Organisation: Durham County Council
Job Category: Arts / Tourism / Culture
Location: Bishop Auckland Town Hall
Salary: Grade 6 £28,142 – £31,022 Pay award pending
Salary Band: £20001 to £30000
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full time
Date Posted: 11-06-2026
Closing Date: 28-06-2026 11:59
Reference: 297905
About the job
Bishop Auckland Town Hall is an historic venue in the heart of the town, and comprises a busy theatre, cinema, library, café and rooms for hire, and acts as a community space for local residents and stakeholders.
We’re looking for a people-focused Duty Manager with an energetic approach 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 and compliance, handle sales and cash, support visitors, build rotas, facilitate events, and gather essential audience data.
You’ll be part of a small, passionate team helping visitors explore our cultural offer.
If you’re organised, engaging and excited by culture and hospitality, this role puts you at the centre of one of County Durham’s most historic spaces.
As the face of our visitor and events operation, you will:
- Lead and motivate the team to deliver diverse, 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
- Create and manage staff rotas to ensure smooth coverage across all activities
- Facilitate events ranging from intimate meetings to 150-guest weddings and functions.
- 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.
We encourage you to contact Mark Saint via email at Mark.Saint@durham.gov.uk to arrange an informal discussion about the role.
WHAT WILL I NEED?
You should have a NVQ Level 3 or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline and a First Aid qualification.
Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria.
INTERVIEWS
Interviews will be held on 7th July 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.
CONNECT WITH US
Follow us on Instagram
Like us on Facebook
Visit our website
APPLY :
www.northeastjobs.org.uk/job/_/297905