Collections Assistant

We protect everything from bats to buildings to beaches – and we want to share them with everyone too. But how do we care for our special places, while helping everyone to enjoy them and their fascinating stories? It’s no small task. In fact, it’s a big team effort and it’s why our Collections Assistant are so important.

Hours: You’ll be working 13.5 hours a week, across three days and every other weekend. The typical work day will be 8.30am-1pm.

Week 1: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday

Week 2: Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday

Salary: £22,698 FTE

Contract: Fixed until 31 January 2026

Interviews will be held at Quarry Bank on Thursday 6th June.

Quarry Bank is a rare surviving example of an early rural cotton mill, built at the start of the Industrial Revolution in 1784 and grew to become one of the largest cotton manufacturing businesses in the country. The story of Quarry Bank is that of an entire industrial community - of the mill owners, mill workers and of the revolution that shaped their lives.

This role sits within the Collections and House team which prides itself on being very passionate about Quarry Bank’s collections, stories and buildings. Reporting to the Collections and House Manager, and with daily supervision from the Collections and House Officer, you’ll work alongside four part-time Collections Assistants.

You will deliver great standards of presentation, conservation cleaning and collections care in Quarry Bank House, the Apprentice House, Worker’s Cottage and the Mill, and you will also help us deliver our plans to improve the documentation, care of and access to our nationally significant archive and collection in storage.

Click here for more information about this location

As a Collections Assistant, you’ll be working with a great housekeeping team in an incredible place, helping with the day-to-day cleaning and care of the collections. No detail will go unnoticed, and you’ll keep a keen eye on everything from the environmental conditions in a room, to signs of wear and tear. You’ll keep accurate records too.

In this visitor facing role, we’d love you to talk to visitors about the work you’re doing, and the collections we have. You'll also be part of the wider team of employees and volunteers, helping to cover where necessary.

Please also read the full role profile, attached to this advert.

We'd love to hear from you if you have;

• A team player, but can also work on your own initiative
• Well organised and adaptable?  
• Customer focused with a positive attitude?  
• Willing to learn new skills?  
• Good manual dexterity and hand-to-eye skills and ability to work from ladders and tower scaffold 

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

•Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary

•Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)

•Tax-free childcare scheme

•Rental deposit loan scheme

•Season ticket loan

•EV car lease scheme 

•Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts

•Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.

•Flexible working whenever possible

•Employee assistance programme

•Free parking at most Trust places

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.