Operations Manager

Location: Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3AZ

About the role

Are you the History of Science Museum’s new Operations Manager? Based in the world’s oldest surviving purpose-built museum building, this role puts you at the heart of our Museum. 

You will directly manage the Museum’s Gallery Team, consisting of Supervisors and Gallery Team members. You will help to ensure that visitors have an outstanding experience and support the operational elements of our events, schools, and commercial programmes. You will also provide a first response to general phone and email enquiries, and manage back-of-house operations. The role requires the individual to be focused on delivering against key project objectives, whilst being able to enhance guest experience and drive commercial income. 

We will support and train you to ensure that you develop to work with confidence and authority across Front of House and Events, Commercial, Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Security, Finance, Facilities and Infrastructure. 

Because the History of Science Museum is a bijou institution, there are frequent opportunities to collaborate across departments — including Collections, Public Engagement and Research — making this a fantastic role for anyone keen to gain broad, hands-on museum experience.

This is a full-time, permanent position, working 36.5 hours per week. 

You will be on site Mondays to Fridays from 8.30am. There will be occasions when you will be required to work outside of normal office hours to support the Museum’s operations and commercial activities. This will be on an ad-hoc basis, and may include weekends, evenings and Bank Holidays.

This role includes a moderate amount of activity, including lifting and moving items. Please be aware that there is no lift on-site.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake a satisfactory Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) due to cash handling and working within a secure area of the Museum.

About You

You will have demonstrable experience working as a manager or supervisor in a busy visitor attraction, heritage site, or retail/hospitality/customer-facing environment.

You will have proven experience and a passion for delivering personal targets and supporting a small team in achieving theirs.

Ability to stay calm under pressure, using sound judgement to make decisions in demanding situations is also essential.

How to apply

You will be required to upload your CV and the attached supporting evidence form as part of your online application. The supporting evidence form lists each of the essential and desirable selection criteria, as listed in the job description – please explain how you meet each one. CVs alone will not be considered.

We aim to provide a supportive working environment and are happy to discuss training and professional development opportunities. The Chair of this recruitment panel will be Cai Marshall, Head of Operations, who can be contacted with enquiries relating to the role (cai.marshall@hsm.ox.ac.uk). General queries about the recruitment and application process should be directed to the Recruitment team within our Human Resources department (recruitment@glam.ox.ac.uk).

Only applications received online by 12.00 midday (BST) on Monday 30 June 2025 can be considered. Interviews are expected to take place on Tuesday 8 July 2025.

Please do let us know if you require any more information. Many thanks for your assistance in advance.

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