INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARYARTS
Job Description
Job Title: Public Advisor
Salary: London Living Wage (£14.80 per hour)
Reporting to: Operations and Visitor Services Managers, Senior Operations and Visitor Services Manager
Contract: Flexible 72 hours / 12 weeks
Location: Onsite, London
Deadline for application: 13th July 2026, 5pm
About the ICA
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is a leading multi-arts centre in the heart of London, overlooking St James’s Park. With an iconic history as an incubator for artistic talent – from Amy Winehouse and Stormzy to Basquiat, Damien Hirst and Lubaina Himid – the ICA has long been at the forefront of contemporary culture.
Housed in a magnificent Georgian Grade I listed building with a public entrance on The Mall, the ICA offers a diverse range of hireable spaces, including private rooms, cinemas, a gallery, bar, and a theatre/live music venue. Our spaces host a wide variety of events, from films, photoshoots and weddings to corporate receptions, dinners and full venue takeovers.
About the role
The Public Advisors at the ICA will work across the ICA’s Front of House services and Private Hires events and will be multi-skilled, working across the ICA Bookstore, Box Office, Membership, Exhibitions, Film, Talks, Live and Learning programmes, alongside Corporate and Private Hires.
Your responsibilities will include providing excellent customer service, keeping up to date with the current and future ICA programme, promoting and encouraging sales through our various commercial strands, and being proactive to the needs of our visitors, guests and clients. You will also be responsible for maintaining a welcoming, well-presented and safe environment throughout all Front of House and event spaces.
INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS
Your role will include a wide range of responsibilities that may vary depending on the day or the shift you are working. You will be required to work evenings and weekends depending on your shift.
Duties and Responsibilities
Bookstore, Box Office and Membership:
• Follow the ICA’s Box Office and Bookstore protocols, policies and presentation standards.
Maintain a welcoming environment and helpful attitude towards all visitors and callers.
• Problem-solve visitor questions.
Reconciling tills at the end of each shift and informing a senior staff member of any discrepancies which cannot be rectified.
• Actively seek sales opportunities and provide visitors with information about the ICA’s range of products, services and membership.
Sell memberships, tickets, books, magazines and merchandise to visitors in person, by telephone and by email, ensuring that excellent customer service is provided.
Visitor Care and Information Sharing:
Responsible for providing excellent visitor services throughout all spaces in the venue by ensuring a clean, tidy and welcoming environment.
Greet and respond to visitors across the ICA’s programme spaces, including invigilating galleries, ushering in the cinema and assisting at talks, events and learning activities, ensuring visitors can access and enjoy the full ICA programme in a safe, friendly and welcoming environment.
Answer enquiries and provide accurate and up-to-date information about the ICA’s current programme, history and heritage, Bookstore, Membership, Editions and commercial offer, including Private Hires.
To be fully familiar with the current programme and equipped on a shift-byshift basis with any additional information, including programme changes and special offers, by regularly checking emails and attending operational updates.
• Sell and check memberships and tickets for the ICA, ensuring visitors understand the purpose behind our membership offer and admissions model.
• Plan and deliver exhibition tours.
INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS
• Provide additional support as needed for visitors with special access requirements.
• Attend regular programme briefings and training sessions to improve knowledge and customer service skills.
• Assist with guestlists, visitor counting and data collection where required.
• Maintain records of and provide information about lost property.
• Provide additional support as needed for various ICA departments.
Private Hires:
• Follow the ICA Private Hires team’s protocols, policies and high presentation standards.
• Maintain a welcoming environment and helpful attitude towards all guests and clients.
Carry out reception duties for private events, including greeting guests, overseeing guestlists, managing queries and maintaining a high level of customer service and professionalism at all times.
• Set up and oversee cloakrooms for events, ensuring all property is safe and the space is well managed and presented.
• Work alongside the ICA’s Private Hires team to support event activity as required.
• Be proactive to the needs of guests and clients, problem-solving enquiries and escalating issues where appropriate.
Broadly responsible for the presentation of hire spaces, ensuring a clean, tidy and professional environment throughout events.
• Provide additional support as needed for guests with special access requirements.
Deliver a professional service to corporate clients, luxury brands and highprofile guests.
General:
Be aware of and carry out fire, security and other emergency procedures, escalating incidents to the Operations and Visitor Services Managers where appropriate.
Assist in maintaining the general tidiness and presentation of Front of House and event spaces, including additional sanitation procedures where necessary.
INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS
• Assist with keeping public and event spaces presentable, including removing litter from cinemas during screenings where required.
Ensure that General Data Protection Regulation requirements are upheld and follow procedures in line with the ICA Privacy Policy and Data Protection Handbook.
Work flexibly across all Front of House functions and support colleagues across departments as required.
Undertake any other duties requested by the Operations and Visitor Services Managers, Head of Visitor Operations or the ICA Private Hires team that are commensurate with the scope of the role.
This is not, however, an exhaustive list of duties and the ICA’s management may, at any time, allocate other tasks which are of a similar nature or level.
About You
Essential:
• A passion for contemporary culture and arts.
Experience in a customer-facing role within a cultural organisation, hospitality environment, retail setting or event venue.
Experience working in high-profile hospitality environments (restaurant, hotel, event venue or similar) is desirable.
Excellent customer service skills and customer care.
• Proven ability to sell memberships or other commercial products.
• Strong IT and database skills; experience of Spektrix is an advantage.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Proactivity and attention to detail.
Ability to work flexibly across multiple Front of House functions, including evenings and weekends.
Why Join Us?
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a historic and forward-thinking cultural institution, contributing directly to its commercial sustainability while working in a unique and prestigious setting.
To apply, please share details of your CV and cover letter to jobs@ica.art