Collections & House Officer

National Trust; Tiverton; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Substantial pension up to 10%

Free entry to National Trust places

Rental deposit loan

Season ticket loan

EV car lease scheme

Perks at work discounts

Holiday allowance up to 32 days

Flexible working

Employee assistance programme

Free parking

Job summary

National Trust’s Knightshayes Court in Tiverton invites a Collections and House Officer to open the house daily and coordinate staffing to ensure a consistently high visitor experience.

You will oversee routine and preventive conservation, participate in deep cleaning, and supervise volunteers and collections assistants, with an alternate weekend pattern. Accommodation provided; permanent, full-time role with benefits.

Qualifications

• Eligibility to work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Open the house every day and ensure adequate staffing for a consistently high visitor experience.
• Carry out routine and preventive conservation and the annual programme of deep cleaning to maintain high standards of care.
• Record information collected during cleaning to improve knowledge of the house and its contents.
• Use preventive conservation methods to improve how objects are cared for and presented to visitors.
• Line manage volunteers and supervise Collections Assistants; alternating weekend pattern.

Job description

Summary

Are you someone who cares deeply about achieving high standards, and helping to make beauty and history accessible to all? If so, you could become a Collections and House Officer at Knightshayes, bringing to life the history and significance of this much-loved place.

Salary

Salary: £27,612 per annum

Contract

Contract: Permanent

Hours / working pattern

Hours/ working pattern: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week.

Interview date

Interview date: 1st October 2026

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided to the postholder for the proper or better performance of their duties in accordance with Trust criteria and HMRC rules

What It's Like To Work Here

Over the past four years, the visitor experience at this grand gothic revival house has been transformed by introducing a year-round programme of events, activities and entertainment. The ambitious 40-member team has further plans to grow and develop Knightshayes’ visitor offer and welcome creative customer-focused people to join the team. The property has one of the finest gardens in Devon with a vast plant collection and walled garden which supplies produce to the estate’s Stables Café.

For more information about our property please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/knightshayes-court

What You'll Be Doing

As the Collections and House Officer, you’ll be responsible for opening the house every day, and making sure there are enough people in the right places to give visitors a consistently good experience.

Supervised by a Collections and House Manager, you'll be responsible for routine conservation, preventive conservation and the annual programme of deep cleaning. Your attention and expertise will help to ensure excellent standards of care throughout the house.

You’ll collect and record information gathered during cleaning and housekeeping, to improve our knowledge and understanding of the house and all that’s in it. You’ll use preventive conservation methods to improve how we look after everything, and how we present it to visitors.

The roll will include line management of volunteers and supervision of Collections Assistants.

The working pattern of this role is alternate weekends.

Who We're Looking For

We’d love to hear from you if you’re:

• someone who puts people first, and who knows what’s needed to make sure everyone receives great service
• able to work as part of a team, with skills in day-to-day supervision and management
• good at talking to, and getting on with, all kinds of people
• comfortable with managing costs and spending
• full of ideas about how to make spaces and objects accessible to more visitors

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

Knightshayes Court, Bolham, Tiverton, EX16 7RQ

Documents

• Collections & House Officer - Career Level B.pdf
• Key rep duties (1).docx

Requirements

Compliance.Eligibility to Work in the UK

Closing Date

27th September 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.