Museum Assistant - Casual

Starting salary for this role is £14.35 per hour.

Role Purpose

The Museum Assistant welcomes visitors to the Russell-Cotes as part of the Front of House team. You will provide direct visitor services and assist with the day-to-day running of the Museum on a casual basis. The role operates the welcome desk during opening hours and assists in cleaning the museum ready for the public.

Main Responsibilities

• Provide a warm welcome to all our visitors at the welcome desk assisting with enquiries and helping to ensure the visitor experience meets expectations.
• Sell entrance tickets and record visitor statistics, through the till, whilst providing orientation information at the welcome desk.
• Undertake cleaning in the historic house and wider museum areas to the museum standard.
• Process advance bookings by email and phone and undertake reception duties, directing phone calls and messages.
• Undertake retail duties at the welcome desk, making sales, up-selling, re-stocking and cashing up at the end of the day.
• Help generate income for the charity through actively seeking gift-aided donations and participating in fundraising initiatives.
• Assist the Visitor Services Assistant with museum security through monitoring CCTV, patrolling and by following museum security protocols to ensure the security of the building.
• Help conserve the historic house and collections through good conservation practices including encouraging visitors to leave large bags and wet coats at reception.
• Assist visitors with special access requirements and to welcome all our diverse visitors.
• Be aware of the Health and Safety issues and assist with fire evacuation.
• Assist with the handling and porterage of all deliveries to the museum and to assist with porterage of museum collections as directed.
• Help provide sickness, emergency or absence cover for the roster, particularly weekends, and be available to carry out evening duties for functions and events held at the museum on a pre-arranged basis.

The Ideal Candidate

• Proven experience of working directly with the public, with excellent customer care and communication skills.
• Knowledge of Health and Safety practices at Work.
• Ability to work alone yet to be a positive team player within the Front of House team.
• Cash handling skills.
• Ability to carry out simple administrative duties, including basic computer skills and retail duties.
• Ability to carry out regular cleaning duties to a high standard and working with fragile objects, to climb stairs, to be on one’s feet for long periods of time and to lift heavy items.
• Experience working in a museum or heritage environment.

Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK.

Inclusion and Equality

At BCP Council, inclusion is more than a promise – it’s how we work. We’re committed to providing a fully inclusive recruitment process ensuring every candidate and colleague has the support and reasonable adjustments they need to thrive. From the moment you apply, through the recruitment process and throughout your career with us, we’ll be here to listen and provide the help and support you need. It’s why we’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer – and why you can trust that we’ll always do our best to make your experience positive and accessible. If you require any reasonable adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know when you apply or contact us directly – we’re here to help.