Visitor Operations Manager

This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, as Visitor Operations Manager. At a time of growing ambition and increasing visitor demand, you’ll lead the day-to-day operation of one of the South East’s most distinctive visitor destinations—championing a visitor-first culture and owning the end-to-end visitor journey to ensure every visit feels seamless, welcoming and memorable for a diverse range of audiences.

As the site’s operational lead, you’ll coordinate teams, resolve challenges in real time and ensure activity across the site lands with clarity and confidence as part of a single, joined-up operation. Bringing pace, collaboration and calm leadership, you’ll deliver exceptional experiences on the ground while supporting strong commercial performance and driving continuous improvement across teams.

An Enhanced DBS Check is required for this role.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, as Visitor Operations Manager. At a time of growing ambition and increasing visitor demand, you’ll lead the day-to-day operation of one of the South East’s most distinctive visitor destinations—championing a visitor-first culture and owning the end-to-end visitor journey to ensure every visit feels seamless, welcoming and memorable for a diverse range of audiences.

As the site’s operational lead, you’ll coordinate teams, resolve challenges in real time and ensure activity across the site lands with clarity and confidence as part of a single, joined-up operation. Bringing pace, collaboration and calm leadership, you’ll deliver exceptional experiences on the ground while supporting strong commercial performance and driving continuous improvement across teams.

An Enhanced DBS Check is required for this role.

Visitor Operations Manager

More details

You will have significant experience leading operations within a complex visitor attraction, cultural site, or multi-use destination, with a proven ability to deliver excellent visitor experiences through effective team leadership, operational management, risk control, budget oversight, and continuous service improvement.

Interviews are due to take place on 20 July.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) is a leading plant science institute, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and major visitor attraction. Our mission is to understand and protect plants and fungi for the well-being of people and the future of all life on Earth.

We are working to end the unprecedented extinction crisis and to help create a world where nature is protected, valued by all and managed sustainably. We will achieve these goals by drawing on our leading scientific research, unrivalled collections of plants and fungi, global network of partners, inspirational gardens at Kew and Wakehurst, and our 260 years of history.

Join us on our journey as protectors of the world’s plants and fungi.

The salary for this position is £46,556 - £53,882 per annum (pro rata), depending on skills and experience [Band E]

Our fantastic benefits package includes opportunities for continuous learning, a generous annual leave entitlement, flexible working to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, an Employee Assistance Programme and other wellbeing support such as cycle to work scheme and discounted gym membership. We also offer a competitive pension, an employee discount scheme and free entry into a wide range of national museums and galleries, as well as access to our own beautiful gardens at Kew and Wakehurst.

If you are interested in this position, please submit your application through the online portal, by clicking “Apply for this job”.

At Kew, our strength lies in the diversity of our people and the insights they bring. When you join us, you will find an organisation that values your perspective and lived experience. You will receive support to achieve your full potential and access opportunities to develop and progress. Our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion is ongoing, shaped by the people who work here and the communities we serve. As a disability confident employer, we are breaking down barriers to be an inclusive workplace for everyone.

Whoever you are, and however you experience the world, there is a place for you to grow and belong at Kew.

No agencies please.