Administration & Visitor Services Manager

Administration & Visitor Services Manager

Closing date: 28 September 2026

Contract: Full time, permanent

Location: Wildwood Devon, Escot Park, Ottery St Mary, EX11 1LU

Reports to: Director of Park Operations

Responsible for:  3 direct reports & fluctuating numbers of seasonal staff

Grade: 3

Job Purpose

This role is the main point of contact for all finance and administration for the Devon park, as well as being a key driver in ensuring the smooth operation of the visitor experience and the wider business.

Key Responsibilities

• Line management and oversight of the Visitor Services Assistant Team, Shop Supervisor, and Cleaning Team
• Overall responsibility for the gift shop, including ordering, stock levels, gift aid collection, membership conversion, and empowering the Shop Supervisor to deputise in this area
• Lead and motivate the Visitor Services team to deliver excellent customer service, ensuring appropriate levels of training, agreed staffing levels, and leading by example
• Coordinate and run organisational and seasonal events, planning the detail, chairing regular events meetings, and working closely with all departments to ensure their success
• Prepare rotas, time sheets, attendance registers and other relevant documentation for the Finance Team and Payroll
• Produce weekly and monthly finance reports
• Oversee weekly banking and statistics, including cash handling
• Manage emails, purchase ordering system, and back of office EPOS for both the gift shop and café
• Where appropriate, deputise for Director of Park Operations

The Working Week

Your working week will be varied and busy, with seasonal fluctuations and competing priorities. You will have a clear structure of processes and procedures to meet both weekly and monthly deadlines. On-site attendance is required to provide support to all departments as needed and to collaborate effectively with various teams. You will be handling the banking, ensuring the success of the shop and on site events, supporting with the yurt village, and collaborating with other departments to ensure correct staffing levels and a positive visitor experience.

Core working hours are 09:00 until 17:00 with an unpaid half an hour for lunch. This post is 37.5 hours per week over 5 days, however some flexibility will be necessary to ensure business continuity. The job may involve overtime, including some evening, weekend and bank holiday working as part of your normal duties, and you will be included on the park Duty Manager rota both during the week and at weekends.

This job involves undertaking duties which include the following health, safety and wellbeing considerations:

• Regular use of Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
• Lone working
• Conflict resolution
• Pressure to meet key deadlines such as might be integral to high profile projects

Mandatory Training for this role includes:

• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
• Safeguarding Awareness
• Sexual Harassment Awareness
• Customer Engagement & Complaints
• Manual Handling
• Fire Safety Awareness
• Ladder Safety
• Animal Escape & Emergency Procedures
• COSHH & Risk Assessment training
• Near miss & accident reporting
• RIDDOR Reporting
• First Aid
• Fire Warden & Extinguishers
• GDPR / Data Protection Awareness
• Cyber Security
• Food Allergen Awareness

Skills, Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience

All Wildwood staff are passionate, committed, and resourceful. To succeed in this specific role, you will be self-motivated, creative, and a great team player.

Essential

• Confidence to carry out tasks independently, whilst also having the ability to work productively and successfully with a team
• Well-rounded knowledge of MS Excel and Microsoft / Google platforms
• Strong command of Maths and English
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and remain calm under pressure
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to follow established processes
• Strong customer service skills, including handling customer complaints and challenging situations in a professional manner
• Positive and proactive attitude
• Demonstrate a genuine love of British wildlife and belief in Wildwood’s Mission; to protect, conserve, and rewild British wildlife.

Desirable

• Experience in bookkeeping
• Experience of running events
• Firearms - willingness to be trained

Why work for Wildwood

Wildwood is a native species conservation charity established in 2002 to push the boundaries of innovative conservation and rewilding. We work with nature to fight the biodiversity crisis, to halt the extinction of species and to create resilient habitats in which nature thrives. We focus on nature-based solutions to return native species and recreating truly wild spaces.

Wildwood has a proud culture of respecting and valuing all colleagues. Our people are integral to our success; their expertise enables us to achieve our ambitions, their professionalism creates strong collaborations, and their integrity upholds our organisational values.

Employment Package

• Annual salary of £31,000
• Annual leave allowance of 30 days a year, including statutory holidays
• Workplace pension
• Inclusive and family-friendly working policies
• Training & development opportunities
• Selection of staff benefits including discounts
• Free or reduced price entry to BIAZA accredited zoos and aquariums

Probationary Measures of Good Performance

This role has a probation period of six months. A formal review will be held at the mid-point. The following measures of good performance will help to guide our assessment:

1. Within the first month, take up the chair of the events meetings and ensure these are happening regularly.
2. By the midpoint review, understand the membership structure and importance of Gift Aid, and have the team achieving positive membership and gift aid conversion percentages.
3. By the midpoint review, put out appropriate rotas that match the matrix.
4. Within 6 months, successfully complete one month’s cycle of finances, banking, and timesheet submissions.
5. Within 6 months, plan, coordinate and run a successful commercial event.