Collections & House Manager

National Trust; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension (up to 10%)

Free NT Places

Rental deposit loan

Season ticket loan

EV car lease

Perks at work discounts

Holiday allowance 32 days

Flexible working

Employee assistance programme

Free parking

Job summary

National Trust at Saltram, Plympton near Plymouth, seeks an experienced Collections & House Manager to lead care, presentation and conservation of the Grade I listed mansion and its collections, ensuring public access and enjoyment while maintaining heritage standards.

You will manage a small team, volunteers and contracts, coordinate across departments, and drive access improvements under the Future Saltram programme, with involvement in the Velvet drawing room project and 2027 plans.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering high standards of presentation, customer care and compliance in a historic setting.
• Knowledge of heritage sector developments in visitor engagement, innovation and access.
• Commitment to inclusivity and diversity in interpretation and presentation of history.
• Ability to manage people, diverse teams and achieve goals through others.
• Experience in operations, projects, contracts and budgets.
• Experience with commissioning specialist conservation work.
• Experience in managing volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Set strategic direction for Collections Care and Management and deliver the Representation Plan.
• Build relationships across departments to deliver shared outcomes.
• Inspire staff and volunteers and champion inclusive service for Saltram's collections and conservation.
• Oversee daily opening, visitor experience and compliance in care of the collections, contracts and budgets.
• Lead team development and volunteer program with a flexible and inclusive approach.
• Coordinate 2027 Lottery-funded access interventions and Velvet drawing room conservation project.

Skills

Presentation standards

Customer care

Collections management

Heritage sector knowledge

Visitor engagement

Innovation & access

Inclusivity & diversity

Resilience

Relationship building

People management

Operations management

Contracts management

Budget management

Conservation commissioning

Volunteer management

Job description

Summary

Saltram is entering an exciting period of change. Through the Future Saltram programme, significant investment is transforming visitor access, engagement and conservation across the property. This role will be at the heart of that journey, helping to deliver major access improvements within the mansion, shaping the future presentation of the collection, and ensuring conservation and public benefit remain at the centre of decision-making. In 2027, a lift and other access interventions as well as new engagement spaces will be delivered in the mansion made possible with a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

This is a rare opportunity to influence the future of one of the National Trust's busiest and most ambitious properties, balancing world-class conservation with innovation, audience engagement and long-term organisational resilience

We’re looking for an experienced heritage professional who cares deeply about achieving high standards and helping to make beauty and history accessible to all, to join us as Collections and House Manager of one of our most significant houses. This is a key management role inspiring the team to deliver excellent collections care and management, presentation, and Conservation in Action that connect people with collections, conservation and histories in meaningful ways.

For more information or an informal chat around the role, please reach out to Zoe (Property Curator) on [e-mail] or Lynda (Collections and House Manager) on [e-mail]

The National Trust's commitment is "For everyone, for ever." Bringing that promise to life starts with the people that work here. It means building teams with a diverse range of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. It means creating an inclusive environment where everyone is able to thrive.

Our roles are open to all. However, we particularly welcome applications from people of colour and people of the global majority because they are underrepresented at the Trust.

The opportunity of Key Representative accommodation is offered - a two-bedroom flat on the second floor of the mansion - but applicants do not need to be seeking this to apply for the role.

What It's Like To Work Here

A high-profile cultural destination described as an ‘oasis in the middle of the city’, this magnificent mansion, garden and parkland near Plymouth offers a tranquil riverside escape with close-by city amenities. A Grade I listed treasure house with global connections and highly significant 18th century collections and interiors designed by Robert Adam at the heart of a designed landscape well-loved by locals makes Saltram a popular property for a range of audiences. Currently, the Future Saltram Project aims to deliver significant and exciting changes across every area of the property to deepen audience engagement and maximise its commercial potential. Ideally positioned as an urban property, Saltram prides itself on its visitor experience and service standards.

For more information about our property please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/saltram

What You'll Be Doing

Working with the Property Curator and regional Conservator you will be responsible for the strategic direction of Collections Care and Management ensuring that the ambitions of the Collections Workbook and Representation Plan are delivered. You will build strong relationships with colleagues, working collaboratively across departments to deliver shared outcomes. You will inspire staff and volunteers, build strong partnerships, and champion inclusive approaches that connect wider audiences with Saltram's collections, stories and conservation work.

Directly managing the Senior Collections and House Officer and the Collections Officer, you’ll support them and the whole Collections and House Team to care for the collections, manage the daily opening of the house, provide a consistently excellent experience for visitors and to achieve outstanding standards in conservation, presentation and compliance. Leading by example, you’ll instil a culture of excellent and inclusive service, engaging all kinds of people with conservation, interpretation and the values of the Trust. You’ll be managing operations and projects, contracts and budgets and working with the Property Curator and regional Conservator to commission specialist conservation work. You'll have overall responsibility for our team of collection care volunteers, developing their skills and providing a volunteering experience for them that’s as flexible and inclusive as possible.

In 2027, as part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund project, you’ll lead on delivering aspects of the final phase of a Legal Ownership and Provenance disposals project and work with the lottery project team to enable their delivery of access interventions in the house. You will also liaise with the project team delivering the Velvet drawing room conservation project.

Your usual working pattern will be Monday to Friday. You’ll act as one of the property’s Duty Managers which includes occasional weekend and bank holiday shifts with time off in lieu.

Who We're Looking For

We'd love to hear from you if you’re:

• experienced in achieving high standards of presentation, customer care, compliance, and collections management in a historic setting
• aware of current developments and approved practices in the heritage sector in the field of visitor engagement, innovation and access
• keen to promote inclusivity and diversity in the interpretation and presentation of history
• someone who can remain resilient and positive while managing colleagues, changes and challenges
• able to build strong and effective working relationships with diverse people
• experienced in managing people and achieving goals through others
• experienced in managing operations and projects, contracts and budgets
• familiar with the commissioning of specialist conservation work
• experienced in working with and managing volunteers

The package

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
• Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
• Rental deposit loan scheme
• Season ticket loan
• EV car lease scheme (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
• Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts
• Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.
• Flexible working whenever possible
• Employee assistance programme
• Free parking at most Trust places

National Trust place

Saltram, Plympton, Plymouth, PL7 1UH

Documents

Collections & House Manager - Grade 7 - Jan 2023.pdf

Requirements

Compliance.Eligibility to Work in the UK

Closing Date

08 November 2026

Interview Date

20 November 2026

Equal Opportunities Statement

The National Trust celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a fair and equal society, free from discrimination. You can read more about our commitment to inclusion and diversity here.

Safeguarding Statement

The National Trust is committed to a safe recruitment processes to help the organisation attract and appoint the right staff/volunteer for the role and responsibilities as set out in the vacancy advert. We will not accept applicants who are not suitable to work with children, young people or adults at risk. If you have any questions around your suitability for this vacancy, please contact the people service centre.