About the role:
The British Museum is the UK’s leading visitor attraction and welcomes over five million visitors a year. The Visitor and Security Services Department (VSS) are looking to recruit Security Officers to work across the Museum Estate. The primary purpose of the role is to provide security for the Museum, staff, visitors and one of the most important collections in the world. To this end, we are looking for people who can deliver security awareness and customer service to a high standard.
Key areas of responsibility:
You will be joining a Security Team whose primary focus is to provide a safe and secure environment for our visitors, staff, and our world-famous collection. You will be the first person that visitors and staff often meet on their arrival, and the last person they see when departing the Museum. First impressions count. Therefore, the right candidate must have a high standard of dress, motivation to work as an individual or within a team sometimes in challenging circumstances, maintaining a high standard of security awareness with good customer care, provide support for our other visitor frontline teams while treating everyone you meet with dignity and respect.
What might a normal day look like?
No one day is ever the same, so your flexibility and teamwork is essential to ensuring a safe and secure environment for visitors, staff, and collection. You can expect to find yourself:
• Welcoming visitors on arrival.
• Conducting security bag and vehicle searches.
• Controlling all pedestrian and vehicle access to the Museum.
• Providing a high visibility presence by regular patrolling of public spaces.
• Responding to alarms, escalated security incidents and suspicious behaviour.
• Collaborating with Metropolitan Police and Emergency Services when required.
• Providing security services for evening functions and events
About you:
A valid SIA Door Supervisor licence is desirable but not essential, as training and support with licensing will be provided to the right candidate who can demonstrate the following skills and experiences:
• Experience and Knowledge of working in an operational security role.
• Excellent customer service skills
• Good written and verbal communication skills to understand visitor needs and respond appropriately.
• High level of awareness and responsiveness security situations
• Ability to effectively respond to emergency situations and undertake rapid response activities.
• Able to take responsibility for tasks, only escalating these where required.
• Ability to work cooperatively as a team and follow instructions and processes in routine and emergency situations.
*We will help you settle into the team and develop your skills through a detailed induction training programme as well as further training opportunities.
Application Guidance:
Please use your supporting statement to answer the questions below:
1. Are you available to start on the week commencing 28 September 2025? (Y/N)
2. Please supply your 16-digit SIA Door Supervisor license number (Your license number will be checked against the license register)
3. Do you have a three-year checkable work record with gaps of no more than six months. (Y/N)
4. Why do you want to be a Security Officer at The British Museum (No more than fifty words)
5. What experience do you have working as a Security Officer in National Museums/ Visitor Attractions. (No more than one hundred words).
6. Give an example of how you worked in a team when responding to a security incident. (No more than two hundred words).
7. Give an example of how you have delivered customer service to a high standard. (No more than two hundred words)
About the British Museum:
Founded in 1753, the British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history and culture. The Museum is a leading visitor attraction, and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies and more.
You can view a selection of our impressive collection of prints and drawings in our virtual gallery.
The Museum offers a competitive benefits package including:
• Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service) plus 2.5 privilege days and plus bank holidays.
• Membership of the civil service defined benefit pension scheme (find out here what benefits a civil service pension provides).
• Free entry to a wide range of museums and exhibitions
• Participation in private and public Museum activities, including talks by leading curators from around the world and behind-the-scenes opportunities to learn how museums care for and manage their extraordinary collections.
• Interest-free travel, bicycle, and rental deposit loans
• Professional and personal development opportunities
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts on food and gift shop purchases
Additional details:
For more information about this role, please see the job description.
Applicants will be expected to attend an ASSESSMENT DAY before job offers are made. These will take place between 11-15 August 2025.
Please only apply if you will be available on these dates. The Assessment and interview day will consist of a:
• Job and security screening briefing
• Timed - multiple-choice security knowledge assessment.
• Incident Report writing exercise.
• Short competency-based interview for candidates successful at assessment.
It is anticipated that the start date for this role will be the week commencing 28 September 2025.
If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to bmrecruit@britishmuseum.org.
National Museum Directors' Council, Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG.
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