Job Description

Trebah is one of Cornwall's great gardens and a leading tourist attraction within the county, known for both its horticultural excellence and exceptional quality of our experience.

With visitor numbers growing and an exciting future ahead, we are looking for a strong leader to join our team in the role of Operations Manager. The successful candidate will play a key role in Trebah's leadership team and will support the CEO and the board of trustees in closely managing the day-to-day operation and bringing relevant knowledge and skills to Trebah to further strengthen our strategy.

We ask that all applicants apply through Indeed jobs and that a CV and a covering letter of no more than two pages is attached. The covering letter must demonstrate how your knowledge, skills and experience fit with the requirements of the role profile and also why you are passionate about working at Trebah and within Cornwall's tourism industry.

This role is open for applications until 1 October 2025. The first round of interviews are planned for Wednesday 22 October.

Role profile: Operations Manager

Permanent, full-time, 40h per week. c.45k per annum.

Responsible To:

Chief Executive Officer

Location:

Trebah Garden, Near Falmouth.

The operational nature of this role requires the successful candidate to be based on-site full-time.

Scale and Scope of the Role:

A pivotal role at Trebah Garden, we are looking for an inspirational individual and experienced manager who can help us deliver our Vision of being known as one of the best gardens in the world. This new role will form part of the leadership team at Trebah and will take on many of the operational responsibilities of the CEO, enabling them to become more strategic.

The post-holder will manage the day-to-day operation at Trebah Garden, ensuring set budgets, standards and KPI's are met or exceeded, in line with our plan. They will support and enable their team to make the most of their potential.

The core of the role will focus on growing our commercial income and developing the business sustainably. There will also be the opportunity to contribute toward Trebah's strategy and the planning and delivery of projects that will help us achieve our Vision and Charitable Purpose.

Financial responsibility:

Responsible for delegated operational and project budgets (income and expenditure) for both Trebah Garden Trust and our trading subsidiary, Trebah Enterprises Limited.

Line management:

This role is responsible for these roles and their areas of the operation:

Visitor Experience Manager (includes membership and admissions) Food and Beverage Manager Gift Shop Manager Plant Centre and Nursery Manager Facilities Manager (includes maintenance and Health and Safety) Events Manager

Internal/external relationships:

The Leadership Team and Head of Department team The wider team of staff and volunteers. Trebah Council of Management (board of Trustees). Partner organisations and tourism industry bodies. Trebah Members and the local community. Relevant local businesses and tourist attractions.

Areas of Impact:

People management: fostering a positive environment of teamwork and collaboration with clear goals and measures in place.

Commercial success, growing our income through business development. Planning for and delivering sustainable growth.

Quality of visitor experience; service, interpretation and presentation.

Advocacy of our brand.

Planning and implementation of projects that deliver Trebah's strategic objectives.

Trebah's cultural programme of events and activities.

Growing support through membership, loyalty and new income streams.

Lifelong learning at Trebah; our education strategy and programme.

Risk management, facilities and maintenance.

Key responsibilities:

People management:

Lead by example in delivering a high standard of leadership and management throughout your team.

Drive strong performance management throughout your team, ensuring people are well managed. Celebrate good performance and give regular constructive feedback.

Identify and develop opportunities for training and personal development.

Lead for a culture of exceptional service, internally and externally: exemplify delivery of the Trebah Values.

Ensure our volunteers are well managed and recognised.

Commercial and financial:

Ensure that our commercial offer (gift retail, plant retail and food & beverage) is high-quality, current and reflective of appropriate trends for our audiences and market price points.

Meet or exceed budgeted surplus with your team across your areas of responsibility.

Monitor and actively manage costs in detail with your team and contribute to the budgeting and planning process.

Ensure relevant commercial KPIs are embedded in our business plan and met.

Business Development:

Support the CEO by contributing to the strategic and business planning process, developing stretching but achievable goals that will feed through to personal objectives for yourself and your team.

Support the CEO with planning and delivery of projects across Trebah to work towards agreed objectives that will deliver our vision and ultimately our charitable purpose.

Support the CEO with developing new charitable income streams for Trebah.

Visitor Experience:

Lead for the consistent delivery & improvement of an exceptional visitor experience at onsite and online.

Protect and build our brand and reputation by ensuring we present Trebah to our visitors in line with our brand guidelines and Vision.

Advocate Trebah Garden internally, locally, and within the industry to maintain and strengthen our reputation.

Compliance and risk management:

Lead for the health and safety of yourself, your team and our visitors in all areas - ensure we consider risk first.

Create and manage a Duty Manager system and relevant emergency procedures for Trebah.

Ensure staff and volunteer facilities and working environments are of a high quality.

Support the CEO and Finance & HR Manager in developing and implementing relevant training.

Be part of the Trebah team:

Champion and deliver in line with Trebah Garden Values.

Act as Duty Manager for Trebah Garden as part of a rota.

Act as a key holder.

Anything else as reasonably requested by Trebah Garden Trust.

Help ensure that Trebah Garden is a great place to work and volunteer.

This role will require regular Sunday and bank holiday working, on-site, as part of a 7-day a week rota. Occasional evening working will be required to support events.

This role may deputise for the CEO on occasion.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

Required:

We are looking for an inspirational and motivational individual with a minimum of five years' experience in a leadership/managerial role within a tourism or hospitality business.

Your experience should include:

Track record of strong leadership and management, including:

o Demonstrable leadership and management skills.

o Recruitment, induction and development of quality staff.

o Training delivery and presentation experience.

o Performance management - including KPI's

o Project management

Experience in growing commercial income and profitability.

Experience in managing change.

An ability to deliver under pressure and to deadlines.

Extensive experience leading high-quality service and presentation.

Business & commercial planning & development, especially within retail, events and food & beverage environments.

Tourism and hospitality industry experience and knowledge of and best practice.

Problem solving and creativity.

Demonstrable experience of drawing on audience data, research and trends in order to inform decisions.

Strong financial acumen and experience of managing complex budgets.

Experience of influencing and negotiating at various levels within an organisation.

Procurement experience.

Experience of developing and facilitating mutually beneficial partnerships.

Experience of managing operational risk within the tourism and hospitality environment and knowledge of relevant H&S regulation.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

A full clean UK driving license.

Strong IT skills (Microsoft office)

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Company pension Discounted or free food Employee discount On-site parking Sick pay
Work Location: In person