Job Description

Purpose Of The Role

A game-changing new heart for the city of Edinburgh. St James Quarter is the first of a new kind of consumer destination, and one of the most significant city centre transformations in the U.K. A new quarter of the city, the stunning shopping galleria houses over 80 brands, an enticing mix of restaurants and bars, as well as a boutique cinema, aparthotel, five-star W Edinburgh and luxury residential apartments.


St James Quarter welcomes 20 million visitors each year and offers an unrivalled guest experience in retail and leisure providing customers with an ever-changing events programme and a range of new and attractive public spaces.


The Guest Experience Manager is a new and exciting role with responsibility for leading and motivating guest focused teams, implementing strategies to deliver exceptional service standards, and championing the needs of our guests throughout the Quarter.


As part of a team with overall responsibility for the delivery of exceptional customer service standards you will have direct line management responsibility for the Guest Experience Team, encompassing the guest services function and will oversee the management of our car park contract.


3rd party contractor management a key aspect and demonstrable experience of service enhancement and revenue generation with conversion to operating profit beneficial.


Holistic ownership of our service experience and support the achievement of KPIs across all service lines with clear focus on further enhancement and delivering best in class within sector.


Enable team members and management to deliver highest value growth initiatives by providing analytical support and problem insight, developing solutions and financial modelling as appropriate.


You will be a result driven manager with the ability to adapt to a fast-paced changing environment with demonstrable track record of muti tasking various projects concurrently, with demonstrable experience of how this was effectively managed.


An effective change manager with proven track record of significant change process and experience of leading a team through this transition period.


You will proactively champion centre initiatives through clear communication, coaching and engagement with all teams, in addition to your enhanced customer relationship skills, you will possess the ability to act decisively with an uncompromising eye for detail.


The role will suit candidates who enjoy managing "from the floor" and not from a desk.


The guest experience team operate over 7 days per week, aligned with the main opening hours of the brand partners at SJQ.


The position interfaces with all teams, brand partners, contractors, and other local and national businesses to ensure that the team fully aligned with operational needs.


The Guest Experience Manager must be a leader and a role model and be required to perform as Senior Duty Manager on rotational basis post induction period.

Key Responsibilities

Delivering exceptional customer service to brand partners and guests. Monitoring and driving performance in line with the Business Plan relevant to this aspect of the business. As a leader in guest experience, you will encourage and develop a passion for excellence in delivering exceptional customer service across the whole centre team. Inclusive of service partners.

Maintain overall control of the security and safety operations in the department and for our guests by developing a safety-first culture amongst the team.

Champion service excellence initiatives, which ensure a welcoming, inclusive and best in class destination for all guests.

Drive guest experience and service standards through audits, training and reports within all operational teams within SJQ.

Manage 3rd party contractor responsible for car park operations as well as the guest services function.

Collaboratively work with Retail, Marketing & Tourism teams to ensure alignment with their daily plan & be completely supportive of the activities organised and promote effectively in SJQ. Manage the space according to needs of the different factors and allocate reasonably to fit the business priorities.

Set and manage operational procedures and processes and continuously review them to ensure best practice in line with St James Quarter and Savills policies & procedures.

Provide effective leadership to ensure the development and encouragement of all operational staff to meet both business and personal objectives.

Optimise use of available Staffing resource to ensure service delivered always exceed guest expectations.

Manage local HR related issues and assist with HR administration, including performance reviews, performance management and absence reporting.

To oversee the training of new staff, maintain training records and lead their induction process.

Strategically identify and introduce new services to support business growth

Adhere and support the overall ESG Strategy for SJQ

Liaise with Facilities Management team on any FM related issues, ensuring the service always guest-ready and taking any corrective actions where required in a timely manner.

Prepare monthly reporting on performance to share with the wider team of stakeholders.

This position is also included in the senior duty management rota.

Communication

Ensure effective operational communication across all departments as necessary.

Effective contributor at monthly business progress meetings as required.

Leader and effective communicator ensuring positive relations throughout as necessary.

Effective report writer with excellent use of all Microsoft packages. Demonstrable skills on effective delegation and team motivation.

Brand Enhancement

Ensure that the Centre Brand Guidelines are always adhered to and influence all factors to deliver world class guest service. Ensure close liaison with the senior leadership team including Operational Management, Retail & Hospitality, Technical Services, Marketing and Business

Consistently exceed guest expectations and deliver long term, sustainable guest satisfaction both internally and externally, create benchmark and roadmap to ensure best in class.

H&S Operations

Ensure all accidents, near misses and serious incidents that occur are recorded.

Attend any serious incidents within SJQ and support when necessary.

Maintain the emergency 'Grab Bag' and monthly checks of same.

Monitor and maintain H&S Records in accordance with the frequency required by the site H&S manual.

Ensure that all insurance risk control requirements and, where appropriate, recommendations, are undertaken. Ensure that daily checks are undertaken of the common areas within SJQ and that all necessary remedial works are undertaken within a reasonable time. Where remedial works are required immediately, the area in question must be cordoned off and made safe for all visitors, retailers, etc. Participate in the Health and Safety Committee quarterly and report back for the area and any other observation around St James Quarter

Public Relations & Liaison

Establishing, developing, and maintaining good relations / partnerships with various authorities and local agencies, notably:

Local authority

Emergency Services (Police, Fire & Rescue Services, Paramedics)

Internal businesses forming mixed-use asset.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Candidates will be required to demonstrate the following:



An experienced hospitality or retail professional with a background in managing customer-facing teams, preferably in luxury retail, hospitality or events

A guest experience leader passionate about creating memorable experiences and elevating service standards

A proactive and detail-oriented individual with experience in commercialization, revenue growth, and managing guest satisfaction metrics

Preferred experience in managing 3rd party contractors with evidence of operational excellence improvements and commercial acumen.

Demonstrate excellence in oral and written communication.

Standards driven; with strong attention to detail.

Able to manage complexity and able to deliver with short deadlines. Outstanding stakeholder management, strong relationship building and influencing skills. Ability to work in a team environment and autonomously. High energy, calm under pressure, real team player.

Ability to work standing for long periods of times.

Strong organisational and task management skills.

Solve problems and provide innovative solutions.

Be someone who takes initiative and drives for results.

Confident decision maker, possessing strong leadership skills and people management experience.

Demonstrates drive, resilience, openness, and innovation when working in a dynamic and fast paced environment. Decisive and collaborative in equal measures. Experience in managing and coordinating crisis and emergency response. Fluent in English, other European languages a plus.

Requirements - Personal Characteristics

Flexibility on working week Able to have difficult conversations, clearly explain initiatives in sufficient detail to gain understanding, and the support of internal and external guests and partners. Considered a 'go to' person recognised as a role model internally and externally. Credible across service areas, creates positive working environments, manages conflict. Demonstrates high personal standards, ability to identify positive behaviour within others. Demonstrates consistent excellence in standards, knowledge, and skills. Develops clear strategies to ensure effective delivery of key objectives/KPIs Experienced in influencing people, including people senior to their role. Innovative and creative, challenges accepted beliefs. Motivated to participate in development opportunities that increase capability and performance. Self - aware, positive interpersonal skills yet determined. Bounces back after setbacks. Willing to integrate across service areas, cross functional customer experience improvements are developed and implemented to the benefit of the organisation.

Role Dimensions

Direct Report: Assistant Guest Services Manager and 3rd Party Contractor SJQ team Headcount (circa 120 including Contact Staff) Scheme Size (1.7M sq. Ft) Retailers/Leisure units (circa 110) Car Parking Spaces (1,600) Residential (152 no) 244 bed W Hotel and 75 bed Roomzzz Aparthotel 24-hours operation

Key Contacts

SJQ: Estate Director, Operations Director, Operations Services Manager, Technical Services Manager, Retail Director, Food & Beverage Director and Brand & Marketing Director. Retailers/ F&B, Leisure and Hotels: Store Managers and Occupier Forums. Savills Management: Client Relationship Manager, Head Of PM, HR & training, Finance, Operations Support Team, Technical Services, H&S Manager, Security, Insights and Research. Contractors/Employment Partners: Directors/Senior Management at all Head Contractors & Employment Partners.

Hours

40 hours per week

Salary

50,000



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Please see our Benefits Booklet for more information.