Cruise Ship Coordinator Part Time Seasonal Post April to End Sept 2025 Belfast Cruise Hub Closing Date: 12 noon Friday 31st January 2025 Proposed interview dates 11th February. Belfast was recognised as the Best UK & British Isles Port of Call at the 2024 Cruise Critic UK Editors Picks Awards. Cruise Critic, a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, is the worlds leading cruise reviews site and online cruise community. At the 15th annual awards Belfast took home the prize for Best Port Call for the 2023 cruise season, a year when the city enjoyed a record cruise season, with 159 cruise calls from 57 ships from 32 different cruise lines in 2023. That was an 8% increase on the pre-pandemic record set in 2019. Having read the job description for the post please submit your CV along with a letter on how you feel you meet the essential criteria for the post. Job Overview The Cruise Ship Coordinator is responsible to the Head of Visitor Services Operations (located at the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre (VBWC) for the provision of efficient and comprehensive management of cruise visitors arriving into Belfast along with provision of visitor servicing and management of shuttle bus services and supporting the Retail supervisors as required. This role requires coordination between various stakeholders including, Belfast Harbour, Cruise Excursions Companies, Shipping Agents, and Port Security. This is Job Share seasonal position, averaging 25 contracted hours per week, dependant on the schedule some weeks will be more and some weeks less than the 25 hours. Please refer to the full job description and specification for further details of the post. Remuneration The salary range for this position is £24,448 to £26,715 pro rata Location This position is based mainly in the Cruise Welcome Hub located on Airport Road West, Belfast and in the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre. Visit Belfasts corporate office and the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre (VBWC) are located at 9, Donegall Square North, Belfast, BT1 5GB. Hours of Work This is a Job Share seasonal position and will average 25 hours per week over the contract period dependant on the number of cruise ships in port. The rota will be organised by the Visitor Services Operations Manager in advance. There will be early morning starts, potential split shifts and late evenings, Weekend work and Bank Holidays will form part of the normal working week. You may be required to work off-site of Belfast Harbour or at events. Annual Leave The leave year runs from 1 January to 31 December. Annual leave entitlement is 25 days per year pro rata, public holidays will be paid at double time. Payment is made in lieu of Annual Leave quarterly based on hours worked. Pensions Visit Belfast is a member of the NI Local Government Officers Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC) pension scheme, with a 20.5% employer contribution. Other Benefits Visit Belfast participates in a number of HMRC approved salary sacrifice schemes which allow employees to benefit from goods and services through monthly payroll deductions which provide tax and national insurance savings. About Visit Belfast Visit Belfast (formerly Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau) is a public/private sector partnership funded and supported by Belfast City Council, Tourism Northern Ireland and the private sector. It is the official tourism marketing and destination management agency for the Belfast City Region, dedicated to promoting Belfast as a city break, conference and cruise ship destination. It is also responsible for the operation of three gateway visitor information centers, Including Visit Belfast Welcome Centre, Belfast International Airport and the Cruise Welcome Hub. Visit Belfast represents more than 500 tourism businesses and services across the industry including accommodation providers, attractions, conference venues and services, tour operators, transport providers, entertainment venues, restaurants and cafes, pubs and clubs and event organisers. It provides an extensive range of marketing platforms for tourism businesses to promote their products and services to travel trade and consumers. In marketing Belfast as a world class destination, we are keen to work with businesses that reflect the best of what the city has to offer potential visitors. Visit Belfasts core purpose is to create and service visitors for Belfast and Northern Ireland in order to generate economic benefit and inclusive growth, creating jobs and prosperity for the city region, enabling Belfast to become a more sustainable place to visit, meet and live in. More information about Visit Belfast can be viewed on our website Visit Belfast Company Values People centered - Our welcome is second to none and we embrace it. Our community, stakeholders, partners, visitors and staff are at the heart of everything we do. We strive for an inclusive, warm welcome. Our staff are proud to showcase the city of Belfast and we go the extra mile for visitors and for each other. Responsible - We champion the cities strengths and protect them for future generations. Our vision is clear, future proof our city for generations to come. We encourage our visitors to make sustainable travel choices, enjoy our green spaces and attractions, and support local businesses who are working hard to make Belfast a resilient city. Collaborative - Working together is in our DNA. We share a collective ambition to see Belfast flourish. Partnership is what sets up apart. We share information and insights to ensure our city provides the best offering to our visitors and communities. Influential - We have confidence and conviction to be the best. We lead the promotion of our city. Tourism is a force for good, driving economic, environmental and social well-being. We are results-oriented and driven by our desire to do and be the best. Adaptable- We roll with the punches and punch above our weight Things change, and just like our weather, the world can be unpredictable. Were agile and fast moving, adapting to opportunities and dealing with challenges that lie ahead. No matter what comes our way, we ensure our visitors, staff and communities are front of mind. Honest- We are genuine and our passion for Belfast is real. We promote a city we love and believe in. We share authentic stories and are proud of our progress. We are honest with our communication and promotion, we do what we say and we say what we do. Job Description POSITION: Cruise Ship Coordinator Seasonal Post: 6 months Commencing As soon as possible. DEPARTMENT: Visitor Servicing, Visit Belfast Welcome Centre REPORTING TO: Head of Visitor Services Operations SALARY: £24,448 to £26,715 pro rata PURPOSE: The Cruise Ship Coordinator is responsible to the Head Visitor Services Operations (located at the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre (VBWC)) for the provision of efficient and comprehensive management of cruise visitors arriving into Belfast along with provision of visitor servicing, management of shuttle bus services, assisting with the retail offering within the hub, stakeholder engagement and the associated administration with the cruise hub and shuttle operators. This season, Visit Belfast expects to welcome over 140 cruise ships between April and October 2025 - Subject to change. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Management of the team under their responsibility including Cruise Welcome Ambassadors, Travel Advisors and Volunteers. Manage the rotas of cruise assistants and volunteers including recording of availability of the team. Provide and manage visitor servicing for cruise visitors arriving into Belfast along with the Cruise Travel Advisors and CWAs. Working with the VBWC Travel Advisors, produce and update a Whats On information sheet for each ship docking. Template will be provided. The Whats on is currently under review and this duty may change. Manage the daily set-up/close down of the visitor information desk at the Cruise Welcome Hub and the storage of materials as required. Ensuring the statistics are kept on a daily basis by CWAs, Volunteers and Seasonal Travel Advisors and submitting these in the correct formation. Ensuring that Visitor Satisfaction Surveys are completed by CWAs, Volunteers and Seasonal Travel Advisors and meet the required targets set. Ensuring all services charged out to cruise lines and excursion companies are recorded at least weekly and update the spreadsheet for finance department monthly. Assist Visitor Services Operations Manager with monthly payroll ensuring that the team meet required deadlines for submission of timesheets. Ensure the Director of Visitor Servicing and or the Visitor Service Operations Manager is briefed on any issues, complaints or incidents at the Cruise Hub. Ensure where required that visitor servicing is set up at the other docks mainly Pollock Dock. If required ensuring that the cashing up of the EPOS tills is carried out in line with agreed financial procedures. If required carry out the preparation of weekly retail/ticket sale lodgements and arrange collection in line with agree financial procedures. Ensure all facilities and services run smoothly i.e. tills, digital screens, and CCTV system are delivered to standards required. When required report any issues regarding facilities within the cruise hub to the relevant party. When required participate in the recruitment and selection process. Facilitate coming on site of any local Cruise Animation. Ensure the ISPS form which contains security details of Visit Belfast staff / others are passed to the Port of Belfast / Harbour Police for each ship. Ensure all operating and emergency planning procedures are communicated to Visit Belfast Teams and are being followed. Make yourself available for any shore side drills and evacuation training. Provide monitoring and evaluation of all enquiries by self / others attendant at the cruise ship on day-to-day basis. Respond to changes or cancellations of cruise ship arrivals out-of-hours and notify appropriate colleagues and agencies as required. A company mobile phone will be provided for phone and email enquiries. The regular, daily maintenance and updating of all cruise-related enquiries, files and records. Regular liaison with ground handlers involved in these arrangements, to ensure a smooth service is ongoing. Assist with any visits to cruise ships, while berthed in the Port i.e. Inaugural Plaque Presentations including representing Visit Belfast and ensuring there is a supply of gifts available for this purpose and for any site visits required. Liaison with the representatives from Belfast Harbour, Ground Handlers, other service providers and Shipping Agents on a regular basis especially looking at the layout of the cruise berth. To communicate effectively with other Visit Belfast departments to ensure integrated activity across the organisation. Support the team in the development and maintenance of effective working relationships with Visit Belfasts partners, sponsors and the industry as appropriate. The provision of any other form of service in accordance with the Visitor Servicing departments general activities etc HOURS OF WORK: For this post flexibility is essential as early morning starts will be expected, will be expected (esp. when ships arrive into the port around 7 or 8am (or earlier). Hours will vary according to the time of ships arrival / departure. Evenings, weekends, bank & public holiday work will be a normal part of duties. Some split shifts may be involved on certain cruise ship days. This post will vary in the number days per week with a variety of hours from April to October, some weeks may be longer and some shorter due to the Cruise Ship schedule. Please refer to the cruise schedule (Which is subject to change) as it will be important that the post-holder is available for the majority of these dates. Some exceptions may be considered. Schedule will be provided at interview. OTHER: To undertake, when necessary, work out of normal office hours. Travel is an essential part of the job. Clean driving license and access to a car for work purposes is essential. To carry out all duties with full regard to Visit Belfast equal opportunities and fair employment policies. To undertake any other duties as required by Visit Belfast. Personnel Specification Essential Criteria Qualifications A minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) at Grade C or above, including English and Maths. Relevant Experience Three years of administration, clerical, or customer service work experience. Experience of managing or organizing a small team of staff. Excellent organizational and communication skills. Excellent and demonstrable working knowledge and experience of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook (skills must be clearly specified in the application). A good knowledge of Belfast and Northern Ireland as a tourist destination. Special Aptitudes Excellent customer care skills. Smart appearance. Ability to work on own initiative and meet tight deadlines. Demonstrable experience of working in a team. Strong problem-solving skills and a flexible approach. Excellent spoken and written English. Circumstances Available to work outside normal hours, including evenings and weekends. Clean driving license and access to own transport. Desirable Criteria Qualifications A third-level qualification or 3 years of experience in a customer-facing role. Relevant Experience Experience of working in the tourist information service, hospitality industry, or travel trade. Previous experience of working in a port environment or being involved with cruise ship arrivals.