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Vacancy: Museum Assistant
Type: Full Time (Permanent)
Location: Winchester, Hampshire
Salary: £19, 250
Closing Date: 22 January 2021
HorsePower is a small regimental museum in Winchester city centre. The Museum Assistant manages the museum’s daily operation and reports to the Regimental Secretary / Honorary Curator.
Responsibilities include opening the museum to the public, encouraging visitor attendance through interaction, activities and advertising, cleanliness of the museum in particular with regard to COVID-19 procedures, looking after the displays, caring for the reserve collection and documentation, answering historical and visitor enquiries, updating the website and Facebook page, organising the volunteers’ rosters and running a small retail operation.
We are looking for someone who is self-motivated, able to work independently and has experience of working in a customer facing role in a heritage attraction. The successful candidate will have strong organisational skills, be confident in the use of IT and social media, and have an interest in military history.
A copy of the job description is available below.
To apply please email your CV with names and contact details of two referees, and a letter on not more than one sheet of A4 stating your suitability for the position.
Closing date for applications: 9am Friday 22 January 2021.
Interviews will be held on Thursday 28 January.
For more information contact Peter Garbutt at curator@horsepowermuseum.co.uk or 01962 828539 www.horsepowermuseum.co.uk
A PDF download of the job opportunity and description can be found via this link: Museum Assistant Job Opportunity and Description
Job Description
Job purpose
To assist the Curator with the management and development of the museum, offering visitors and users a high quality customer focused service and maintaining high standards of collections care
Responsibilities
- Open and close the museum as advertised, ensuring its security and the security of exhibits
- Manage the museum shop, ordering and maintaining cost-effective stock levels
- Handle admissions and retail sales cash
- Encourage visitor attendance through good interaction, interesting activities for adults and children and advertising via all media channels
- Answer enquiries relating to the museum and its collections
- Monitor environmental conditions and maintain high standards of housekeeping and cleanliness in the museum, in the archives room and in the reserve collection store
- Be aware of and exercise personal responsibilities under Health & Safety regulations for self and visitors, including COVID-19 protective measures, procedures and restrictions as long as required
- Maintain the MODES documentation system up to date
- Assist in the development of museum exhibitions
- Update the museum website regularly
- Run the museum Social Media pages
- Organise and lead group visits as required
- Organise volunteers’ rosters, and ensure that volunteers are kept informed of changes or developments in the museum
- Liaise with staff in other museums in Peninsula Barracks
- Contribute to Winchester’s Military Museums collaborative marketing and other activities
- Carry out any other tasks in support of the museum that may be reasonably expected of the post holder
The appointment is permanent, subject to a six-month probation period. Working hours are 37½ hours per week Monday to Friday, with occasional evening and weekend duties for which time off in lieu will be given.
Person Specification
Essential qualification, experience and skills
- Degree or equivalent experience (5 years working in a museum assistant role)
- Experience of dealing with the public in a heritage or museum environment
- Interest in the history of the British Army
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines
- Computer literate, with good knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, databases, digitisation and social media
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Ability to use basic DIY tools
Desirable qualification, experience and skills
- Driving licence
- Experience of working with volunteers
- Experience of working with museum collections
- Experience of using MODES documentation system
- Experience of managing an improvement project