LEARNING AND VOLUNTEERING OFFICER

Norton Priory Museum Trust Limited
Job Description

LEARNING AND VOLUNTEERING OFFICER
REPORTS TO: LEARNING AND VOLUNTEERING DIRECTOR
MANAGES: N/A
CONTRACT TYPE: Part Time / Permanent
HOURS: 22.5 hours per week
SALARY: £14,325 per annum

     (based on 22.5 hours per week – due for review in April 2026)

About Norton Priory
Norton Priory Museum and Gardens is operated by an independent, charitable trust,
Norton Priory Museum Trust Limited.  The Trust is dedicated to preserving and sharing
the rich heritage of Europe’s most excavated monastic site and the 900-year story of the
estate.  This approach reflects the Trust’s Mission Statement: To conserve, champion
and celebrate the heritage, landscapes and collections of Norton Priory for present and
future generations.  As a small, passionate team supported by a wider community of
volunteers, the Trust strives to provide a warm, welcoming and valuable experience for
all our visitors.

About the Role
The Learning and Volunteering Officer supports the administration of both Norton
Priory’s formal and informal learning programmes and of the volunteer programme. This
role is to key to organising school and group visits, ensuring they are responded to
promptly and to help increase visits. This includes sending relevant paperwork to
schools and groups including booking confirmations and Risk Assessments as well as
supporting evaluation and data input This role will also work with the Learning and
Volunteering Director to support visits and facilitators on the day ensuring rooms and
equipment are available and during busy periods help cover delivery of the sessions.
Sessions include history object-based activities, tours, outdoor workshops including
running fire pit activities, nature workshops in the grounds and the walled garden and
off site at schools, community venues and Halton Castle.  This role is key in helping the
Trust engage audiences of all ages, support inclusive volunteering opportunities and
provide excellent visitor experiences through learning and participation.

Key Responsibilities
Learning
- Promotion and booking of school workshops, including liaising with schools and
learning hosts for delivery of sessions.
-Welcome and support school and group visits, ensuring a positive and engaging
experience.
- Assist in the planning of family activities and the Trust’s presence at community

Norton Priory Museum Trust Limited
Job Description

events.
- Help prepare and update learning materials, resources and spaces.
- Support evaluation of learning programmes through feedback collection and data
entry.
- If required deliver engaging, curriculum-linked sessions to school groups, primarily in
Key Stages 1 and 2, both on-site and occasionally off-site (usually at Halton Castle).
- Work with learning colleagues to develop creative, accessible resources that reflect
the museum’s collections and themes.

Volunteering
- Assist with volunteer recruitment, induction and scheduling.
- Provide day-to-day support for volunteers, helping ensure they feel valued and
confident in their roles.
- Help maintain volunteer records, including attendance, training and feedback.
- Support the coordination of volunteer events, training sessions and recognition
activities.
- Act as a point of contact for volunteer enquiries and communications.

Person Specification
Essential
- Experience working or volunteering in a cultural, heritage, education, or community
setting.
- Strong administrative and communication skills.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a friendly, welcoming manner.
- Organised, reliable and confident working with a range of people including children,
teachers and volunteers.
- Ability to work flexibly, including occasional weekends or evenings for events.
- Good time management skills.

Desirable
- Knowledge of learning practices in museums, schools, or informal settings.
- Experience coordinating or supporting volunteers.
- Experience delivering educational sessions or workshops in a museum, school, or
community setting.
- Understanding of safeguarding and inclusion in education or volunteering contexts.

Team Responsibilities (Applicable to all roles)
- Support weddings, events and other public-facing programmes as required, including
occasional evening and weekend work.
- Ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of yourself, colleagues and visitors at all times.

Norton Priory Museum Trust Limited
Job Description

- Act as a positive ambassador for the museum and charitable trust at all times.
- Undertake Safeguarding and First Aid training.
- Assist with cleaning and preparation of internal spaces for daily opening and special
events, which may be outside normal opening hours.
- Conduct pre-opening daily site checks to ensure all areas of Norton Priory, including
outdoor spaces, are safe, secure and ready to welcome visitors.  Log any concerns as a
matter of priority with the Team Leader or relevant manager.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues and volunteers to provide a welcoming and
inclusive visitor experience.
- Treat colleagues and volunteers with respect to foster a supportive and trusted
working environment.
- Represent the Trust in a professional and positive manner at all times.
- Support the Trust’s commitment to sustainability by following environmental best
practice (for example, recycling) and encouraging eco-friendly practices across the
Norton Priory estate.
- Carry out other duties that may reasonably be required in line with the level and nature
of the role.

Staff Benefits
- Access to professional development and role-specific training opportunities.
- Access to confidential staff wellbeing support on request.
- Opportunities to work in a unique and historically significant museum and grounds.
- Generous employer-contributed pension scheme.
- Staff discounts in the museum shop and the Brooke Café.
- Free on-site parking.
- Invitations to staff social events.