Recreation Supervisor

To provide an excellent visitor experience by supporting the Visitor Services team at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, effectively, efficiently and safely. You will be supervising and supporting our team of Visitor Services staff, volunteers and contractors in delivering an excellent customer service and an efficient admissions service. You will support and assist visitors to the Arboretum, including giving information and providing first aid as well as carrying out and supervising basic maintenance of facilities. There is also requirement to support the delivery of activities around our large events programme.
Key Work Areas
Admissions and Customer Welcome
Working with the Visitor Operations Manager and Visitor Services Manager, the post holder will be expected to support the staff, contractors and volunteers in delivering a high quality admissions service along with giving appropriate and effective information.
Operations and Estate Maintenance
Maintenance and safety inspections and ensuring these tasks are carried out effectively by the wider team for facilities including car parks, internal roadways, footpaths, some buildings, benches, play equipment, litter bins and signs. Supervision of the team carrying out these works as well as supervising contractors and volunteers.
Events
The role will support the delivery of the large events programme supporting the Events Team. The events including Forest Live, the ‘Christmas at Westonbirt’, ‘Westonbirt 10k’ and the ‘Arb Show’ and others. Assist with work programming and supervision of staff, volunteers and contractors for the delivery of the annual events programme.
Evaluation and monitoring
Support the gathering of quantitative and qualitative data to enable ongoing improvement of services.
Administration
Effective administration including facility inspections and financial records.
Supporting the day to day operation of facilities. Development, implementation and monitoring of health and safety procedures including risk assessments. Purchasing of materials for programmes in line with Forestry Commission financial procedures and ensuring others adhere to these.
Creating and maintaining the Team’s rota including booking additional staff to cover periods of annual leave or sickness. Supervise the welcome building volunteer team, including ongoing development of the team and recruitment of new members.
Communications
Liaison with team leaders of both internal and external teams, including contractors and partner organisations such as catering and retail providers on site. Support of marketing activity in relation to events and customer service., A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to Forestry Commission from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via fcerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
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+ Previous experience of supervision of staff or volunteers in a busy, public focused role.
+ Experience of overseeing and undertaking practical maintenance work, including DIY knowledge.
+ Experience of implementing a risk assessment process to manage safety.
+ Experience in providing administrative support and record keeping.
+ Willingness to train for First Aid at Work certificate.
+ A sound working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages – in particular Word, Excel, and Outlook.
+ Full UK driving licence., + Supervisory Experience of working with electronic sales packages (ticketing).
+ Experience working with volunteers.
+ Previous experience of supporting large or complex events and other operations.
+ Previous experience working in a heritage or visitor attraction., + Leadership
+ Managing a Quality Service
+ Delivering at Pace

Westonbirt, the National Arboretum (www.forestryengland.uk/westonbirt-the-nationalarboretum) is one of the UK’s most famous botanical tree collections and is internationally renowned both for its tree collection and historic landscape. It was founded in 1829 by Robert Holford and is classed as Grade 1 on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens and is one of the world’s greatest examples of an arboretum laid out in the ‘picturesque’ style. As well as holding five National Collections the site has over 130 champion trees - the largest of their kind in Britain. It’s home to some of the rarest trees in the world with trees from Australia, China as well as native trees and a semi-ancient woodland.
It’s an exciting time as we progress our ten-year vision to become a world leader in trees, inspiring people through education, participation and conservation. It is now more crucial than ever with climate change that we ensure we achieve our net zero ambitions and we engage our visitors with the importance of trees and caring for the environment.
Since 1956 the arboretum has been managed by the Forestry Commission and is one of the six districts managed by Forestry England who manages the nation’s forests. Our mission is to connect everyone with them, by creating and caring for our forests for people to enjoy, wildlife to flourish and businesses to grow. We look after more land and more trees than any other organisation in the country cared for by around 1,000 staff and volunteers and enjoyed by over 226 million visits each year.
The team are supported by the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum, an-onsite fundraising and membership charity with over 36,000 members. The arboretum now attracts over 500,000 visitors per year and is the largest pay to enter visitor attraction in Gloucestershire.

Alongside your salary of £27,941, Forestry Commission contributes £8,094 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ Learning and development tailored to your role
+ An environment with flexible working options
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
+ A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%