Conference & Heritage Business Facilitator | Conservation & Collections | Preston

Salary £29,071 - £33,119 Per Annum | Full time, 37 hours per week | Permanent | Conservation & Collections | Preston

Please note that sponsorship is not available for this role

Lead, coordinate and inspire within a unique heritage environment at the heart of Lancashire.

About the Role:

Are you an organised and proactive individual who enjoys bringing people together, delivering excellent customer service, and helping heritage services thrive? We're looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Conference and Operations Officer to join our friendly Conservation & Collections Team at Museum Headquarters in Preston.

This is a varied and rewarding role at the heart of Lancashire's museum service, where you'll play a key part in supporting conference and venue activities, income generation projects, front-of-house operations, and the smooth running of our specialist facilities. You'll work alongside passionate colleagues who are dedicated to preserving and promoting Lancashire's rich heritage while ensuring our services continue to grow and develop.

As Conference and Operations Officer, you will lead the delivery of our conference and venue offer across the Lancashire Conservation Studios and Museum Headquarters buildings, helping to create positive experiences for visitors, clients and partners. You'll also contribute to a range of business development activities, supporting income generation opportunities, external projects and grant-funded initiatives.

The role combines operational management with people leadership. You'll oversee building and site-related matters, coordinate workflows across specialist teams, support day-to-day administration and front-of-house functions, and provide leadership and motivation to a team of staff.
Key responsibilities include:
- Developing and delivering the conference and venue operation across the Lancashire Conservation Studios and Museum Headquarters.
- Supporting income-generating activities and business development opportunities within the Conservation & Collections Team.
- Overseeing building and site management, including responsibility for Premise Management (PAMS) across Museum Headquarters and the accredited Lancashire Conservation Studios site.
- Ensuring the smooth and professional delivery of front-of-house services and operational administration.
- Supporting the development and administration of external business projects, including income generation initiatives and grant applications.
- Coordinating specialist staff and site team workflows through work request systems and operational planning.
- Providing effective leadership, support and motivation to a team of staff.
- Assisting in the care, development and promotion of Lancashire's museum collections, ensuring activities are delivered in line with approved plans, policies and procedures.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys a diverse workload, building relationships with stakeholders, improving services, and contributing to the long-term success of Lancashire's heritage and cultural services.

This is a permanent, full-time position working 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday, based at Museum Headquarters in Preston.

Job Description & Person Specification

Why Join Us?

You'll be joining a welcoming and supportive team where your contribution will make a real difference. In return, you'll have the opportunity to work in a unique heritage environment, develop your skills across a range of operational and business functions, and help ensure our collections, facilities and services continue to be enjoyed by communities and visitors across Lancashire.

How to apply:

Please attach a supporting statement of no more than 3 A4 sides in 12pt font . Applications must be submitted online via the Lancashire County Council website. If you have any queries not stated on the advert, please contact [email protected] .

Before submitting your application, please make sure you have given good examples of how you meet the criteria detailed on the job description and person specification (see attached at the bottom of the advert).

Why Join Us?

At Lancashire County Council, you’ll have the opportunity to shape a career path that suits you, with access to personal and professional qualifications, coaching, and mentoring. This is the place to build the career you’ve always wanted.

In return for your passion and expertise, we offer a generous benefits package, including:

- A competitive salary and access to the Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions.
- 26 days of annual leave (rising with length of service), plus 8 bank holidays and 2 additional statutory days. You’ll also have the option to purchase additional leave each year.
- Access to our staff discount scheme in partnership with Vivup, offering savings with a wide range of UK retailers—from weekly groceries to white goods and vehicles.

Further information:

The post you are applying for is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). If successful you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a 'disclosure'. Further information can be found on the 'Our Recruitment Process' tab.

Local Government Reorganisation

The Government has confirmed that local government across Lancashire will be reorganised, with the current 15 councils being replaced by four new unitary councils covering North, South, East and West Lancashire from April 2028.

If you are successful in your application, you will initially join Lancashire County Council. However, as part of the planned transition, your employment will transfer to one of the new unitary councils from April 2028, subject to the implementation of the reorganisation and relevant employment legislation.

Throughout this period, our focus remains on delivering excellent services to our communities. By joining us now, you'll play an important role in shaping the future of local government and helping to build a strong new organisation that will serve residents for years to come.

We reserve the right to close a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.