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Closed CLOSING DATE: 09/04/2015

Outer Hebrides Tourism CIC

Graduate Tourism Development Officer (Food and Drink)

Undergraduate Degree, Postgraduate Degree

Closing Date:: 09/04/2015
Skill:: Management business development and logistics
Region:: Western Isles
Salary: £17,000 per annum
Length:: 12 months
Ref code: SLMIOECASI

Placement summary

Outer Hebrides Tourism (OHT) is recruiting for a Graduate Tourism Development Officer for a 12 month role. The successful graduate will identify and work closely with key local food and drink producers, helping them engage with OHT and our member businesses, develop new opportunities to promote and market their products, and increase the sales of products.

Job description

Project Description

Locally sourced or produced food and drink is a key asset for tourism in the Outer Hebrides, and its development and exploitation is recognised in Tourism Outer Hebrides 2020 as an opportunity to increase visitor numbers and spend.

Food and drink producers are currently under represented in the activities of OHT and need support and development to enable them to work more effectively together to promote their products, and to understand and grow the market for products with local provenance.

It will be a critical part of the project to establish a firm link between the product and the place, helping to further develop the Outer Hebrides as a destination for visitors interested in high quality local produce.

Specific tasks of the placement will include:

• Undertake tourism industry familiarisation and induction programme

• Identify prospective businesses throughout the Outer Hebrides willing to participate in a collaborative project

• Agree and execute collaborative project initiatives, which could include o Establish an online food and drink trail o Develop promotional support material to help collaborative marketing

- Organise an Outer Hebrides presence at Food and Drink shows, and similar fora

- Increase participation in schemes such as “Taste our Best”

- Increase the use of locally produced food and drink by accommodation businesses in the Outer Hebrides

• Raise awareness of Outer Hebrides Tourism as an organisation that promotes collaborative projects

• Carry out other initiatives that enhance the reputation of the Outer Hebrides as a destination where food and drink is a key part of the visitor experience

• Establish a realistic set of measures and targets that provide an input to TOH 2020 on Food and Drink, and its contribution to the overall targets for growth in tourism

Qualifications

Minimum Degree in Tourism; Hospitality; Catering; Marketing or other relevant discipline

Skills / Experience

Essential Skills

• Excellent interpersonal and team working skills

• Fully IT literate

• An understanding of food and drink and/or tourism businesses

• Full driving licence and access to a car

Desirable Skills

• Understanding of the use of Social Media to support business promotion

• Self motivated

• Able to prioritise workload

Benefits

Placement benefits

As part of this ScotGrad Graduate Placement Programme, the candidate will benefit from support from a team within Highlands and Islands Enterprise and also access a four day residential course focussed on employability and business skills.

Additional information

Location: Outer Hebrides

Preferred start date: Early May 2015