We're looking for a Collections and House Manager to lead the team in delivering outstanding conservation, presentation, and compliance standards across the portfolio here at Dunster Castle.
You'll ensure our indoor visitor offer continues to grow in relevance and accessibility for existing and new audiences, create a culture of excellent customer care, improve opportunities for visitor engagement with conservation, and lead the way for collections and interiors programming.
What it's like to work here
Dunster Castle, perched on a wooded hill, is a place with deep historical roots, dating back to Norman times. The site includes a medieval gatehouse, a ruined tower, and a castle that was transformed into a lavish country home in the 19th century by the Luttrell family, who lived here for 600 years. The grounds feature terraced gardens with Mediterranean and subtropical plants, a tranquil riverside garden, a natural play area, and a historic watermill, offering stunning views over the Bristol Channel. Dunster Castle attracts visitors from near and far, providing an opportunity to engage a diverse audience and create memorable experiences.
As Collections and House Manager, you'll be part of the Senior Leadership Team, playing a key role in decision-making across the portfolio and driving improvements in care and visitor experiences.
What you'll be doing
Reporting to the General Manager, you'll work in partnership with your peers across the leadership team to ensure operational efficiency, championing conservation and cultural heritage and working flexibly with other departments to achieve shared goals.
Working with our regional curators and conservation specialists, the Collections and House Manager is responsible for developing our understanding of, and caring for, the house and our varied collection. Developing ways to tell the stories of this special place and its collection to our visitors is a key part of the role. This could include new interpretation, re-displaying rooms and collection items, and using conservation stories to support our fundraising ambitions.
You'll manage the Collections and House Officer, Collections Assistants, and volunteers, ensuring high standards in conservation, collections care, and visitor services. You'll also support best practices in collections care at Coleridge Cottage and act as one of the Portfolio's Duty Managers, which includes weekend and bank holiday shifts.
You'll also oversee the Collections and House team in carrying out the care (including cleaning) of the house, collection and visitor facilities.
Accommodation is provided to the postholder for the proper or better performance of their duties in accordance with Trust criteria and HMRC rules. This comes with Key representative duties as detailed in the annex.
Who we're looking for
We'd love to hear from people with the following:
- A proven ability to deliver high standards of collections care and conservation, compliance, and collections management in a historic setting
- A proven ability to deliver high presentation standards and customer care in the display and interpretation of historic buildings and collections
- An awareness of current developments and approved practices in the heritage sector around visitor engagement, innovation and access, and passion for promoting inclusivity and diversity in the interpretation and presentation of history
- Experience of operational management and responsibility for a site, house or estate
- Experience of managing budgets
- Strong resilience and positivity in managing change
- An ability to build effective and collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders and teams, including delivering through others
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
- 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