Collections Assistant

If you have a enthusiasm for history and enjoy sharing your knowledge with others, a keen eye for detail and an enthusiasm for ensuring the preservation and presentation of collections and historic buildings, then we want to hear from you.

Hours: 18 hours per week, the normal working pattern involves working a minimum of one in three weekends, and regular bank holidays to meet the needs of the business.

Pay: £11.64 an hour

Contract: Fixed Term Contract until 31st August 2025

Interviews: 14th and 16th October

For this role, you’ll need to complete our online assessment instead of using a C.V. or online application form. This will help us understand more about your strengths and give you more information on the role.

Joining the Collections and House Team at Rufford, you’ll report to the Senior Collections and House Officer and work alongside two other Collections Assistants and a large team of dedicated volunteers.

You’ll be working in a property with nearly 500 years of Lancashire history which holds a varied collection of objects, from 16th Century armour and 17th Century tapestries to Victorian books and ceramics.

The work will be a balance between caring for the house and collection, monitoring the environment, supervising and leading a team of volunteers and ensuring the thousands of visitors that come through our doors can access and engage with Rufford and its fascinating stories.

As a Collections Assistant, you’ll be part of a great housekeeping team, responsible for the daily opening, closing, and cleaning of the house. No detail will go unnoticed, and you’ll keep a keen eye on everything from the environmental conditions in a room, to signs of wear and tear. You'll collect and record accurate information during housekeeping cleaning routines to inform our understanding of the house and the collection, and use preventive conservation techniques to improve how we conserve and present the property.

In this visitor facing role we’d love for you to talk to visitors about the work you’re doing and collections we have. You’ll also work closely with our room guides and conservation volunteers, helping to cover and support where necessary.

Please also read the full role profile, attached to this advert.

We'd love to hear from you if you're;

• a team player, but can also work on your own initiative
• well organised and adaptable?  
• customer focused with a positive attitude?  
• willing to learn new skills?  
• someone with good manual dexterity and hand-to-eye skills and ability to work from ladders and tower scaffold 

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
• Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
• Rental deposit loan scheme
• Season ticket loan
• EV car lease scheme 
• Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts
• Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.
• Flexible working whenever possible
• Employee assistance programme
• Free parking at most Trust places

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.