Dunvegan Castle & Gardens
Dunvegan Castle & Gardens, Isle of Skye
Full time
Seasonal contract: 1 April to 15 October
Dunvegan Castle & Gardens is recruiting a Senior Castle Guide to join its team for the 2026 open season, offering a junior management role within one of Scotland’s most significant heritage attractions.
As the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for over 800 years, Dunvegan Castle welcomes around 180,000 visitors each year and sits at the heart of the 41,000 acre MacLeod Estate on the Isle of Skye.
This role combines front of house guiding with supervisory responsibility, supporting daily visitor operations and deputising for the Castle Custodian when required.
The role
This is a dual role combining Castle Guide, Visitor Assistant, and junior management duties.
You will welcome visitors to the castle, share accurate and engaging information, and help deliver a consistently high quality visitor experience while ensuring the safety of the castle, its collection, and its visitors.
Alongside guiding and visitor interaction, you will support the Custodian with daily operations, help lead and supervise the Guide team, manage visitor flow during busy periods, and step into a leadership role when required.
You will handle visitor queries and complaints calmly and professionally, assist with rotas and cover arrangements, and support guided tours including private and after-hours tours.
The role also includes ticket sales, cash handling, reconciliation of tills, cross-promotion of other estate attractions, and close coordination with the ticket office and other departments to manage capacity, queues, and weather-related changes.
You will also play a key role in maintaining presentation standards throughout public areas of the castle and ensuring health, safety, and security procedures are followed sympathetically and professionally.
Working pattern
Dunvegan Castle operates seven days a week during the open season.
The role will include weekend working and occasional evening overtime to support events.
On-site staff accommodation can be provided if required.
What we are looking for
This role suits someone with strong front of house skills and previous experience in a busy, customer-focused environment, ideally with some experience of supervising or leading others.
You should be confident engaging with the public, comfortable with public speaking, and able to remain calm under pressure while managing high visitor volumes.
Strong communication skills, reliability, adaptability, and the ability to resolve issues professionally are essential.
An interest in Highland, Scottish, or clan history is highly desirable, though full training on the castle and its collection will be provided.
Cash handling experience is useful but not essential.
A foreign language skill and a full driving licence are desirable but not required.
What is on offer
This is a unique opportunity to work in a world-renowned heritage setting as part of a friendly, passionate team dedicated to preserving and sharing Highland history.
Training will be provided, and the role offers genuine responsibility, variety, and the chance to develop leadership experience within a cultural environment.
How to apply
Apply through Highland Jobs