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Summary

Are you a great people manager with excellent communication skills who knows how to build and get the best out of their team? Are you practical with a strong attention to detail and able to hit the ground running? Can you work with a vision to make it reality? Can you easily adapt and react to changing situations effectively? Do you love quirky buildings and care about the future of Birmingham’s canal network and heritage? Are you committed to making welcoming places where everyone belongs? If so this role could be for you. This is a rare opportunity to set up and deliver a new visitor attraction for Birmingham, working with a team from the National Trust (NT) and Canal & River Trust (CRT) as part of our National Lottery funded project.

What it's like to work here

Not your average National Trust experience, the Birmingham portfolio includes a range of places, outdoor spaces and new partnerships – all of which speak of the ordinary and extraordinary lives of the people of Birmingham and the Black Country, and the places that are part of the city’s identity.

The Back to Backs is the last surviving of Birmingham’s 30,000 back to back courts, originally built in the 19th century for working people, many of whom came to the city from all over the world. Telling the story of migration to Birmingham, visitors can catch a glimpse into the lives of former residents of these overcrowded houses, including George Saunders from St Kitts in the Caribbean, who owned a tailor’s shop in Court 15 from 1970 – 2001.

The Clent Hills are an important ‘green lung’ for the people of Birmingham and the Black Country, offering miles of footpaths, bridleways, easy access trails and breath taking panoramic views over the Cotswolds, Shropshire Hills and Welsh borders.

The Birmingham team is also undertaking a number of projects that are at the forefront of the National Trust’s emerging strategy for urban places. This is about working beyond our boundaries and exploring ways to work with new partners to protect and bring alive the heritage and green spaces that are important to local communities in urban areas. Our Green Academies Project gives young people skills and opportunities to care for their local green spaces and look after nature on their doorstep. At Moseley Road Baths we are leading a coalition of heritage and community partners to work with Birmingham City Council to find a new future for the internationally significant Grade II* baths in Balsall Heath. The Roundhouse is a pioneering National Lottery-funded joint venture with the Canal and River Trust to bring an important Birmingham landmark back to life as a place from which to explore the city by foot, bike and boat. Working with heritage organisations across the city, we plan to increase our support for Birmingham Heritage Week and Heritage Open Days.

With the Trust’s involvement in these inspiring projects, and even more opportunities on the horizon, this is an exciting time to join the Birmingham team.

What you'll be doing

As the building works start on site, we are looking for an Operations Manager to work closely with the Creative Producer and the NT / CRT project team to bring operational energy and focus to this next stage of project implementation as we transition to opening fully to visitors and tenants.

During 2019 our building contractors will be on site restoring the Roundhouse and getting it ready for use. During this time you’ll build a cohesive, can-do operational team of staff and volunteers who will be geared up and ready for opening, with support from the Project Team. You will work with the Project Team and experts from both Trusts on the practical elements needed to get the building ready, ensuring the Roundhouse is compliant and fulfilling its obligations with regards to Health & Safety, access and other areas. You’ll develop the operations and management policies/processes/records to ensure the Roundhouse is ready to transition from project to operation. You will work closely with the Creative Producer to get your team ready to deliver an ambitious activity programme with a range of partners across the city. Your innovation, operational and commercial awareness will be vital to ensure we maximise opportunities for our visitor offer and create a strong community of tenants.

You’ll really create an impact. Working with the team of volunteers, staff and partners you’ll support the delivery of Roundhouse Birmingham’s ambitions and the requirements of the HLF project. Leading your team you’ll deliver exceptional customer service, commercial targets and visitor experience whilst maintaining a focus on conservation and building management. You’ll manage your stakeholders ensuring effective two way communications and influencing where necessary. The visitor numbers can vary dramatically day to day so using your inspirational leadership skills and adaptability you’ll bring the team together to work collaboratively and effectively.

Please also read the full role profile attached to this advert.

Who we're looking for

With your passion for people and your operational management experience you’ll know how to inspire a team and create great memories for our visitors. You’ll also need to be able to demonstrate:

  • Excellent leadership and people management skills
  • Demonstrable practical experience of managing a busy visitor or customer-focused operation
  • The ability to build strong relationships and work in partnership
  • Enthusiasm and drive, with the ability to influence and inspire your team
  • A commercial and results focused approach with experience in achieving stretching commercially-oriented targets
  • Experience managing budgets, finances, small projects and contracts
  • A keen eye for detail, ensuring the very highest levels of safety, conservation and presentation are established and maintained
  • Strong knowledge of operational risk management, including health and safety and access
  • The ability to work with multiple workstreams and manage stakeholder relationships whilst delivering results
  • Experience of working with local communities and/or teams of volunteers
The package

Benefits include flexible working whenever possible plus free parking at most locations. You’ll be entitled to discounts in high street stores and cinemas, National Trust shops and NT cafes, and have free entry to NT properties for you, a guest and your children (under 18).

Your health and wellbeing is important to us and is supported through generous annual leave and the option to buy additional days (minimum contract length applies), a cycle to work scheme, subsidised health cash pl

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