Website Manchester City Council
At Manchester City Council, we’re proud to do local government differently: as you’d expect from a city with our international reputation for diversity, creativity, culture and passion. A career with us means you can be yourself and thrive.
About The Role
Working Hours: 35 Hours Per Week (7 Day Week ROTA)
Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Additional Payments: 10% Flexibility Payment
Closing Date: 01 October 2025
Closing time: 11.59pm
Interview Method: Face to Face
This role is subject to –
2 References – where possible we require 3 years’ history.
Manchester Art Gallery is the original useful museum, at the centre of city life for nearly 200 years, created as the Royal Manchester Institution for the Promotion of Literature, Science and the Arts and has been proudly part of Manchester City Council since 1882.
The gallery’s collection – which belongs to the people of Manchester – spans six centuries of art, craft and design, and fashion and dress, with a particularly rich collection of 19th-century art, including a large number of Pre-Raphaelite paintings. The gallery is free and open to all people as a place of civic thinking and public imagination, it promotes art as a means to achieve social change.
Manchester Art Gallery sits within the Libraries, Galleries and Culture Service as part of the Neighbourhoods Directorate of Manchester City Council (MCC). It has two public venues – Manchester Art Gallery and Platt Hall (undergoing redevelopment – www.platthall.org) and Queens Park Conservation Studios in Harpurhey that serves as the ‘engine-room’ of the gallery, providing essential collection housing and conservation studios
The Building Services Managers operate across the gallery estate, under the guidance of Operations Manager to provide effective operation of the gallery buildings for the benefit of staff, visitors, and building users, and to safeguard the gallery’s collection.
The role holder will have accountability for the organisation and performance management of facilities management activities which may include the management of staff, finances or physical resources. You will be responsible for the management of regular rota-ed building, gallery and collection checks, ensuring any potential threats are identified and reported. This includes checking for hazards, risks to people or collections, and carrying out routine safety checks.
You will be a key-holder for all gallery sites, opening and closing the buildings, ensuring that all staff follow operational policies and procedures, acting as fire marshal and providing primary first-aid support.
In addition, you will:
Manage the tidiness/presentation of the building, in line with good housekeeping and full compliance with fire, security and H&S safety requirements.
Manage contractors on site, ensuring appropriate levels of safety and security are maintained, especially outside normal working hours.
Provide essential operational management for the gallery’s out of hours events business
Provide first point of contact for call-out for all gallery buildings on a rolling rota with other members of the Operations Team.
About the Candidate
- We’re looking for a dynamic, responsible, and reliable person who is passionate about working in a museum or gallery as part of a close-working team.
- You should have 2 years’ line management experience, ideally in a cultural or heritage environment.
- You should have a positive can-do attitude with an ability to react effectively to often unforeseen changing circumstances.
- You should be an excellent communicator with an attention to detail who can pass on information clearly and accurately, listen to the views of others, and deal calmly with challenging situations.
- You should have an up-to date good working knowledge of health and safety legislation and procedures and fire safety, and practice continuous professional development in this area. ideally holding I.O.S.H. or equivalent or willing to work towards, within 6 months of appointment.
- Have First Aid at Work certificate or willing to undertake qualification.
- Understanding of the operation and maintenance of history buildings and/or museums.
When applying for the role please ensure you outline how you meet Key Behaviours, Skills and Technical Requirements outlined in the Role Profile
For an informal discussion, please contact the hiring manager, Rebecca Martin at Rebecca.martin@manchester.gov.uk to arrange a convenient time to discuss the role.
About Us
We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities.
Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.
Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city – a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:
- We take time to listen and understand
- We work together and trust each other
- We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
- We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
- We’re proud and passionate about Manchester
Benefits we offer
- Generous holiday allowance – Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
- A buzzing pension – You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
- Enhanced parental and carers leave – Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events.
- Brilliant perks – Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
- Learn and grow – We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
- A Good Employment Charter member – We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
- Up to 3 days volunteering leave – Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.
Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council
At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.
Support During the Process
- Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
- Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the “Accessibility tools” button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.
Guaranteed Assessment Scheme
We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the recruiting panels minimum shortlisting requirements for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:
- Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
- Current or former care leavers
- Have a disability or long-term condition
- If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme or any MCC positive action programme
If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the Supporting Statement section of your application.
When You Join Us
We’re a Disability Confident Employer, offering:
- A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
- Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
- A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.
For more information about the role or any adjustments, email jobs@manchester.gov.uk.
What we will need from you if you’re successful
In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.
Pre-Employment Checks
If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre-employment checks required will depend on the role you’ve applied for. As a guide, these checks may include:
- Proof of Right to Work: You’ll need to provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the UK. Please note, visa sponsorship is not guaranteed for this role.
- References: We’ll require references from your current and previous employer(s).
- Proof of Qualifications: Evidence of qualifications relevant to the role will be required.
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check: A criminal record check may be necessary, depending on the role.
- Proof of Manchester Residency: For some roles, you may need to demonstrate that you reside within the boundaries of Manchester City Council.
- Police Vetting: Some roles may require police vetting to ensure suitability for accessing sensitive law enforcement systems or information.
- Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) Clearance: BPSS clearance is primarily used for roles that involve access to government data, systems, or assets. It ensures that individuals meet basic security requirements and can be trusted with sensitive information
- Driving Licence: If the role requires driving, we’ll need evidence of your valid driving licence.
These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve.
Other relevant information
We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.
To apply for this job please visit jobs.manchester.gov.uk.
