At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to create unforgettable visitor experiences at Wellcome Collection.
- Company: Join Wellcome Collection, a free museum dedicated to exploring health and human experience.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, competitive salary, and a supportive, inclusive environment.
- Other info: Be part of a vibrant team that values creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Shape engaging experiences for diverse audiences and make a real impact in the community.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in visitor experience or museum operations with a focus on inclusivity.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
Wellcome Collection is seeking a Head of Visitor Experience and Museum Operations to lead the Visitor Experience & Museum Operations team within the Strategy, Operations & Enterprises team, reporting to the Managing Director. The team is responsible for delivering an outstanding visitor experience while ensuring the safe, efficient and effective day-to-day operation of Wellcome Collection, alongside the delivery of a welcoming, inclusive and engaging environment for all visitors, ensuring every interaction reflects Wellcome Collection's values and commitment to accessibility.
The Head of Visitor Experience will lead the Visitor Experience & Museum Operations team within the Strategy, Operations & Enterprises Directorate, reporting directly to the Managing Director. You will provide leadership for all aspects of front-of-house and museum operations, ensuring visitors are safe, informed and supported throughout their visit. Working collaboratively across the organisation, you will ensure the seamless delivery of the daily public programme, exhibitions and events, balancing exceptional customer experience with operational excellence.
The role is responsible for developing and leading a high-performing team, embedding a culture of continuous improvement, inclusivity and service excellence. You will use visitor insights and operational data to drive improvements, optimise resources and enhance the overall visitor journey, while ensuring compliance with health and safety, safeguarding, security and operational policies.
As a key member of the Strategy, Operations & Enterprises leadership team, you will contribute to organisational planning and decision-making, working in partnership with colleagues across curatorial, learning, commercial, facilities, security and public engagement functions to ensure Wellcome Collection continues to deliver an inspiring, accessible and memorable experience for every visitor.
- Lead and motivate a highly performing Visitor Experience and Engagement team that is effective, creative, inclusive and critically reflective to deliver visitor experience objectives which produce meaningful interactions with our audiences.
- Develop and implement the delivery of a coherent and inclusive visitor experience strategy in line with Wellcome’s Collection’s strategy and priorities.
- Lead and support the team to create, deliver and manage a strong programme of visitor engagement, achieving a high standard of innovation and delivery with measurable impact.
- Contribute to strategic and operational planning and management of Wellcome Collection as a member of the Wellcome Collection Leadership Team.
- Oversee all day-to-day operations, ensuring the museum runs safely, efficiently, and in line with its charitable mission.
- Be responsible for overall co-ordination of the venue's response to a building incident/emergency and to contribute to Wellcome’s business continuity plan.
If you are an experienced leader who is passionate about creating exceptional visitor experiences and leading high-performing operational teams, this could be the role for you. You'll thrive in this position if you enjoy balancing strategic thinking with operational delivery, are confident making decisions in a fast-paced public environment, and are motivated by creating welcoming, inclusive and accessible spaces for diverse audiences.
We're looking for someone who:
- Has significant experience leading visitor experience, front-of-house or museum operations within a cultural, heritage, visitor attraction or customer-facing environment.
- Is an inspiring people leader with a proven ability to build, develop and motivate diverse teams, creating a culture of inclusion, accountability and continuous improvement.
- Can confidently lead complex daily operations, balancing visitor needs, commercial priorities, public programming and operational risk.
- Has strong stakeholder management skills and enjoys working collaboratively across multiple teams to deliver shared outcomes.
- Is calm, resilient and decisive, with the ability to respond effectively to changing priorities and operational incidents.
- Has a strong commitment to equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion, ensuring everyone feels welcome and represented at Wellcome Collection.
Most importantly, you'll be someone who believes that every visitor matters and is excited by the opportunity to shape experiences that are welcoming, engaging and memorable for everyone who comes through our doors.
Minimum Criteria:
- Proven experience leading large visitor-facing or front-of-house teams in a museum, gallery, cultural institution, or comparable high-volume public venue.
- Demonstrated ability to manage both day-to-day operations and contribute to strategic planning, ensuring safe, efficient, and visitor-focused operations.
- Significant experience managing, motivating, coaching, and developing multidisciplinary teams, with responsibility for performance management and fostering collaboration.
- Experience leading organisational change, implementing new initiatives, and driving improvements that enhance visitor experience and operational effectiveness.
- Proven track record of operating at a senior leadership level, influencing stakeholders, and delivering results on time and within budget.
Hybrid Working: We understand that our colleagues have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to build a flexible working environment, in which people can perform at their best. At Wellcome we have a hybrid way of working, which is 3 days in our Euston Road offices (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) with the remaining 2 days working either remotely or in the office.
About the Wellcome Museum: Wellcome Collection is a free museum and library. We believe everyone’s experience of health matters. Through our collections, exhibitions and events, in books and online, we explore the past, present and future of health. Wellcome Collection opened in 2007 and currently welcomes around 400k visitors per year. We care for many thousands of items relating to health, medicine and human experience, including rare books, artworks, films and videos, personal archives and objects. We’re part of Wellcome, a charitable foundation supporting science to help build a healthier future for everyone.
Head of visitor experience & Museum Operations employer: Wellcome Museum
Wellcome Collection is an exceptional employer that prioritises inclusivity, creativity, and employee growth within a vibrant cultural environment. With a commitment to flexible working arrangements and a focus on delivering outstanding visitor experiences, employees are empowered to lead high-performing teams while contributing to meaningful initiatives that enhance public engagement. Located in the heart of London, Wellcome Collection offers a unique opportunity to be part of a charitable foundation dedicated to exploring health and human experience, making every day at work both rewarding and impactful.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of visitor experience & Museum Operations
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We think you need these skills to ace Head of visitor experience & Museum Operations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Service Experience:In the hospitality-food-service world, your experience is key! Make sure to highlight any previous roles you've had in restaurants, cafes, or catering. We want to see your customer service skills shine, so include specific examples where you went above and beyond for clients.
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