Visitor Assistant

English Heritage; Walmer; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

Join a leading charity dedicated to preserving England's history as a Visitor Assistant at Walmer Castle. You will be instrumental in creating engaging experiences for visitors, ensuring they enjoy a memorable time while safeguarding the heritage. This role, offering 16 to 30 hours weekly, focuses on customer service and teamwork. Embrace this opportunity from 14th July to 31st August 2025 and be part of our passionate team!

Benefits

Career progression opportunities

Free access to English Heritage sites

25% discount in shops and cafes

Enhanced parental leave

25 days' holiday plus Bank Holidays pro rata

Matched pension contributions up to 10%

Qualifications

• Experience in customer service beneficial.
• Strong communication skills and ability to engage with diverse audiences.
• Ability to work weekends and bank holidays.

Responsibilities

• Support visitors in engaging activities.
• Set up challenge and activity equipment.
• Ensure site accessibility and safety.

Skills

Customer Service

Communication

Teamwork

Job description

Title Visitor Assistant Location Walmer Castle, Kent, CT14 7LJ Salary £12.21 per Hour / 16 - 30 Hours Per Week / 14th July - 31st August 2025 Job type Fixed Term Contract Ref 16089

Would you like to work for the charity that cares for hundreds of historic sites in every corner of England. As part of our summer events programme, English Heritage and the comedy entertainment show Taskmaster have joined forces to bring a unique entertainment experience to 17 of our sites and we are looking for people to support our teams working 16 - 30 hours per week during the summer period 14th July - 31st August 2025.

No history background? No problem. What is important to us is a passion for people and excellent customer service. You will enjoy working with others as part of a team and understand what makes excellent customer service to deliver an engaging visitor experience to a diverse audience.

Heritage is for everybody, and we are here for heritage.

Heritage lives in places and people, memories and stories, artefacts and traditions. It can connect us all to the past, and to each other. It can make us happier, strengthen every community, and help shape society for the better. Everybody should be able to enjoy the benefits it brings. That's why, as a charity, we care for over a million objects and hundreds of historic sites in every part of England, from international icons to local treasures. And it's why we open them up, share their stories and find new ways for everybody to enjoy, learn, play and create.

Walmer Castle is a Tudor fortress turned country house. For nearly three centuries, it's been the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, an office granted to some of Britain's most famous people, including the Duke of Wellington and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

By joining us as a Walmer Castle Visitor Assistant, you will be part of an amazing team of employees and volunteers, ensuring visitors have a great time from the moment they arrive until they say goodbye.

This role will predominantly be involved in helping to set up challenge and activity equipment and supporting our visitors to engage with playful themed challenges against the stunning backdrop of our sites. You will therefore be someone who enjoys engaging with all people and be a confident communicator.

You will also be required to support the wider visitor assistant team with duties such as recommending things to see and do on site. You will also contribute to making sure your site is accessible, safe and well presented at all times.

It is a varied role - some days will be busy from start to finish and others quieter, especially on the wetter days! Some paid or voluntary experience with the public is beneficial but full training and support is provided as part of your induction. You will be required to work weekends and Bank Holidays, more information will be provided at interview.

Benefits include:

- The opportunity for career progression within the heritage sector in retail, food and beverage or general management

- Opportunities to go to some of our great live music and history events

- Free access to all English Heritage sites for you, and up to 6 friends and / or family members

- 25% discount in our shops and cafes

- Enhanced maternity/paternity/shared parental leave

- 25 days' holiday plus Bank Holidays pro rata rising to 28 days after 3 years

- Options to buy additional leave

- Matched pension contributions up to a maximum of 10%

Find out more about us and what we do: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/ You can also meet some of our people and hear about why they enjoy working with us: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/our-people/careers-with-us/

Everybody's welcome at English Heritage

Forget the stereotypes. It takes thousands of people from every background to care for England's heritage and open it up for everybody to enjoy. We're looking for every type of person with every kind of skill and experience, and we're committed to making sure that English Heritage is an equitable, diverse and inclusive place to work. You can connect with others through our EDI networks as a member or ally. These include Ethnic Diversity, Faith & Belief, Social Equity, LGBTQ+, Neurodivergence, Age, Disability and Gender Health and Wellbeing.

We take wellbeing seriously. We are committed to ensuring everyone feels safe at work and can carry out their role. To support this, we have a network of Mental Health First aiders, regular information and awareness events, unlimited access to an Employee Assistance Programme and work with our people to implement reasonable adjustments.

If you would like to talk to us before you apply e.g. about workplace adjustments or working patterns, please contact Kevin Milton, Visitor Welcome & Retail Supervisor, on 01304 381682 or email [e-mail]. No agencies please.

Our interview and offer process will take place on the 7th & 8th July , with new starters joining in the week of 14th July 2025

You will need to refer to the following documents when completing your application.