Heritage is for everybody, and we are here for heritage.
Heritage lives in places and people, memories and stories, artefacts and traditions. It can connect us all to the past, and to each other. It can make us happier, strengthen every community, and help shape society for the better. Everybody should be able to enjoy the benefits it brings.
That's why, as a charity, we care for over a million objects and hundreds of historic sites in every part of England, from international icons to local treasures. And it's why we open them up, share their stories and find new ways for everybody to enjoy, learn, play and create.
We are looking for a Volunteer and Community Engagement Manager to join our team, to cover our sites in Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire. You'll be on a permanent, full time basis, working 36 hours per week.
The Benefits
- Salary from £26,409, depending on skills, experience and location
- 25 days' holiday plus bank holidays, pro rata, rising to 28 days after 3 years
- Matched pension contributions up to 10%
- Flexible hours
- The opportunity to progress your career within the heritage sector
- Apprenticeship opportunities
- Subscriptions to professional bodies
- Free access to all English Heritage sites for you and up to six friends and family members
- 25% discount in our shops and cafes
- Enhanced maternity, paternity or shared parental leave
- Options to buy additional leave
- An inclusive working atmosphere everybody is supported from all backgrounds, religions and with different needs
- Opportunities to go to some of our great live music and history events
This is a great opportunity for you to lead and develop initiatives that foster strong connections between the sites and their local communities. You will develop and deliver engagement programmes and recruit as well as manage volunteer teams. This will include developing engaging relevant experiences for our visitors, under-represented audiences and local communities, maximising opportunities for public engagement with sites and ensuring they are well cared for.
As part of the territory Volunteer & Engagement team you will also contribute to operational site management of free to enter and Guided Tour Sites including H&S and will be responsible for the management of formalised partnerships. The role supports financial sustainability of English Heritage by fostering in-kind support, community fundraising, and developing partnerships to enhance visitor experiences.
As Volunteer and Community Engagement Manager, you will develop and deliver volunteering and community engagement initiatives at your sites; attracting diverse audiences and enhancing community involvement, whilst also supporting the delivery of inspirational visitor experiences.
You'll build excellent and productive relationships with key partners and external stakeholders. Work closely with the National Engagement Lead and Volunteering & Participation team to develop and deliver sustainable volunteering and engagement programmes, whilst overseeing the operational management of the Guided Tour Only and Free-to-Enter sites in your area, including all H&S, fire and security matters, ensuring that all English Heritage procedures are followed and that the required statutory compliance is achieved.
To be considered as a Volunteer and Community Engagement Manager, you'll need:
-Relevant experience of managing a diverse volunteering programme - ideally across multiple sites.
-Experience of working with a range of people from the local community.
-Experience of working with external partners and community stakeholders.
-Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build relationships with diverse community members.
-An understanding of volunteering and the voluntary sector
Interviews will be held in the week commencing 12th May at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings.
If you would like to talk to us e.g. about workplace adjustments or working patterns, please contact Ed McGregor, Volunteer and Engagement Manager (West), on ed.mcgregor@english-heritage.org.uk. No agencies please.
Find out more about us and what we do: You can also meet some of our people and hear about why they enjoy working with us:
Everybody's welcome at English Heritage
Forget the stereotypes. It takes thousands of people from every background to care for England's heritage and open it up for everybody to enjoy. We're looking for every type of person with every kind of skill and experience, and we're committed to making sure that English Heritage is an equitable, diverse and inclusive place to work. You can connect with others through our EDI networks as a member or ally. These include Ethnic Diversity, Faith & Belief, Social Equity, LGBTQ+, Neurodivergence, Age, Disability and Gender Health and Wellbeing.
We take wellbeing seriously. We are committed to ensuring everyone feels safe at work and can carry out their role. To support this, we have a network of Mental Health First aiders, regular information and awareness events, unlimited access to an Employee Assistance Programme and work with our people to implement reasonable adjustments.