Recreation Assistant

+ Work within the Recreation team to welcome visitors to Westonbirt, the National Arboretum.
+ Contribute to providing visitors with a service that exceeds their expectations.
+ Promote a work environment that is positive, productive and practices support and respect between individuals and teams.
+ Operate the admissions area scanning tickets checking membership and handling cash, credit and debit card sales.
+ Help give information and deal with enquiries from customers in a positive and friendly manner.
+ Ensure the public areas are kept clean and presentable.
+ Assist the events and learning teams in setting up and delivering events and activities.
+ Work with and support volunteers.
+ Follow set guidelines and processes to provide customer services, such as cash handling procedures and risk assessments.
+ Liaise with delivery partners such as the Restaurant and Shop concessions to ensure a cohesive customer offer.
+ Working outdoors in all weather completing manual tasks including maintenance and manual handling
+ Provide overtime: If overtime is needed then staff will be invited to volunteer. If there are not enough volunteers, you may be required to work overtime with at least 48 hours' notice.
This role is working 2-4 days per week with weekend work. There may be scope some of the roles to me made permanent/extended. We are hoping to Recruit ready to start in July/August 2024, We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Managing a Quality Service
+ Working Together, A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to Forestry 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.
Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern and hours are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
Your normal pattern will be Monday to Friday although you may need to alter your work pattern and timing in order to supervise contractors which may mean starting earlier on some days. The contract will be a flexible 7 day working week to allow for occasional weekends, public and privilege holidays and evenings, with the exception of Christmas Day but this will be infrequent.
The duties of this post require the applicant to have a full current driving licence that enables them to drive in the UK. However, the Forestry Commission is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any other means.
Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Experience of delivering excellent customer service.
Proven ability to work as part of a team
Competent IT user with experience of Microsoft Office packages, the internet and email.
A full current driving licence that enables them to drive in the UK
Experience of undertaking cash handling duties
Desirable
Willingness and ability to work outdoors in all weathers and to carry out manual tasks
Experience of operating electronic admissions or retail till systems
A working knowledge of risk assessments and safe working in an outdoor setting
Experience of working at a visitor attraction in the heritage and or environment sector
Experience of assisting with the delivery of events and activities

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 £24,323, Forestry Commission contributes £6,567 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%