Organisation: Durham County Council
Job Category: Arts / Tourism / Culture
Location: Durham Town Hall
Salary: Grade 6 £28,142 – £31,022 pro rata to hours worked
Salary Band: £20001 to £30000
Contract Type: Temporary
Working Pattern: Part time
Date Posted: 08-05-2026
Closing Date: 21-05-2026 11:59
Reference: 296030
About the job
Durham Town Hall has stood at the centre of civic life for nearly 700 years. Today, it remains a living, breathing link to the city’s past — home to the Mayor of Durham, the Mayoral Bodyguard (est. 1602), the City Freemen and Trade Guilds (since 1356), and thousands of visitors who walk through its doors each year.
We’re looking for an energetic, people-focused Duty Manager to help us deliver exceptional experiences in this extraordinary Grade II listed building.
WHAT IS INVOLVED?
We’re looking for a confident, people-focused Duty Manager to lead our front-of-house team and ensure every visit and event runs smoothly.
You’ll motivate staff, manage daily operations, handle sales and cash, support visitors, deliver short public tours, build rotas, promote donations, facilitate events, and gather essential audience data.
You’ll be part of a small, passionate team helping visitors explore our heritage offer — from audio guides and displays to stories of the Mayor, Freemen and Guilds — while supporting events ranging from intimate meetings to 200-guest celebrations in the Great Hall.
If you’re organised, engaging and excited by heritage and hospitality, this role puts you at the centre of one of Durham’s most historic spaces.
As the face of our visitor and events operation, you will:
- Lead and motivate the team to deliver warm, memorable and seamless experiences
- Oversee daily operations including sales, cash handling and visitor flow
- Provide guidance and support to guests exploring the building and its services
- Deliver short public tours that bring Durham’s civic history to life
- Create and manage staff rotas to ensure smooth coverage across all activities
- Promote donations and support our charitable aims
- Facilitate events ranging from intimate meetings to 200-guest gatherings in the Great Hall
- Collect essential audience data to help shape our future offer
This is a hands-on, people-centred role where no two days look the same. Temporary until March 2027.
If you would like an informal discussion about this role please contact Operations Manager Rob King at robert.king@durham.gov.uk
WHAT WILL I NEED?
The role requires a NVQ Level 3 qualification or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline. You should also have knowledge of Health and Safety issues, awareness of security and evacuation procedures, and a first aid at work qualification (or willingness to work towards it).
Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria.
INTERVIEWS
It is anticipated that interviews will be held week commencing 1st June 2026.
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.
OUR OFFER TO YOU
We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website.
Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.
HOW TO APPLY
Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted.
Please visit our website to understand our position on using AI to support your application and for guidance on completing your application.
If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email RecruitmentREG@durham.gov.uk
All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.
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www.northeastjobs.org.uk/job/_/296030