Heritage and Culture Officer
Salary: £32,000 per annum
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Reporting To: Head of Heritage and Culture
Location: Cathedral
About the Role
This is a broad and rewarding role for someone who enjoys bringing heritage to life for visitors through events, interpretation, and learning. The Heritage & Culture Officer combines hands-on front-of-house management with a real contribution to the Cathedral’s cultural programme, retail offer, visitor interpretation, and education and learning initiatives.
This post would suit someone with a background in heritage interpretation, education, events, or cultural programming who also enjoys working closely with visitors and leading a frontline team.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Front of House & Visitor Management
Support the day-to-day front-of-house operation, ensuring the Cathedral provides a consistently welcoming, safe, and well-managed environment for all visitors.
Supervise Visitor Engagement Assistants and Welcomers, providing direction, support, and on-the-ground guidance throughout the working day.
Act as the most senior front-facing member of staff on duty when required (including weekends), making operational decisions regarding visitor access, safety, staffing, and event readiness.
Manage visitor and crowd flow, handle challenging or disruptive behaviour with authority and diplomacy, and assist vulnerable individuals as needed.
Carry out building opening and closing procedures, including security and alarm protocols, as required.
Manage the Cathedral public phone line and shared enquiry inboxes, triaging and directing a wide range of queries promptly and professionally.
Serve as a trained First Aider and Fire Steward, providing emergency cover and contributing to a safe environment for staff, volunteers, and visitors.
Event Support
Work closely with the Events team to support the planning, preparation, and delivery of Cathedral events and concerts.
Assist with practical event set-up, including moving chairs and equipment, preparing performance and visitor spaces, printing materials, and managing performer and contractor access.
Scan tickets and manage visitor entry during concerts and events, ensuring smooth and efficient admission.
Supervise volunteer event stewards, providing briefings and on-the-day direction.
Liaise with musicians and performers alongside the Master of Music and Events team, ensuring a positive experience for artists and audiences alike.
Assist with post-event close-down, ensuring spaces are returned to operational readiness.
Retail Support
Work closely with the Retail Manager to support day-to-day retail operations within the Cathedral, providing cover and assistance as required.
Assist with stock management, display, and maintaining an appealing and well-organised retail offer.
Support the development of the retail offer in line with the Cathedral’s heritage identity and visitor profile.
Contribute to retail reporting and the monitoring of sales performance as requested.
Interpretation
Contribute to the development, review, and maintenance of visitor interpretation across the Cathedral, including written panels, digital content, printed guides, and tour materials.
Work with the Heritage and Culture Manager and wider team to ensure interpretation is accurate, accessible, engaging, and aligned with the Cathedral’s identity and values.
Assist with research to inform new or updated interpretive content, drawing on historical, architectural, and cultural sources.
Support the production of audio tour content and other multimedia interpretive resources.
Education & Learning Programme
Assist in the development and delivery of the Cathedral’s education and learning programme, including school visits, community engagement activity, and public learning events.
Contribute to the design of learning resources, activities, and experiences for different audiences, including children, families, and adult learners.
Support the delivery of school and educational group visits, working alongside colleagues to ensure visits are well-prepared and effectively delivered.
Help to build and maintain relationships with schools, community organisations, and other educational partners.
Monitor and evaluate the impact of learning activity, contributing to reporting and programme development.
General & Administrative
Manage shared inboxes and enquiry lines, responding to correspondence promptly and maintaining clear records.
Help to improve administrative systems and processes across the Heritage and Culture team.
Support wider team activities, including group visit coordination, as required during periods of high demand.
Person Specification
Essential
• Experience in a front-facing visitor, heritage, or cultural venue role.
• Experience or demonstrable interest in heritage interpretation, cultural programming, or education and learning delivery.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Creative thinker, able to contribute fresh ideas to programming, interpretation, and engagement activity.
• Confident working independently and as part of a team, with the ability to exercise sound judgement under pressure.
• Experience working on or supporting the delivery of events or public programmes.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 tools.
• Current First Aid certification (or willingness to obtain upon appointment).
Desirable
• Experience in a cathedral, museum, or historic building environment.
• A background in education, learning, or community engagement within a cultural setting.
• Experience developing interpretive content (text panels, audio guides, printed materials).
• Experience supporting a retail function in a heritage or visitor attraction context.
• A degree or equivalent qualification in history, heritage, museum studies, education, or a related discipline.
To apply please email your CV and a cover letter to Sarah O’Connor, Head of Heritage & Culture, by end of day on Friday 29th May.