Job Introduction
Casual Tour Guide
Salary: Band 3, approximately £13.00 per hour.
Hours: This is a casual post - there are no set hours and you will be asked to work as and when needed including weekends and bank holidays. Please be aware due to business needs Saturday working would be highly likely during peak season.
Your New Role
Are you confident at speaking to groups with excellent time keeping skills and an enthusiasm for history, the museum and its collections? We have an excellent opportunity to join us as a casual worker at The D-Day Story museum.
Portsmouth Museums are responsible for the care of the city’s archives and museum collections and for making them accessible to both residents and visitors. The service operates 6 museum sites – The D-Day Story, Southsea Castle, Charles Dickens’ Birthplace, Cumberland House Natural History Museum, Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery & Eastney Beam Engine House. In addition, the service also operates the Visitor Information Service for the destination with stand-alone points at the Hard and within The D-Day Story and Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery. The D-Day Story is the only UK museum dedicated to telling the events of 6th June 1944 using objects, interactives and video from the perspectives and accounts of those who were there. With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund the museum was extensively redeveloped in 2018 and a partnership with the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) saw the addition of LCT 7074 to the visitor experience fully open in Spring 2021. The updated contemporary museum experience has proved popular with audiences of all ages of both general and specialist interest groups.
As tour guide you will delivery the museums programme of guided tours for the exclusive international tour market. Confident at speaking to groups of adults, with training and specific guidelines, you will develop sufficient knowledge to ensure groups have an outstanding visitor experience whilst running to plan. The role is part of the front of house team and includes a arrange of activities including manning reception, welcoming and assisting visitors with queries, assisting with event and activities, previews and evening meetings. You will assist to ensure public areas, including toilets, are clean and tidy and maintain a secure environment for collections. The role will include some lifting and carrying of tables and chairs. Please note that LCT 7074 is located outside and this may require periods of time welcoming visitors and carrying out other tasks in all weather conditions. You may be asked on occasion work at other museum sites as required.
What you'll need to succeed
You will have excellent communication skills and the confidence to deliver tours to groups of adults. With an enthusiasm for history, the museum and its collections you will have excellent time management, customer service skills and be an excellent team player. Conversational skills in a foreign language would be an advantage – French preferred and good levels of literacy, numeracy and IT. Experience of cash handling would be an advantage. You will be flexible with a passion for the destination of Portsmouth and the local tourism product.
Please read the job profile for the full details of this role.
If you have any questions, or would like an informal discussion about the role, please email Katherine.webber@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
About Portsmouth City Council
What we can offer you:
Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.
Read more about working at Portsmouth City Council and our benefits on our careers portal homepage: Careers Portal - Find jobs with Portsmouth City Council
Application process:
Please read the full job profile for further details on the post to ensure your application matches the requirements of the role stated in the who is the person. When completing the application form, please thoroughly tailor your application to the 'Who is the Person' points in the profile with the use of examples from your experience and attach this as a cover letter in the Supporting Documents section. This is important, or you are likely not to be shortlisted.
We are a disability confident employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible and welcome applications from all areas of society.
You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.
Closing date: 11 May 2025
Provisional interview dates: 13, 14 and 15 May 2025.
Please note we will be short listing candidates as we go along and may close the advert early if we get enough suitable applicants.
We will email applicants from time to time; please ensure you check e-mail folders as sometimes our e-mails may go into spam/junk folders.
Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616800
