Opportunity ID
700
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Location
Churchill War Rooms
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Career Level
B
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Salary
£29,860 per annum
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Hours
37.5
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Department
Retail, Admissions, Publishing & Brand Licensing
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Position type
Permanent
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Job Summary
What It's Like to Work Here
At Imperial War Museums, every visitor experience helps people connect with the stories of conflict and their impact on people's lives. As part of our Retail & Admissions team at Churchill War Rooms, you'll play a key role in creating welcoming, engaging and memorable experiences for visitors while supporting the museum's commercial success. You'll join a collaborative and customer-focused team where leadership, exceptional service and professional development are valued, helping generate the income that supports IWM's mission and future sustainability.
Why This Role Matters
Retail & Admissions Supervisors play a key leadership role in delivering an outstanding visitor experience across admissions and retail operations at Imperial War Museum sites. They lead front-line teams in providing excellent customer service, driving commercial performance and maintaining high operational standards.
The role is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of admissions and retail activities, supporting colleagues to achieve performance targets and ensuring services are delivered efficiently and accurately. By combining strong leadership, commercial awareness and operational excellence, the role helps maximise income generation and supports the sustainability of IWM's work.
Working closely with the Retail & Admissions Management Team and colleagues across the museum, the role supports staff development, operational delivery and compliance with policies and procedures. Retail & Admissions Supervisors provide day-to-day leadership, helping to create a safe, welcoming and efficient environment for visitors and colleagues alike.
What You'll Be Doing
Lead, motivate and support front-line Retail & Admissions colleagues to deliver exceptional customer service and achieve performance targets.
Oversee the smooth day-to-day operation of admissions and retail activities, ensuring visitors receive a welcoming and professional experience.
Promote tickets, memberships, guidebooks, donations and retail products, helping maximise income generation across the museum.
Handle visitor enquiries, feedback and complaints professionally, resolving issues and processing refunds where appropriate.
Maintain high standards of presentation, merchandising, stock control and operational accuracy across all Retail & Admissions spaces.
Support cash handling, stock management, EPOS processes and compliance with financial procedures and audit requirements.
Assist with rota planning, performance monitoring, training and ongoing development of colleagues.
Act as duty manager for Retail & Admissions when required, maintaining safe, efficient and compliant operations.
What We're Looking For
We'd love to hear from you if you have:
Excellent communication skills and the ability to adapt your approach to a wide range of visitors and colleagues.
A strong customer focus and a commitment to delivering outstanding visitor experiences.
Experience confidently promoting products, services or experiences and contributing to sales targets.
Leadership potential with the confidence to positively guide and support others.
A proactive, adaptable approach and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, particularly when following procedures and maintaining accurate records.
The ability to work collaboratively as part of a wider team and contribute positively to team performance.
A willingness to learn, develop new skills and continuously improve performance.
Desirable experience includes retail, admissions, hospitality, customer service or visitor attraction environments, along with experience supervising teams, handling cash and using EPOS systems.
How You'll Work
You'll work closely with colleagues across Retail & Admissions and wider museum teams to deliver a seamless visitor experience. This is a hands-on, customer-facing role based on site at Churchill War Rooms, where collaboration, leadership and operational excellence are essential. You'll receive support and development opportunities to build your leadership skills, commercial awareness and operational knowledge while contributing to a high-performing team.
What Success Looks Like (First 6-12 Months)
Build strong and productive working relationships with colleagues across the museum.
Demonstrate confidence leading day-to-day admissions and retail operations.
Consistently deliver high standards of visitor service and operational accuracy.
Support the achievement of key sales and performance targets across admissions, retail and membership activity.
Provide effective coaching, feedback and support that helps colleagues develop and perform at their best.
Act confidently as a role model for IWM's values, behaviours and customer service standards.
Additional Information
This is a full-time, site-based role at Churchill War Rooms.
The role operates on a flexible rota and includes regular weekend and bank holiday working, with some early morning and evening shifts as required.
Occasional travel to other London IWM sites may be required to provide operational support and cover.
For a full list of duties and the person specification (which your application will be marked against), please view the Job Description.
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Application closing date
August 23rd 2026, 11:55 PM
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Interview Details
Interviews for this post are planned for the week commencing Monday 24th August 2026.
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Benefits
The benefits listed below are discretionary and IWM reserves the right, with due notice, to vary or withdraw them at any time. All such benefits apply during the course of your employment only.
Annual Leave: You'll have 25 days of annual leave, with public holidays on top. After 3 years, this increases to 27 days and after 5 years, you’ll get 30 days
Company Group Pension Plan: Our commitment to your financial well-being includes competitive employer contributions to your pension starting at 7% to a maximum of 12%.
Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Benefits: Celebrate life’s milestones with confidence, knowing that our policies support growing families.
IWM4me: Tailor your benefits to your unique needs through IWM4me. Access health, protection, and lifestyle benefits at corporate rates, ensuring your holistic well-being.
Free Sanitary Products: We prioritise your comfort by providing free sanitary products across all our sites.
Retail Discounts: 25% off IWM Cafes, 20% discount in on-site shops, Benefits hub offering retail discounts to several high street shops (via our EAP provider) and MyActive discounts for health and wellbeing based retail discounts (via IWM4me)
Free Entry to IWM Air Shows: Witness the thrill of vintage aircraft at our air shows.
Free Entry to Partner Museums & Galleries: Immerse yourself in art, history, and culture through our reciprocal arrangements with other institutions.
In-House Training Programmes: Fuel your intellectual curiosity and professional growth through our comprehensive training initiatives.
Season Ticket Loan Scheme: Simplify your daily commute with our interest-free loan program.
Cycle 2 Work & Cycle Hire: Promote well-being and environmental consciousness by cycling to work.
Eye Tests: Money back up to £80 for an eye test and a new pair of glasses.
Employee Assistance Programme: Access confidential support for personal or work-related challenges.
Benenden Healthcare & Dental Insurance: Prioritise your health with access to quality healthcare services (subject to terms and conditions).
Civil Service Sports Club Membership: Opportunity to join and enjoy additional discounts and perks as part of a vibrant community.
Staff Events and Networks: Join fellow colleagues in social gatherings and events, fostering camaraderie and shared experiences.
…and more!
Ready to embark on this exciting journey with us? Apply now and become part of IWM!
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Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. This role is subject to:
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A basic check, which shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions.
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Equal Opportunities and Flexible Working
IWM is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunities.
We miss out when people feel IWM isn't for them, and are committed to removing and reducing barriers to make IWM open to everyone.
Our Access and Inclusion strategy has been developed to promote openness, equal opportunities to access, inclusivity and encourage diversity in everything that we do, from employment practices, the services we provide to our visitors to the facilities we make available to public.
At IWM we seek to address the need for greater diversity within our workforce as well as the wider museum and heritage sector. In all our practices we embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity and we welcome applications from suitable candidates of all backgrounds.
We value and respect difference and are committed to building an inclusive culture by creating an environment where you can balance a successful career with your commitments and interests outside of work. We believe that you will do your best at work if you have a work / life balance. Some roles lend themselves to flexible options more than others, so if this is important to you please raise this with your recruitment contact, as we are open to discussing agile working opportunities during the hiring process.
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