Guidebook Seller – Casual / 6 months Fixed Term

Guidebook Seller – Casual / 6 months Fixed Term

£13.85 per hour

We are seeking to recruit specialist Guidebook Sellers who will be employed on a casual basis
and be responsible for greeting our visitors and selling our guidebooks. We are looking for
people who are available to work Wednesday to Sunday . Shifts last for 4 hours and are either
morning (9:45am to 1:45pm) or afternoon (12:45pm to 4:45pm).  We hope to offer at least
two shifts a week, either on a casual or fixed term basis.

Sir John Soane’s Soane Museum
Sir John Soane’s Museum is the idiosyncratic house-museum of the great Regency architect
Sir John Soane (1753 – 1837) and still displays his collection of antiquities, furniture, models
and paintings in the same state in which they were left at the time of his death as well as
preserving  over  30,000  architectural  drawings  and  a  fine  Library.  The  Museum’s  treasures
include paintings by Hogarth (A Rake’s Progress), Canaletto, Turner and Reynolds.  The finest
Egyptian  Sarcophagus  in  the  world  can  be  found  in  the  basement,  along  with  sculpture,
antiquities, books, prints and even a mummified cat.  Sir John Soane’s Museum is considered
by many to be best house-museum in the world.

The Role
This specialist role is absolutely essential to generating income for the Museum through Soane
Museum  Enterprises.  The  Guide  Book  Seller  greets  every  visitor,  offers  to  sell  them  a
guidebook and map as well as explaining the best way to enjoy the Museum. This role also
supports  the  museum’s  shop,  has  excellent  personal  development  opportunities  and  is  a
brilliant opportunity for someone who is keen to work in a Museum environment.

Your skills
You should have an interest in working in a Museum and be a good communicator. You will
have a positive approach to sales and a flexible style of appropriate selling, adjusting your
style accordingly to the visitor.

Key aspects of the role

•  Provide a warm and courteous welcome to visitors who arrive at the Museum and
answer any questions they may have about their visit, ensuring the principles of
diversity and inclusion for all are met.

•  To deliver our Guidebook and Tours sales targets to meet the Museums KPI’s as

well as actively supporting other museum income sources.

•  To  work  as  part  of  the  Retail  team  to  provide  a  professional  and  enjoyable

shopping experience.

•  To fully understand the security procedures of the Museum and play an integral

role in protecting the museum’s collection.
•  Follow accurate money handling procedures.
•  Work as part of the Retail Team to provide adequate shop cover.
•  Restocking of shop products and help with appropriate retail tasks.
•  To take care of your personal health and safety and that of others and report any
health  and  safety  concerns.    Ensure  pro-active  compliance  with  the  Museums
Health and Safety policies.

Person Specification

•  Sales experience
•  Experience of using POS & till systems
•  Good communication skills
•  Friendly, confident and welcoming manner
•  Positive attitude to visitor engagement
•  Reliable, responsible and trustworthy
•  Strong cash handling skills
•  Flexible approach
•  Smart appearance
•  Good standard of spoken English (essential); additional languages desirable.
•  Have a positive approach to sales and a flexible style of appropriate selling, adjusting

your style accordingly to the visitor

•  Ability to work to targets
•  A positive response to receiving feedback & guidance
•  Ability to show sensitivity to a museum/historic house environment, where attention
to security, and to the care of the collection and fragile interiors, is paramount
•  An  active  interest  in  learning  about  the  Museum  and  relaying  this  information  to

visitors

The Museum is committed to delivering an excellent visitor experience to all visitors at all

times; all its staff have signed up to five key Visitor Service commitments:

1.  All visitors will receive a warm and courteous welcome
2.  We will explain the unique character and intimate atmosphere of the house so

enabling us to uphold our policies in a polite and considerate way

3.  As a free museum, we will politely encourage visitors to financially support us
4.  We will provide a safe and secure environment for our collection and visitors so that

visitors can enjoy their experience

5.  We will engage with visitors and interpret the house, the history and its collection by

passing on our knowledge and understanding, where appropriate.

How to apply
Please  send    a  CV,  with a  covering  letter  detailing  how  you  meet the  criteria  including the
names and addresses of two referees, one of whom should be a current or previous employer,
via email to recruitment@soane.org.uk

The closing date for applications is 5.00pm Monday 2 March 2026

Interviews will be held in the Museum on Monday 9 March 2026

The  Museum  is  an  Equal  Opportunities  Employer  committed  to  equality,  diversity  and
inclusion, and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds.

Website: www.soane.org