VACANCIES
Work With Us.
We always aim to be the best we can be.
If you'd like to a part of our great team, we'd love to hear from you. We're looking for Storyteller Tour Guides, Development Assistants and an Operations Assistant.
We’re a 5 star family business who have been giving history a ‘damn good telling’ since 1985. We give visitors a warm welcome and unique, memorable experiences as we share the sights and stories of Edinburgh on 18 different tours per day. Our multiple awards and reputation recognise our hard work and commitment to high quality experiences – for visitors and the team.
Can you help us grow?
We'll help you be the best you can be!
You'll be joining the Mercat family where we look after our team - we're a Living Wage employer and share an annual discretionary bonus across the team and offer a company holiday home. If you care about delivering 5 star standards, relish a challenge.
Storyteller Tour Guides
We're looking for enthusiastic and energetic Storytellers to join our team.
Purpose and Objectives;
- To give history a damn good telling
- Deliver an authentic, high quality, visitor-centred experience of Scottish history
- Represent Mercat Tours, and our city, in a positive, professional manner
- Share ideas on how to improve Mercat’s service and develop new business
- Help drive the growth of Mercat in a positive, sustainable future as part of our dynamic team
Main Duties and Responsibilities;
Storytelling;
- Deliver walking tours of the Royal Mile, Blair Street Underground Vaults, Edinburgh Castle and National Museum of Scotland
- Make meaningful connections between visitors, locations, stories and tour theme to ensure a unique and memorable experience
- Share your own passion through engaging and entertaining storytelling
- Involve the audience to increase impact and effect of tour
- Thorough knowledge of Edinburgh, and Scottish, history required
Visitor care & focus;
- Welcome and interact with visitors pre-tour
- Prioritise visitors’ needs at all times
- Assess suitability of tour route and adjust accordingly
- Manage and support any unwell visitors
- Aware of fire evacuation procedures
- Up to date First Aid training
- Communicate, support and work with Visitor Services team to ensure a first class, visitor focused experience
Requirements
- Thorough knowledge of Edinburgh and Scottish history
- People focussed
- Positive and proactive approach to problem solving
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Passion for history
- Positive, supportive team member
- Flexible and resourceful
- Ability to use initiative
- Organised and punctual
- Calm under pressure
- Commitment to help us be the best we can be
- Passion for high quality product and visitor experience
- Commitment to be the best you can be
Audition Process;
Stage 1: Successful applicants will be invited for an interview and audition on 10th or 12th December
Stage 2: Successful interviewees will be called for a second audition and storytelling workshop (approximate duration 2.5 hours) date to be confirmed after audition stage.
Stage 3: Successful candidates will be offered a fixed term contract with a four-month probationary period. You will receive our award-winning, accredited training to deliver tours resulting in a qualification in Guiding from Napier University.
Start week beginning 14th January
Employment Details;
- Part time and full time roles available (5 - 30hrs)
- Shifts vary in length from 4.5 to 7hrs per day
- Working hours 10am – 11pm
- Working week Monday to Sunday
- 4 month probationary period
- Completion of our accredited training programme results in a Tour Guide Qualification (SCQF Level 10), external verified by Edinburgh Napier University.
We are a Living Wage employer offering £10pr/hr starting rate, moving to £13.35pr/hr on completion of training.
To Apply;
Please send your application form and CV to shirley@mercattours.com by Friday 30th November 2018
Interview;
Interviews will be held at 28 Blair Street Edinburgh.
Development Assistants
We’re looking for a Development Assistant with a love for training and supporting people, an eye for quality and enthusiastic Storyteller to join our team.
Purpose and Objectives;
- Deliver an authentic, high quality, visitor-centred experience of Scottish history
- Represent Mercat Tours, and our city, in a positive, professional manner
- Develop and deliver training and CPD sessions for Mercat storytellers
- Review existing products
- Provide support to Creative Development Manager
- Share ideas on how to improve Mercat’s service and develop new business
- Help drive the growth of Mercat in a positive, sustainable future as part of our dynamic team
Main Duties and Responsibilities;
Storytelling;
- Deliver walking tours of the Royal Mile, Blair Street Underground Vaults, Edinburgh Castle and National Museum of Scotland
- Make meaningful connections between visitors, locations, stories and tour theme to ensure a unique and memorable experience
- Share your own passion through engaging and entertaining storytelling
- Involve the audience to increase impact and effect of tour
- Thorough knowledge of Edinburgh, and Scottish, history required
Training & CPD
- Participate in storyteller’s recruitment
- Develop and deliver training for different audiences – including Mercat tour guides, but also guides from other agencies
- Plan and deliver CPD sessions in collaboration with Manager and training team
- Work closely with guides and performers to support the delivery of tours and other presentations from across the range of content that we deliver
- Liaise and ensure effective communication with relevant staff and departments on training & CPD matters
- Review and develop training materials with team input
- Contribute to review of training and CPD
- Support Visitor Services and Operations teams and deliver appropriate training
Product Development
- Review and revise tour routes, content and resources based on team input and visitor feedback
- Help Creative Development Manager to research, develop and provide training for products for external contracts and new internal projects
Special Requirements;
- Thrives working in a team
- People focussed
- Nurturing and supportive approach
- Committed to team development
- Work independently and take responsibility
- Positive attitude
- Engaging delivery style
- Positive and effective communicator
- Excellent organisational skills
- Excellent written skills
- Calm under pressure
- Think creatively
- Passion for high quality product and visitor experience
- Commitment to be the best you can be
Audition Process;
Stage 1: Successful applicants will be invited for an interview and audition on 10th or 12th December
Stage 2: Successful interviewees will be called for a second audition and storytelling workshop (approximate duration 2.5 hours) date to be confirmed after audition stage.
Stage 3: Successful candidates will be offered a fixed term contract with a four-month probationary period. You will receive our award-winning, accredited training to deliver tours resulting in a qualification in Guiding from Napier University.
Start week beginning 14th January
Details;
- Full time role available; 35hrs per week
- Working days, shifts and hours open to negotiation
- Working week Monday to Sunday
- 4 month probationary period
We are a Living Wage employer offering a competitive salary.
To Apply;
Please send your application form and CV to shirley@mercattours.com by Friday 30th November 2018.
Interview;
We will be holding interviews in Edinburgh wk 10th December.
Operations Assistant
We're looking for an Operations Assistant with a cool head and zen approach to spreadsheets to join our team.
Purpose and Objectives;
- Assist in the effective and efficient operation of Mercat Tours’ staff scheduling
- Ensure high quality visitor experience delivered consistently through effective operational planning
- Share ideas on how to improve Mercat’s service and develop new business
- Help drive the growth of Mercat in a positive, sustainable future as part of our dynamic team
Main Duties and Responsibilities;
- Point of contact for Storytelling and Visitor Services teams on day to day scheduling matters
- Ensure accurate and up to date daily schedule for all company operations
- Process any schedule changes ensuring accurate, detailed records
- Liaise and ensure effective communication with relevant staff and departments on scheduling matters
Special Requirements;
- Positive and effective communicator
- Strong people skills
- Excellent organisational skills
- Attention to detail
- Methodical, logical and thorough approach
Details;
- Part time role available; 14-21hrs per week, open to negotiation
- Working days, shifts and hours open to negotiation
- Working week Monday to Sunday
- Working hours 10am – 11pm
- 3 month probationary period
We are a Living Wage employer offering a competitive salary.
To Apply;
Please send your application form and CV to shirley@mercattours.com by Friday 30th November 2018
Interview;
Interviews will be held at 28 Blair Street Edinburgh.