Museum Assistant

Hillingdon Council; Uxbridge; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

A local authority seeks personable Museum Assistants who can deliver engaging tours at the Battle of Britain Bunker and assist with ticket sales and visitor coordination across multiple historic sites. Ideal candidates are enthusiastic about history, adaptable to diverse audiences, and possess solid presentation and IT skills. Work hours are flexible, scheduled on a rota basis, especially during peak seasons such as weekends and school holidays.

Benefits

Flexible Working Hours

Generous Holiday Entitlement

Mental Health Support Services

Access to Local Government Pension Scheme

Qualifications

• Enthusiastic about history and able to convey stories engagingly.
• Comfortable providing tours and talks to diverse audiences.
• Willing to support various tasks including social media and box office operations.

Responsibilities

• Deliver engaging tours at the Battle of Britain Bunker.
• Assist in stewarding and ticket sales.
• Support volunteer coordination and rotas.

Skills

Presentation skills

Adaptability

Customer service

IT skills

Job description

About the role

Hillingdon Museums – based across the borough with key sites in Uxbridge and Ruislip – operate the Battle of Britain Bunker, the Museum & Archive Service, Eastcote House Gardens and Manor Farm, featuring a 13th‑century Great Barn and Tudor Manor House. We have ambitious plans to expand over the coming years.

We are seeking personable, engaging Museum Assistants to deliver expert tours at the Battle of Britain Bunker, support stewarding duties, assist the public with ticket sales, help coordinate rotas and volunteers, and work with visitors across our other historic sites within the London Borough of Hillingdon.

You are a history enthusiast with a convincing presentation style and the ability to tell true stories fluently and engagingly.

You can adapt your delivery to suit different audiences—young children, tourists, or enthusiasts—ensuring they follow the narrative, supported by your own ongoing reading and research to deepen your knowledge and respond confidently to customer questions.

You are comfortable delivering regular tours and short talks to the public on a frequent basis, bringing the same level of enthusiasm to your first audience and your hundred‑and‑first.

You are adaptable and willing to work across a variety of front‑facing roles at the Battle of Britain Bunker and our other sites, including social media, website admin, and our gift shop. You will also need the IT skills to operate our box office system, work on rotas, and support small‑scale project tasks.

We welcome applications from those interested in part‑time roles. Work is scheduled on a rota basis, and there will often be a need to work during peak periods, including weekends and school holidays. Contracted hours will be annualised to reflect our more intensive summer season and quieter winter schedule.

Please note - the interviews will take place week commencing 16th February.

About us

We value our employees and are committed to ensuring that they enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career with us. We understand that a happy and motivated workforce is essential for the success of our organisation. That is why we offer a wide range of employee benefits to enhance your work‑life balance, financial wellbeing, health, and professional development.

• Flexible Working Hours – We recognise the importance of flexibility in managing your work and personal life.
• 36 Hour Week – Enjoy a standard 36‑hour workweek for all full time staff.
• Generous Holiday Entitlement – increasing with length of service (for non‑casual roles).
• Hillingdon Sports & Leisure – Stay active and healthy with discounts at council‑owned leisure centres and swimming pools across the borough.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes – option to join schemes for cycle purchase, electric vehicle leasing and additional voluntary pension contributions (subject to scheme rules).
• Cycle to Work – Eco‑friendly commuting with our cycle purchase scheme. We also provide bicycle parking, lockers, and showers at the Civic Centre.
• Local Government Pension Scheme – access to Local Government Pension Scheme and membership to the Credit Union.
• Vivup Benefits – Access a variety of offers and discounts through our Vivup Benefits.
• Mental Health Support and Counselling Services – Our mental health first aiders are trained to identify, understand, and help employees experiencing mental health issues. Access free 24‑hour confidential advice and counselling as well as a legal advice service for you and your immediate family.
• Travel Support – Make your daily commute easier with our season ticket loans and free car parking.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At the London Borough of Hillingdon, we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. This commitment means that all employees, job applicants and others who work for us will be treated fairly.

The aim is for our workforce to be representative of all sections of society and Hillingdon residents so we welcome applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds. We strive to ensure that our recruitment process is free from discrimination and bias, and we are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments to applicants with disabilities.

Join us in building a workplace where everyone feels respected, able to give their best and be themselves at work, whilst contributing meaningfully to our organisation's success.

Recruitment Information

Hillingdon Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities that meet the essential criteria for the role and wish to be considered under this scheme. We believe in the option to choose, so candidates declaring a disability have the choice to opt in for consideration under this scheme, on a ‘per application’ basis.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable groups and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Some posts are subject to The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2019 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

In addition to verifying Right to Work in the UK and a new starter health questionnaire, the post is subject to the following pre‑employment screening:

• Standard DBS Check
• 5 years of Referencing

Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Hillingdon Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised.

It may be necessary due to a high volume of applications to close this role early. We therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

IsExpired Check

None of the language indicates the role is closed or no longer accepting applications. The best practice is to assume the role remains open unless an explicit “position filled” or “job expired” clause is present.