Team Member - Leading Guided Tours

National Museum of the Royal Navy; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 15,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Group pension plan with Royal London

25 days’ annual leave pro rata

Flexible working

Employee Assistance Programme

Free admission to national museums

Discounts at shops and cafes

Job summary

National Museum of the Royal Navy seeks a confident, customer-focused team member to welcome visitors aboard HMS Caroline Belfast, assisting with ticketing, retail, and guided experiences. You will deliver engaging storytelling and up-sell merchandise to enhance the visitor journey.

You will promote Gift Aid, contribute to weekly targets, and maintain safety and presentation standards while delivering warm, professional service in a historic heritage environment.

Qualifications

• Customer-focused approach with ability to engage diverse visitors.
• Ability to identify upsell opportunities and drive sales.
• Strong communication skills to explain values and close sales.

Responsibilities

• Welcome and assist visitors across the site, including ticketing and retail.
• Deliver guided tours and present engaging stories for the public.
• Upsell guidebooks, experiences, and merchandise to meet targets.
• Promote Gift Aid and track weekly conversion performance.
• Support safety and presentation standards on site.

Skills

Customer service

Upselling

Sales experience

Communication

Retail experience

Job description

Linking Navy to Nation with inspiring stories and experiences. At Royal Navy Museums HMS Caroline, step aboard the last survivor from the Battle of Jutland, HMS Caroline, and explore the powerful, emotional and sometimes unexpected stories that have shaped the Royal Navy and Belfast’s Maritime identity.

As a national museum that generates the majority of its own income, every interaction matters. We are committed to welcoming diverse audiences, building a strong sense of belonging and delivering experiences that are engaging, relevant and commercially sustainable.

This is a great opportunity to join the team:

Shifts operate on a rota pattern and vary across the season. Weekly hours: 6.25 hours per week minimum with an opportunity to pick up additional shifts depending on availability and business needs to work corporate events and venue hire and our mid-term free-flow opening to the public. Final shift pattern will be agreed with successful candidate based on availability and operational requirements.

We’re looking for a confident, customer focused person who is comfortable combining engaging conversations and guided tours with clear commercial outcomes. You will welcome and support visitors across the site, from ticketing and retail to interacting with guests in our historic spaces through the ship, bringing our history to life and delivering personal stories in our guided tours. No two days are the same, and we’re looking for a candidate who can confidently upsell our unique stories, the experience, and retail items at ticketing and in our shop.

Alongside delivering warm and professional service, you will actively promote gift aid and guidebooks and work toward weekly conversion targets. These targets are an important part of the role and are approached in a supportive and positive way. They enhance the visitor experience will directly contribute to the Museum’s long-term sustainability. You will also earn commission on every guidebook you sell.

Reporting to the Museum Manager and Deputy Museum Manager on site, this varied and rewarding role plays a visible part in generating the income that allows the Museum to fulfil its charitable objectives and continue preserving and sharing our naval heritage.

If you want to help shape the future of the HMS Caroline and contribute to our next phase of growth, we would love to hear from you.

What you can bring:

• You genuinely enjoy people and are comfortable starting conversations, reading the room and adapting your approach and communication style for families, veterans, school groups and independent visitors without being prompted.
• You naturally identify opportunities to enhance a visitor’s experience, whether that’s recommending a guidebook, suggesting an additional purchase or linking retail offers to a customer’s passion for naval history. Targets focus you rather than deter you.
• You communicate clearly and confidently. You can explain values, respond to objections calmly and close a sale in a way that feels helpful rather than transactional.
• You may have experience delivering guided tours, but what is important is your ability to communicate in a friendly, authoritative and commercially minded manner with the public. We can train you in the history of our ship, but we need someone who knows how to be an excellent communicator and can present confidently to the public.
• You understand that presentation, safety and security are fundamental. You notice when something is out of place and act.
• A basic understanding of Health and Safety is desirable, with a willingness to learn and develop further.
• You are reliable, proactive and steady under pressure. When it is busy, you step forward. When it is quiet, you improve standards. When something goes wrong, you take ownership and help put it right.
• Experience in a customer facing or retail environment is desirable, but attitude, resilience and willingness to learn are more important.

What we offer:

• The opportunity to be part of a friendly and diverse workplace within a unique heritage environment.
• Group pension plan with Royal London (6% employer contributions, 2% employee contributions and death in service benefit).
• 25 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays) pro rata for part time employees, increasing to 30 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays) after 5 years’ service, pro rata for part time employees, with the option to purchase additional annual leave.
• Enhanced maternity/adoption and paternity pay.
• Flexible working.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Free admission to other national museums and attractions within the reciprocal agreement.
• Discounts at our shops and cafes.
• Free and discounted tickets for family and friends.
• A range of other benefits including cycle to work
• Paid reservist leave.

We want you to succeed and showcase your skills and experiences, so if you are invited to interview, we will share our interview questions with you ahead of time. If you would like to have an informal discussion regarding the role, or ask any questions, please contact Michael McConway, Deputy Museum Manager, by email at [e-mail].

We will be conducting the selection process at Royal Navy Museums HMS Caroline Belfast,weekcommencing Monday 5th October,with successful candidates due to commence training with us on 16th October 2026.

If you require reasonable adjustments to be made to the application process because of a disability, please contact the People team on [e-mail] for support.

This post requires the right to work in the UK. Please note we cannot currently sponsor work visas.