Title:Â Front of House Manager
Salary scale: £30,000
Working period: Â 40 hours per week, to include one weekend day per week.
Contract:Â Â Â Three years (with view to extend)
Accountable to: Â Director of Fundraising
Location:Â Â Liverpool Cathedral
Application Deadline: Â 9am 11 March 2024
Interviews:  20-21 March                     Â
Liverpool Cathedral is proud to be an equal opportunities employer and we do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability, or age.
Job Summary:
Liverpool Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Britain and the fifth largest in the world. We hope that exploring our vast space provides our 600,000 annual visitors with a sense of what it means to ’encounter Liverpool Cathedral’, whether that is through our daily worship services filled with inspiring music and quiet reflection, or our large-scale art installations and family activities.
As the Front of House Manager, you will provide a key role in providing and facilitating excellent visitor service, using good judgement and decision making. Visitor donations are a key and growing area of income which supports the cathedral’s mission and ministry. A key part of this role will be to engage visitors to the cathedral with a donation ‘ask’, whilst being mindful of the varying reasons people come to the cathedral. You will use your communication skills both to engage personally with visitors and to motivate your team to the same. You will be responsible for the Audience Finder visitor survey, which we currently deliver in partnership with eight other English cathedrals. At its most basic level this will be ensuring we have met our target for number of surveys, but we anticipate you to create reports on visitor trend behaviour and feed back to key internal stakeholders on new behaviours and demographics.
As this is a new role, you will have the opportunity to set up and develop new systems including welcome scripts, box office systems and furniture. We anticipate that within 12 months this role will additionally have some ticketing responsibilities within the cathedral including, but not limited to, the Tower experience, music concerts, and the Christmas light show.
It is anticipated the post-holder will be at the visitor reception three days a week, with two days a week for team administration. You will work closely with the Visitor Services Manager, Operations Manager and H&S Manager & Inspector of Constables on a daily basis, and will collaborate with the Retail & Attractions Manager and Welsford Bistro to support these business areas.
You will line manage the Front of House team of three/four contracted staff and a pool of casuals. As you are responsible for visitor donations income, you will report to the Director of Fundraising.
Key responsibilities include:
Cathedral Welcome
- Welcome visitors to Liverpool Cathedral in a helpful and positive manner, providing information about the cathedral as well as support the core offer of the Cathedral, including signposting visitors to the Tower Experience, shop and café as appropriate.
- Financial reporting on visitor donations and highlighting trends to ensure better ROI
- Develop and deliver the Cathedral’s donation request message on entry, ensuring consistent messaging across team members.
- Manage the circulation of visitors, especially if there are large groups of visitors in the Cathedral, liaising with the Front of House Manager as appropriate.
- In collaboration with the Health and Safety Officer, ensure the safety of visitors and staff in the Cathedral.
- Respond to public questions about the Cathedral with appropriate knowledge and understanding.
- Monitor and maintain the appearance, presentation, and supplies (such as leaflets) of the Front of House area and Cathedral Main Space.
Front of House Team Management
- Line manage a team of Front of House staff to deliver the above service to a high standard.
- Manage staff rotas and timetables to ensure consistent staffing, including recruiting and engaging with casual staff where appropriate.
- Monitor team performance against donation targets and other appropriate metrics.
- Deliver team training on areas including engaging with visitors, asking for Gift Aid.
- Work closely with our team of volunteers to provide a smooth experience for visitors.
- Work with Cathedral staff and volunteers to maximise donations and develop new income opportunities.
The post holder will undertake other relevant duties as may be requested from time to time and commensurate with the role.
Encounter Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral is a place of spiritual and cultural significance for the city and region of Liverpool. From its foundation in the early part of the 20th century it has existed as community and building built by the people, for the people to the glory of God.
Liverpool Cathedral is more than an iconic Grade 1* listed building. It’s a vibrant, active place that the people of the city, regions and world encounter in many ways. But in each way, we hope they encounter a warm welcome and sense of God. So alongside those who come for one of our daily worship services, people may encounter us for a gala dinner or a school trip. A tourist may visit us or we could be hosting an awards ceremony or graduations.
We believe everyone will encounter:
- Inspiring Christian worship
- A breath-taking experience
- A community committed to justice and mercy
- A safe, generous place in joy and sorrow
- A dynamic community of staff and volunteers
- A God who knows and loves you.
Working for Liverpool Cathedral will bring you into a community that seeks to make those encounters happen. You will be someone who can subscribe to, and live out, our values of excellence, dynamic, integrity and inclusive. You will have the benefits of working in a landmark building with colleagues who are serious about the work life balance with generous holiday allowances and access to an Employee Assistance Programme. We have a strong working partnership with the Diocese of Liverpool bringing extra support to our activities.
For more information about Liverpool Cathedral go to www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk
Person Specification
| Essential | Desirable |
| Experience | |
| Customer service experience dealing with the public in face-to-face situations. | |
| Experience managing a team. | |
| Experience in the creation of reports to predict financial and visitor trends. | |
| Box office management. | |
| Experience in the voluntary sector, particularly in tourism, arts or heritage environment. | Experience in fundraising or making a fundraising ‘ask’. |
| Proven experience of working to measurable targets. | |
| Can prioritise and handle a diverse range of tasks, with interruption. | |
| Have excellent customer service, communication, administrative and interpersonal skills. | |
| Able to handle complaints and difficult visitor situations with a pleasant manner. | |
| Knowledge & Skills | |
| Be dynamic, enthusiastic, and well organised with good attention to detail. | |
| Can communicate effectively, clearly, and positively through any medium. | |
| Have a positive, patient, and helpful disposition, particularly when communicating with visitors. | |
| Interest in culture, arts and/or heritage and the work of Liverpool Cathedral. | |
| Personal Qualities | |
| An empathetic approach to dealing with different people’s needs | |
| Be positive, flexible, and supportive of the team and wider cathedral objectives. | |
| A ‘can do’ attitude. | |
| Person of integrity who can keep absolute confidentiality. | |
| Work Related Circumstances | |
| Must be able to work minimum of one weekend day per week and bank holidays. | |
| The position may require some lifting and manual handling. |
The post holder must be in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the Church of England. The post holder must also fully support the Values of the Diocese of Liverpool/Liverpool Cathedral.