We are seeking Visitor Experience Assistants to join our Visitor Experience team to support our Summer programme. This is a dynamic, front-facing role which involves being the first point of contact for visitors to Somerset House, providing a warm, friendly and inclusive welcome, giving general information and assisting with ticketing issues or other queries. The ideal candidate will have a commitment and passion for ensuring exceptional visitor experience to a diverse audience. With keen attention to detail, you’ll welcome the last visitor of the day with as much kindness and support as you did the first.
Contract Type: 08.07.26 - 06.09.26. Fixed Term Casual Worker, with the possibility of being extended indefinitely based on performance.
Working hours: Hours of work are variable to support the operational delivery of our Somerset House programme. Shifts will be rostered between the hours of 7:30-23:30.
Interviews will be held on 1 July - you must be available for this day.
Successful applicants must also attend compulsory training sessions on:
- 08.07.26 - 14:00-18:00
- 14.07.26 - 14:00-18:00
Welcome and knowledge
- Be the first point of contact for all visitors at Somerset House; providing a warm and friendly welcome, giving directional information and assisting with any queries or ticketing issues.
- Selling tickets via our ticketing system (Tessitura), checking tickets on entry, managing guestlists and allocating wristbands/accreditation.
- Proactively seek out opportunities to talk to and engage with visitors, sharing your own sense of enthusiasm, passion, and fun for the events programmed with our visitors. Communicate with audiences with patience and generosity.
- Sharing your knowledge about other events, activities or exhibitions taking place at Somerset House and its history. Use these opportunities to upsell or provide personalised suggestions for how best the visitor might enjoy their visit.
- Problem solving both visitor and site issues that may hinder or damage a visitor’s experience, striving to resolve these issues quickly before they escalate using a range of communication styles to suit our different visitors.
- Sharing knowledge with colleagues and teaching and supporting new members of the team on procedures, expectations, and best practice.
- Assisting visitors with access needs by supporting them with guidance around the venue/site and by having a good knowledge of our access programme and offer.
- Be confident and calm managing busy cloakrooms for events.
- Any other duties consistent with the role, as requested by the Visitor Experience Management team.
Safety and Security
- Work in conjunction with the Security Team to ensure the safety of all our visitors, including helping to maintain clear exit routes.
- Maintain an up to date and good knowledge of Somerset House’s fire, safety and evacuation procedures, facilitating evacuations in the event of an emergency.
- Give clear and confident direction to visitors in the event of an emergency.
- Assist security with the efficient management of confiscated items.
- Anticipate and resolve any safety issues before they arise or quickly escalate to the Visitor Experience management team.
- Be present and alert during events to ensure the health and safety and comfort of visitors, reporting problems to the Visitor Experience management team immediately.
- Be vigilant around site, identifying potential safety and security issues and alerting the Visitor Experience management team as soon as possible.
- Be aware of visitor flow and comfortable operating queue management systems. Have a confident and calm approach to addressing queues and crowds as needed.
Presentation and Teamwork
- Ensure your areas of work are well maintained and well presented.
- Adhere to personal presentation guidelines as set out by the Visitor Experience management team.
- Actively participate in regular training and development.
- Respectfully and informatively communicate with colleagues. Share and receive constructive feedback with an open approach to change.
- Contribute to a culture of ongoing, continuous improvement.
We are looking for someone who:
- Worked in a busy customer-facing role, with excellent customer service skills.
- Teamwork experience, having worked as part of a large team.
- Good communication skills which are utilised proactively to benefit the visitor experience.
- A commitment and passion for ensuring outstanding visitor experience to a diverse audience.
- Enthusiasm for Somerset House and our cultural programme.
- Proficiency in relevant technology – iPads, Scanners etc.
- A flexible approach to work and hours including events, weekends and bank holidays.
Mental Health & Wellbeing
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Access to our external Employee Assistance Programme (CiC) for free 24/7 confidential advice and support, including up to 6 free counselling sessions per year where needed.
Pension
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5% employer pension contributions *as long as criteria is met.
Somerset House hosts the UK’s largest and most exciting creative community right in the heart of London, and are always looking for new talent to join our team. We welcome 3 million annual visitors to share our unique combination of cultural events, the creative industries and history. This mix informs and powers our programme and organisational culture, making us a singular, compelling and inclusive place to visit and work.
Somerset House is actively anti-racist and you can read about our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging here. We are working hard to ensure our people, our onsite community and our sector reflect, represent and include all of society.
Our Commitment to Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging:
Somerset House is open to all, and we value everyone's unique skills. Somerset House Trust is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to championing equality, diversity, and inclusion in our workplace. We are committed to equal opportunity and encourage applications from all qualified individuals. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.
Where candidates are equally qualified, we will seek to prioritise diversity to help us increase representation across the creative economy and the Trust.
We anonymise all job applications to help avoid
discrimination
in the initial screening stage of our recruitment process. This reinforces our commitment to focusing on the skills and qualifications of all applications from the start.
We're committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process. Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help you perform at your best. We're open to adjusting our process to accommodate your needs please email
[email protected].
The Trust reserves the right to close a job before its application deadline.
Please only apply if you have the right to work in the UK; the Trust cannot currently offer sponsorships.
And finally.... the use of AI in your application
In your application, we want to hear from you in your own voice about your skills, experience, and how you align with the job expectations and desire to work at Somerset House Trust. All applications are reviewed by members of our team.
While we recognise that AI tools can be helpful for tasks such as research, structuring, or formatting, applications that rely heavily on AI‑generated content can sometimes lack the depth, authenticity, and the individuality we are looking for, and may not be progressed. We therefore encourage you to use any tools thoughtfully and to ensure your application clearly reflects your personal experience, perspective, and voice.
