Casual Gallery Assistant

Downing College; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 20,000; Part time

Job summary

Downing College's Heong Gallery is seeking a Casual Gallery Assistant to welcome visitors, answer enquiries and provide a visible security presence during opening hours.

The role is casual with shifts offered as needed. Pay is £12.96 per hour plus £1.56 holiday pay (£14.52 total). The gallery is open 12:00–17:00, Wednesday to Sunday; applications welcome from current undergraduates or postgraduates at Cambridge or Anglia Ruskin.

Qualifications

• Current undergraduate or postgraduate student at University of Cambridge or Anglia Ruskin University.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills.
• Casual, as-needed shifts.

Responsibilities

• Provide a warm, friendly welcome to visitors and help secure galleries during opening hours.
• Answer visitor questions in person and by telephone, and share information about exhibitions.
• Engage with and supervise all visitors and maintain a visible security presence.
• Assist the Keeper of The Heong Gallery and the Gallery Operations team with day-to-day operations.

Skills

Customer service

Communication skills

Education

Current undergraduate or postgraduate student at University of Cambridge or Anglia Ruskin University

Job description

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Information for the role of Casual Gallery Assistant

£14.52 per hour (£12.96 per hour plus £1.56 holiday pay)

An opportunity to join a friendly team at The Heong Gallery at Downing College. Your day to day duties will include:

• Providing a warm and friendly welcome to visitors to The Heong Gallery while playing a crucial role in ensuring security during opening hours.
• Answering questions from visitors, deal with enquiries in person and by telephone, and provide information to visitors regarding the exhibitions.
• Engaging with and supervising all visitors in the galleries, as well as providing an important security presence.
• Assisting the Keeper of The Heong Gallery and the Gallery Operations team as required with the day-to-day operation of The Heong Gallery.

To be considered for this role, you will need to be a current undergraduate or postgraduate student at the University of Cambridge or Anglia Ruskin University*.

*If you are a current student at Anglia Ruskin University, please select “Yes” when asked if you are a student at the University of Cambridge. This is due to a system limitation, but your application will still be considered correctly.

About Downing College

Founded in 1800, Downing College in the University of Cambridge has a unique and magnificent setting among twenty acres of lawns and trees, yet is located in the centre of Cambridge. The open landscape has a superb collection of neo-classical buildings from the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Those living and working in Downing enjoy a beautiful environment unique in Cambridge in its spaciousness.

The College is composed of approximately 50 Fellows and 200 non-academic staff and its aim is to help all students to develop their academic ability and personal potential during their time here. We pride ourselves on being a friendly and informal community for Fellows, staff and students alike. Set within this expansive and beautiful landscape, Downing also has a thriving conference business and provides customers with a choice of superior conference, meeting and theatre facilities.

About the Heong Gallery

The Heong Gallery at Downing College opened in February 2016 as a purpose-built public exhibition space for modern and contemporary art. Designed by Caruso St John Architects (RIBA Stirling Prize 2016), the Gallery won a RIBA East Award in 2017. It was inaugurated by alumnus Sir Alan Bowness (Modern Languages, 1950) and named after alumnus Alwyn Heong in recognition of his generous benefaction.

Details of the role

The rate of pay for this role is £12.96 per hour plus holiday pay. This is a casual role, ideal for individuals with excellent customer service and communication skills who enjoy working as part of a team. Shifts are offered on an ‘as needed’ basis, making this role suitable for fitting around other commitments.

The gallery is normally open from 12:00 noon to 5:00pm, Wednesday to Sunday, including bank holidays. There are no guaranteed hours of work and there is no obligation to accept all shifts that may be offered. There may also be shifts available to cover special events.

Candidates from all backgrounds and experience are welcome, especially those who have an interest in working in the Art sector. You will be working under the direction of the Keeper of The Heong Gallery and the Gallery Operations team, but much of the time you will be working unsupervised.

Closing date: Monday 2 November at midday. Please note that the closing date for this post may be brought forward if there is a high volume of applicants.

Applications are welcomed from a broad range of backgrounds.

All applicants will be contacted once shortlisting has taken place.

Applicants who declare a disability will be offered an interview if they meet the minimum criteria for the job.

We are pleased to be able offer this document in an accessible format, please contact HR ( [e-mail] ) if you wish to receive this advert and role profile or an application form in a different, accessible format, e.g. large print.

For further information or in event of queries, please contact the HR Office:

Email: [e-mail]
Tel: [phone]
Downing College
Cambridge
CB2 1DQ