!

Museum Website: https://lakelandarts.org.uk/jobs/