Facilities and Collections Access Assistant (Fixed Term)

CV Life; Coventry; Hybrid; GBP 11,000 - 15,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and fitness membership

Free uniform

Free training

Centre activity discounts

Free venue entry

Employee benefits & discounts

Job summary

CV Life invites applications for a Facilities and Collections Access Assistant (Fixed Term). The role supports moving heritage collections from off-site storage to a new Collections Centre in Coventry, with duties in facilities management, safety compliance, and contractor coordination.

The post involves supervising volunteers, operating lifting equipment after training, and cross-site work across CV Life venues. 20 hours per week; fixed term until 25 May 2027.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of Health and Safety practices (IOSH) applicable to warehouse environments.
• Experience in managing facilities or stores for heritage collections.
• Ability to operate forklift and other lifting equipment (training provided).
• GCSE English and Maths or equivalent required.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day running and facilities management of offsite stores.
• Supervise volunteers and contractors; ensure safe working practices.
• Assist with the collection move and logistics preparations.
• Promote Health and Safety procedures across sites.
• Coordinate access for contractors and supervise movements of collections.
• Work across CV Life venues as required.

Skills

Planning skills

Manual handling

Health and safety awareness

Communication skills

Teamwork

Independent working

Attention to detail

Flexibility

Willingness to work outside hours

Forklift operation (training provided)

Education

GCSE English and Maths

Tools

Forklift

Pallet trucks

Job description

Facilities and Collections Access Assistant (Fixed Term)

Reference Number: CCT097

Closing Date: 9th October 2026

Location: Multi Site

Hours: 20 Hours

Rate of Pay: NMW/NLW

We are looking for a Facilities and Collections Access Assistant to support the move of Culture Coventry’s collections currently in off‑site storage to a new Collections Centre in Coventry’s former Ikea building. Culture Coventry operates the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum and Coventry Transport Museum, as well as two off‑site stores. Working as part of the busy Collections team, the role will involve supporting logistics and access around the preparation and movement of collections, supporting the day‑to‑day running and facilities management of our offsite collection stores and working with the Facilities and Collections teams to implement Health and Safety procedures required for working onsite. The main focus of the role will be at the store where the Transport and large Social and Industrial History collections are held however the postholder will have the opportunity to work across sites.

We are looking for a self‑motivated team player with:

• Excellent planning and organisational skills
• Strong practical and manual handling skills, including ability to use lifting and moving equipment
• Knowledge of the health and safety considerations for working in a warehouse environment
• An interest in working with heritage collections

This is a fixed term contract, working 20 hours per week, which will end on 25 May 2027.

Proposed interview date 19 th October 2026.

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: Collections Manager

Responsible for: Supervision of volunteers, contractors

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.

Overall purpose and objective of the role

• To support the day‑to‑day running and facilities management of our offsite collection stores, with particular focus at the store where the Transport and Social and Industrial History collections are held.
• Working with the Facilities and Collections teams to implement Health and Safety procedures required for working onsite.
• To supervise contractors and volunteers ensuring safe working practices are adhered to.
• To support the move of Culture Coventry’s collections currently in off‑site storage to the new Collections Centre in Coventry’s former Ikea building, including supporting, logistics and access around the preparation and movement of collections.
• To work across all CV Life cultural venues as required.

Main duties of the role:

• To maintain appropriate health and safety standards throughout, ensuring safe working practices are followed.
• To identify and order equipment and PPE as appropriate, including liaising with contractors.
• To act as a key point of contact with contractors working on the collection move, including facilitating access to the offsite stores.
• To support the preparation of collections to move to the Collections Centre, which includes audit, cleaning, packing and movement.
• To support the team in accessing collections, involving use of lifting and moving equipment including operation of a forklift, pallet trucks etc for which full training will be given.
• To support the planning and delivery of the transfer of collections to the Collections Centre, ensuring that proper standards of care are maintained.
• To ensure that collections are stored in an organised, efficient and appropriate manner in the new Collections Centre.
• To supervise volunteers working on the move to the Collections Centre, ensuring they are fully briefed on their roles and responsibilities and monitoring their performance.
• To assist the collections team in the collection and monitoring of performance indicators and statistics relating to the move to the Collections Centre.
• To work with marketing staff to promote the collections and the move to Collections Centre
• To act as part of the response team for Culture Coventry’s Emergency Response Plan.

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

• Good practical and manual handling skills
• Good communication skills both written and verbal
• Good teamworking skills
• Ability to work independently and on own initiative
• Logical and thorough with attention to detail
• Good planning and organisational skills
• A flexible approach to work and willingness and ability to work outside standard hours on occasion

Essential Knowledge and Experience

• Knowledge and understanding of Health and Safety practices (IOSH) applicable to working in a warehouse type environment with heritage collections
• Knowledge of the health and safety considerations for working with industrial collections or similar items in a warehouse environment
• Experience of day‑to‑day management of a facility or building in which collections are housed
• Experience of working with collections in a museum or heritage context, including object handling
• Good all round ICT skills
• A GCSE or equivalent in English and Maths
• Ability to operate forklift and use lifting or moving equipment or willingness to learn (training to be provided)

Special Circumstances

• A willingness to on occasion work outside of usual working hours

Job Title Facilities and Collections Access Assistant (Fixed Term)

Job Reference Number CCT097

Closing Date 9th October 2026

Department Collections

Location Multi Site

Hours 20 Hours

Salary NLW/NMW

• FREE health and fitness membership* **
• FREE health and fitness membership for a family member or friend* **
• FREE uniform for applicable roles
• FREE training for applicable roles
• DISCOUNTS on various Centre activities*
• FREE entry to venues*
• Access to the full range of CV Life Employee Benefits & Discounts

(*not applicable to casual workers)
(**The two benefits combined can be worth £1000!)

We encourage and welcome applications from all ethnic groups and people with disabilities. Our aim is to build a diverse workplace and to become a truly inclusive employer with a workforce and visitor audience as diverse as the communities we serve. We seek to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all those who work at CVLife.

If you think this is the role and organisation for you then we would love to hear from you.