Casual Visitor Services Assistant

CV Life; Coventry; Hybrid; GBP 9,000 - 15,000; Part time

Job summary

CV Life is recruiting a Casual Visitor Services Assistant for Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in Coventry. You will engage with visitors to enhance enjoyment of the collections, maintain a safe, clean environment, and support security for the galleries and displays.

The role requires strong customer service, clear communication, and a willingness to promote offers and donations. Shifts vary Mon–Fri and weekends, including evenings for events.

Qualifications

• Experience in customer service is required.
• Strong communication skills and a friendly manner.
• Retail environment experience is a plus.
• Willingness to promote offers and donations.
• Positive, flexible 'can do' attitude.

Responsibilities

• Maintain the museum and exhibitions to keep a clean, safe environment.
• Help ensure security of buildings and collections and monitor access.
• Assist in evacuation procedures and report safety concerns to the Duty Manager.
• Train and support staff and volunteers to required standards.
• Ensure items are properly displayed with signs and labels; operate AV equipment.

Skills

Customer service

Communication skills

Retail experience

Donations

Flexible attitude

Job description

CVLifeare lookingforCasual Visitor Services Assistantsto join the Visitor ServicesTeamat Herbert Art Gallery & Museum on a casual basis, to engage with visitors and help them gain a full appreciation and enjoyment of our collections and Coventry's rich history.

As a Casual Visitor Services Assistantyour role will be to helpmaintain a presence in the Museum and exhibitions, ensuring that they are a clean and safe environment for our visitors,as well as maintaining the safety and security of the collections.

We are looking for candidates who:

• Have a good understanding of the importance of customer service with experience within a customer service setting.
• Have strong communication skills –witha confident and friendly manner and able to adaptthe communication style when needed.
• Possible experience of working in a retail environment.
• Candidates who are comfortable promoting retail promotions and maximising opportunities for donations to the museum.
• A positive and flexible 'can do' attitude.

There are various shifts available Mon - Fri and Weekends. There may be evening shifts if there are any events or functions at the Museum. We have 3 positions available.

CV Life is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Job Description

Reporting to: Duty Manager

Scope

Coventry Sports Foundation and Culture Coventry are independent organisations who work collaboratively through CV Life, so that this Job Description as a CV Life document extends to cover the employment contracts held with either Culture Coventry Trust or Coventry Sports Foundation.

Main duties of the role:

• Contribute at all times to the general upkeep of the buildings by reporting significant items of concern to the Duty Manager and by suggesting improvements to, and work required around, the museums, galleries and exhibitions.
• Carry out cleaning work as directed by the Duty Manager, using appropriate and approved materials in the following areas:
• Buildings
• Public toilets
• Collection items
• Operates equipment and uses chemicals only as directed by a competent person in agreement with Duty Manager.
• Seek to ensure the security of the buildings and the collection by means of:
  • Responding to any security alerts promptly. o Monitoring the movement of contractors, volunteers, students who are approved access to the premises.
  • Monitoring the movement of people, allowed access to secure areas of the premises, including contractors, hirers, volunteers, researchers and students. o Testing, setting and unsetting safety and alarm systems.
  • Locking and unlocking the museum premises.
• Carrying out a designated role in the event of an evacuation of the premises due to an emergency.
• Undertake regular checks of firefighting equipment i.e. fire extinguishers
• Under the direction of the Duty Manager, train and support employees, workers and volunteers to required standards.
• Ensure that the items in the exhibition are properly displayed, including the arrangement of security barriers, the provision and maintenance of appropriate signs and labels and operate audio visual and similar equipment as required.

Exhibitions and Collection Care

• Help researchers in the museum and be responsible for the security of objects when in use by researchers.
• Assist in the preparation, erection, dismantling, transfer, removal and changing of exhibits, and display items as required.
• Ensure that the items in the exhibition are properly displayed, including the arrangement of security barriers, the provision and maintenance of appropriate signs and labels and operate audio visual and similar equipment as required.

General Duties

• Patrolling galleries and exhibition spaces.
• Welcoming visitors to the museum.
• Directing visitors to other areas of the museum.
• Actively promoting all offers across CV life sites.
• Dealing with general enquiries.
• Working occasional evenings for late opening and events.
• Occasional cover on the Welcome desk – dealing with general enquiries, scanning pre-booked tickets, booking walk in tickets.

This job description is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and may be reviewed and updated depending upon operational requirements and staffing levels.

Responsibilities for all employees

• To embrace and lead by example on the Company's key values of PRIDE, PASSION and PURPOSE or those that might at any time be subsequently re-defined.
• To support the Company's commitment to providing a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults, ensuring awareness of the Company's Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practice Guidance, and to be vigilant, reporting any safeguarding concerns without delay.
• To undertake all duties and fully comply with all of the Company's general standards and those relating to the specific requirements of the role.
• To take care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions at work, and to co-operate with health and safety matters to help everyone meet their legal requirements.
• To co-operate with managers and colleagues to ensure environmental responsibilities are complied with.
• To carry out tasks at a range of sites that are either operated or managed by the Companies / Trusts or where services are delivered by the Companies / Trusts
• To be involved in any aspects or opportunities for sharing of good practice, expertise and responsibilities within the Companies / Trusts. To generally help promote the work and public image of the Companies / Trusts, always maintaining high standards of customer service and personal appearance.
• To attend and fully engage with all internal training and development requirements and opportunities, and maintain such qualifications as required by the demands of the role.
• To interact positively with customers adopting a friendly and professional approach at all times.
• To comply with the General Data Protection Regulations when dealing with, maintaining, sharing and storing information.
• To undertake other duties as specified, which are appropriate to the qualifications, experience and general level of the post.

Person Specification

Essential Personal Attributes

• Excellent communicator to various levels of internal and external representation.
• Approachability to staff.
• High levels of self-motivation and organisation.
• A flexible approach to work.
• Supportive qualities that will encourage staff in their pursuit of personal goals.
• Ability to be positively persuasive and motivate individuals and teams.
• High standards in relation to the presentation of facilities and staff.
• Customer focused with the ability to identify customer audiences.
• A team player with an approachable manner.
• Sensitive to the different cultural backgrounds of Coventry's diverse communities.
• A flexible approach to work with people and the ability to respond to differing needs.

Essential Knowledge and Experience

• A good level of understanding of industrial history, coupled with a recognition of Coventry's place in that history.
• Demonstrable interest in the arts and heritage sector.
• Experience in delivering a proactive and high level of customer experience.
• Experience of cash handling and security procedures.
• Good IT skills and proficiency in Microsoft office applications.

Special Circumstances

• Ability to work unsociable hours including evenings, weekends, and Bank Holidays.
• Ability to travel between sites.