Title: Middleham Castle Manager
Location: Middleham Castle, Middleham, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 4QG
Salary: £27,424 p.a. pro rata / 36hrs per week April - October, 0hrs November - March
Job type: Permanent
Ref: 16302
Would you like to work for the charity that cares for hundreds of historic sites in every corner of England? We are looking for a motivated manager to join our team at Middleham Castle. This is a full-time role between April and the end of October, working an average of 36 hours per week with a few occasional hours required between November and the end of March. No history background? No problem. What is important to us is a passion for people and excellent customer service. We are looking for a manager who enjoys working alongside their team and understands what it takes to deliver an engaging visitor experience to a diverse audience.
Heritage lives in places and people, memories and stories, artefacts and traditions. It can connect us all to the past, and to each other. It can make us happier, strengthen every community, and help shape society for the better. Everybody should be able to enjoy the benefits it brings.
That's why, as a charity, we care for over a million objects and hundreds of historic sites in every part of England, from international icons to local treasures. And it's why we open them up, share their stories and find new ways for everybody to enjoy, learn, play and create.
As Middleham Castle Manager, you will know what makes a great visitor experience and will be able to inspire your team to deliver through leading by example and coaching. You'll optimise every opportunity to generate income, achieving all site performance targets. You will also ensure the site and facilities are clean and presentable.
You will have experience of providing excellent customer service within a leisure and tourism environment, strong staff supervisory skills, as well as being able to work independently. You will be able to demonstrate exceptional organisational skills and be a confident communicator, having strong interpersonal skills with both visitors and colleagues. This is a “hands-on” role, and a lot of your time will be focused on visitors. You'll also be involved in engaging the local community with what's happening on site, as well as ensuring that the site itself and its assets are safe and secure.
Through the winter, you will provide contractor access, possibly weekend and Twixtmas cover at other sites within the Mount Grace Cluster; there may be a need to assist at events at other EH sites as well.
From March – October, your working pattern will be a variable 5 day week, working an average of 36 hours per week in the main season. From November – February, this will adjust to approximately 4 hours per month. You will be required to work weekends and Bank Holidays.
Due to the nature of this role, you may need to undergo a basic DBS check, and the employment offer will be contingent on this.
Benefits include:
• Comprehensive training
• The opportunity to progress your career within the heritage sector in retail, food and beverage or general management
• Apprenticeship opportunities
• Opportunities to go to some of our great live music and history events
• Free access to all English Heritage sites for you, and up to six friends and family members
• 25% discount in our shops and cafes
• Enhanced maternity/paternity/shared parental leave
• 25 days' holiday plus Bank Holidays pro rata, rising to 28 days after 3 years
• Options to buy additional leave
• Matched pension contributions up to 10%
To find out more about us and what we do, please register via one of the links (which can be found via the apply button) to join us at one of our webinars.
You can also find out more about us on our website and meet some of our people and hear about why they enjoy working with us.
Everybody's welcome at English Heritage
Forget the stereotypes. It takes thousands of people from every background to care for England's heritage and open it up for everybody to enjoy. We're looking for every type of person with every kind of skill and experience, and we're committed to making sure that English Heritage is an equitable, diverse and inclusive place to work. You can connect with others through our EDI networks as a member or ally. These include Ethnic Diversity, Faith & Belief, Social Equity, LGBTQ+, Neurodivergence, Age, Disability and Gender Health and Wellbeing.
We take wellbeing seriously. We are committed to ensuring everyone feels safe at work and can carry out their role. To support this, we have a network of Mental Health First aiders, regular information and awareness events, unlimited access to an Employee Assistance Programme and work with our people to implement reasonable adjustments.
If you would like to talk to us e.g. about workplace adjustments or working patterns, please contact David Hannah, Mount Grace Priory Cluster Manager. Contact details are available via the apply button. No agencies please.
Our interview and offer process will take place in person at Mount Grace Priory (DL6 3JG) on 18th February 2026.
