Visitor Operations Manager - Portsmouth

Portsmouth Museums operate 6 historical museums across the city, with our collection including around 500,000 items that showcase the history and culture of Portsmouth to both residents and visitors. We are looking for a Visitor Operations Manager to lead the Museum Operations team across all sites to ensure a consistent high level of visitor service experience.

Your new role

• You will lead the Museums Operations team to deliver a consistent, high‑quality visitor experience across all sites.
• This includes managing staff rotas, recruitment, training, and performance, while coaching Duty Managers to effectively run their teams and buildings.
• You will support income generation through admissions, retail, donations, and venue hire, ensuring financial procedures are followed.
• The role also oversees building safety, maintenance, and compliance, including liaison with contractors and Historic England for listed or historic sites, as well as managing major works.
• You will maintain the service’s emergency plans and work closely with partners to enhance the visitor offer, improve ways of working, and promote both the Museum Service and Portsmouth as a destination.

Who is the person summary:

• You will bring extensive experience in leading and managing diverse staff teams, including permanent, seasonal, and casual roles within customer-focused or visitor experience environments.
• Your background includes comprehensive building management—covering visitor operations, security, and health and safety—ideally within historic or listed sites.
• With a strong educational foundation and exceptional customer service skills, you demonstrate excellent communication, sound decision-making, and the ability to motivate others.
• You have a thorough understanding of statutory regulations, health and safety legislation, and emergency planning, supported by qualifications such as IOSH Managing Safely.
• Your experience also includes staff recruitment, training, rota planning, and budget management, alongside a commitment to personal development and collaborative working across wider services and teams.
• A full UK driving license is desirable but not essential, as this role involves travelling between the 6 sites across the city.

About Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act. We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed.

Additional Information

• Please ensure that you read the job profile for full details on the post.
• This role is based 5 days per week between all our Portsmouth Museum sites; please ensure you can fulfil this prior to submitting your application.
• This role works on a rota basis including evening and weekend working, details on which to be confirmed on appointment.
• Please note we are not able to offer sponsorship for this position.

Our recruitment process

Full information about our recruitment process can be found on our support for applicants' page.

You must demonstrate why you are suitable against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person' points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills.

Please note we reserve the right to close the advert early if we have a large number of applications. We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard.

You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.