It’s an exciting time to be part of the team at Shetland Reel, and we’re excited to be recruiting for another new team member to join us.
Our latest vacancy provides an opportunity for a Visitor Experience and Sustainability Co-Ordinator to oversee the next chapter of development for Saxa Vord Distillery in Unst.
Established in 2014, Saxa Vord Distillery is the first – and only – distillery in Shetland. Operating on the most northerly inhabited island in the UK, we currently produce the award-winning Shetland Reel gins and have an ambitious long-term vision to install Shetland’s first single malt distillery.
With a mission to focus on sustainability and a green recovery post COVID, the successful candidate will work in two key areas: Development of Shetland Distillery Company’s sustainability plan and progression of the visitor experiences offered at Saxa Vord Distillery.
The key roles and responsibilities within these key areas are:
Development of Visitor Experiences
- Develop and deliver improvements to the public areas of the distillery
- Improve flow of visitors within the distillery
- Collaborations with local businesses
- Developing virtual experiences for remote consumers
Shetland Distillery Company’s Sustainability Plan:
- Support our commitment to become a net zero business
- Develop a long-term sustainability strategy to reduce carbon footprint
- Be the on-site point of contact for distillery improvement projects
- Identify and target relevant funding sources for sustainability improvements
As part of our small team, the successful candidate would also be expected to support day-to-day operations at the distillery and other tasks as and when required.
Candidate Experience:
Due to the funding requirements of this post - which is part-funded by HIE - applicants must be a graduate, and have graduated within the last four years, to meet the criteria for the role.
Experience within a visitor centre, a customer-facing role and/or the hospitality industry is desirable.
Awareness of what is required to move towards a net zero business is vital, however it is not expected that candidates have detailed technical knowledge of reducing carbon footprint.
An understanding of – and interest in – the Scottish gin industry is desirable.
Candidate skills:
The ideal candidate will be a self-starter with a strong ability to work alone on projects if required.
An ability to undertake research and develop plans and proposals for consideration by directors is essential.
The ability to work as part of a team will be important, as a reliance on the current team’s expertise will be a vital element in progressing the distillery.
With several public-facing duties, the successful candidate must be comfortable with public speaking in front of various groups and stakeholders.
A strong attention to detail is essential for developing proposals and delivering sustainable improvements to the distillery and the business.
As the business looks to progress into new areas, being comfortable with research, data collection and analysis is important.
Lastly, a sense of humour and willingness to contribute to all aspects of the business when required will play a big role in integrating with the current distillery team in Unst.
Contract:
This is a fixed term contract for 12 months and has a salary of £25,000, based on a working week of 37.5 hours. Working during the weekend or on evenings will be involved.
The successful candidate will report to our Co-founders, Debbie Strang and Stuart Nickerson, whilst also working closely with the on-site Distillery Team on a day-to-day basis.
Additional details:
The position is Shetland-based, and the candidate will be expected to spend a large part of their time at the distillery in Unst.
Temporary accommodation may be available at Saxa Vord in a shared staff house for a short time.
The deadline for starting the role is November 1st, however a start date in mid-October would be preferred.
How to apply:
Please send your CV to Gill.Mackellar@shetlandreel.com by 12:00pm on Friday 24th September 2021.
Further information regarding the role can be obtained from Debbie.strang@shetlandreel.com
