Senior Visitor Experience Officer
| Posting date: | 10 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £26,793 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 22 March 2026 |
| Location: | Montacute House, Montacute, TA15 6XP |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | National Trust |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | IRC171938 |
Summary
We are looking for a fixed term Senior Visitor Experience Officer at Montacute House.
Salary: £14.16 per hour. The advertised salary for this role will be in effect from 1st April.
Contract: Fixed term contract until 06-Oct-2026
Hours/ working pattern: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week (5 days per week) – Tuesday to Saturday. Bank holiday working is required on a rota basis.
What it's like to work here
Montacute is currently undergoing a major conservation project to repair the two main staircases in the house. Currently only the ground floor is open. The house will fully reopen, newly presented and interpreted in January 2027. Montacute House sits within the South Somerset portfolio which also includes Barrington Court, Lytes Cary Manor, Tintinhull Garden, Treasurers House, Stoke Sub Hamdon Priory, Priests House and Stembridge Tower Mill.
Montacute House is a property of change, currently welcoming over 160,000 visitors a year. There are some very busy days which require a ‘all hands-on deck approach’, so be prepared to work flexibly to ensure visitors have an amazing experience.
We have a committed and passionate team that are focussed on delivering excellence every day and ensuring our visitors have a memorable visit. We work as one team supporting each other to achieve success. Your days will vary from hour to hour, often moving from operational to strategic delivery.
For more information about our property please visit
What you'll be doing
As Senior Visitor Experience Officer you'll be a member of the Property Leadership Team and will also work closely with the Staircases Project Manager and portfolio visitor experience colleagues. This role will include Duty Management on a rota basis. You will have a great attitude and a love of engaging with people.
You'll work to ensure every aspect of the visitor experience is shaped by the history and stories of Montacute House and delivers an exceptional experience to everyone every time. That involves delivering a programme of activity and in particular planning for Christmas 2026.
As part of the property group's visitor experience team, you’ll work to understand our spirit of place, ensuring high standards of presentation and service. You will be part of a property team undertaking regular daily duty management. You will manage a team of 80 volunteers (House volunteers, Staircases project talks volunteers, Elizabethan Welcome volunteers) and our small team of Service Team members.
We're looking for someone who understands how to manage operations, motivate teams, and gets things done. You'll lead for the visitor experience in the house and across the property. You will manage the Visitor Experience Officer and the house, tours and talks volunteers enabling them to provide a great visitor experience. You will work collaboratively with the property team to connect people through programming that fits with Montacute’s character, setting and local audience needs. You will bring your leadership skills, enthusiasm, drive, and determination to this exciting role. Using your excellent communication skills, you will support your visitor facing volunteers adapt to change and to thrive during this exciting period for Montacute.
Who we're looking for
Applications from redeployees are assessed against the minimum criteria for the role. In your application, please provide details of how you meet the minimum criteria below:
knowledge of audience engagement and inclusive programming in heritage or cultural settings
strong leadership and team co-ordination skills
ability to respond to operational challenges with agility and professionalism
ability to effectively monitor budgets and track performance
deep understanding of health and safety, safeguarding, and compliance in public environments
Additional criteria for all other applicants:
experienced in devising and running activities to inspire and engage people
skilled at communicating, and building good working relationships with people in your team and beyond
aware of ways to interpret precious collections of art and objects to a wide variety of people
well-organised, and able to work at pace and keep to time
confident that you can deal with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations
flexible, yet with a focus on always giving high standards of customer service
used to working with and supervising volunteers
The package
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 (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
• 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
Salary: £14.16 per hour. The advertised salary for this role will be in effect from 1st April.
Contract: Fixed term contract until 06-Oct-2026
Hours/ working pattern: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week (5 days per week) – Tuesday to Saturday. Bank holiday working is required on a rota basis.
What it's like to work here
Montacute is currently undergoing a major conservation project to repair the two main staircases in the house. Currently only the ground floor is open. The house will fully reopen, newly presented and interpreted in January 2027. Montacute House sits within the South Somerset portfolio which also includes Barrington Court, Lytes Cary Manor, Tintinhull Garden, Treasurers House, Stoke Sub Hamdon Priory, Priests House and Stembridge Tower Mill.
Montacute House is a property of change, currently welcoming over 160,000 visitors a year. There are some very busy days which require a ‘all hands-on deck approach’, so be prepared to work flexibly to ensure visitors have an amazing experience.
We have a committed and passionate team that are focussed on delivering excellence every day and ensuring our visitors have a memorable visit. We work as one team supporting each other to achieve success. Your days will vary from hour to hour, often moving from operational to strategic delivery.
For more information about our property please visit
What you'll be doing
As Senior Visitor Experience Officer you'll be a member of the Property Leadership Team and will also work closely with the Staircases Project Manager and portfolio visitor experience colleagues. This role will include Duty Management on a rota basis. You will have a great attitude and a love of engaging with people.
You'll work to ensure every aspect of the visitor experience is shaped by the history and stories of Montacute House and delivers an exceptional experience to everyone every time. That involves delivering a programme of activity and in particular planning for Christmas 2026.
As part of the property group's visitor experience team, you’ll work to understand our spirit of place, ensuring high standards of presentation and service. You will be part of a property team undertaking regular daily duty management. You will manage a team of 80 volunteers (House volunteers, Staircases project talks volunteers, Elizabethan Welcome volunteers) and our small team of Service Team members.
We're looking for someone who understands how to manage operations, motivate teams, and gets things done. You'll lead for the visitor experience in the house and across the property. You will manage the Visitor Experience Officer and the house, tours and talks volunteers enabling them to provide a great visitor experience. You will work collaboratively with the property team to connect people through programming that fits with Montacute’s character, setting and local audience needs. You will bring your leadership skills, enthusiasm, drive, and determination to this exciting role. Using your excellent communication skills, you will support your visitor facing volunteers adapt to change and to thrive during this exciting period for Montacute.
Who we're looking for
Applications from redeployees are assessed against the minimum criteria for the role. In your application, please provide details of how you meet the minimum criteria below:
knowledge of audience engagement and inclusive programming in heritage or cultural settings
strong leadership and team co-ordination skills
ability to respond to operational challenges with agility and professionalism
ability to effectively monitor budgets and track performance
deep understanding of health and safety, safeguarding, and compliance in public environments
Additional criteria for all other applicants:
experienced in devising and running activities to inspire and engage people
skilled at communicating, and building good working relationships with people in your team and beyond
aware of ways to interpret precious collections of art and objects to a wide variety of people
well-organised, and able to work at pace and keep to time
confident that you can deal with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations
flexible, yet with a focus on always giving high standards of customer service
used to working with and supervising volunteers
The package
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 (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
• 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