Retail Assistant and Guidebook Seller – Casual / 6 months Fixed Term

Retail Assistant and Guidebook Seller – Casual / 6 months Fixed Term

£13.85 per hour

We are seeking to recruit Retail Assistant and Guidebook Sellers who will be employed on a fixed term contract and will be responsible for greeting our visitors, selling our guidebooks and assisting in the Museum shop. We are looking for people who are available to work Thursday morning and all day Saturday. Thursdays shift will be 4 hours (9:45am to 1:45pm) and Saturday will be 9:45 until 5:15pm.

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 Retail Assistant and Guide Book Seller greets every visitor, offers to sell them a guidebook, as well as explaining the best way to enjoy the Museum. This role also supports the museum’s shop, including running the shop independently, covering lunch breaks and supporting during busy periods. This role 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.

• Follow accurate money handling procedures, including opening and closing procedures.

Work as part of the Retail Team to provide shop cover, including running the shop independently.

Restocking of shop products and help with appropriate retail tasks.

• To fully understand the security procedures of the Museum and play an integral role in protecting the museum’s collection.

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

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 20 July 2026.

Interviews will be held in the Museum on Tuesday 28 July 2026.

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

Website: www.soane.org