Heritage is for everybody, and we are here for heritage.
Heritage lives in places and people, memories and stories, artefacts and traditions. It can connect us all to the past, and to each other. It can make us happier, strengthen every community, and help shape society for the better. Everybody should be able to enjoy the benefits it brings.
That's why, as a charity, we care for over a million objects and hundreds of historic sites in every part of England, from international icons to local treasures. And it's why we open them up, share their stories and find new ways for everybody to enjoy, learn, play and create.
We are looking for an Assistant Housekeeper to join our team at Lindisfarne Priory. The role is part time and permanent. You'll be on a 5 hour a week contract, working to support the housekeeper on change over days, which are typically Mondays and Fridays.
Working as part of the Holiday Cottage housekeeping team you will be responsible for the cleaning and presentation of the accommodation to a 5 Star standard. Situated in an unrivalled position on Holy Island, Coastguard's Cottage is a three -bedroom holiday. Formally providing residential and office accommodation to the Island's Coastguards the cottage came into the care of English Heritage who used the building for staff accommodation for several years. In 2017 the property was converted to provide accessible friendly holiday accommodation allow guests to enjoy the history of the island with its array of fauna and flora.
The Benefits
- £12.39 per hour, depending on skills, experience and location
- 25 days' holiday plus bank holidays, pro rata, rising to 28 days after 3 years
- Matched pension contributions up to 10%
- Flexible hours
- The opportunity to progress your career within the heritage sector
- Apprenticeship opportunities
- Subscriptions to professional bodies
- Free access to all English Heritage sites for you and up to six friends and family members
- 25% discount in our shops and cafes
- Enhanced maternity, paternity or shared parental leave
- Options to buy additional leave
- An inclusive working atmosphere everybody is supported from all backgrounds, religions and with different needs
- Opportunities to go to some of our great live music and history events
As an assistant housekeeper, you will work closely alongside the housekeeper to ensure that the Coastguard's Cottage is beautifully cared for, ensuring that it is cleaned to a 5 star standard so that our guests can have a wonderful stay.
You will support the housekeeper by ensuring that any defects are reported in a timely manner, any issues raised by guests during their stay are resolved as soon as possible and the supplies for guests are regularly checked.
To be considered for the role of assistant housekeeper, you'll need:
- Experience of cleaning and presenting holiday accommodation to a high standard
- Experience of excellent customer service
Ideally you will also be able to
- Demonstrable understanding and success in excellent customer care and visitor service
- Have an eye for detail to maintain the Visit England 5-star Gold Award
- General awareness of health and safety and security issues
- Good numeracy and writing skills
- Be able to prioritise own work and meet deadlines
Interviews will be held week commencing the 23rd of March 2026 at Lindisfarne Priory.
If you would like to talk to us e.g. about workplace adjustments or working patterns, please contact Charlotte Woolley, Belsay Hall cluster manager, on Charlotte.Malthouse@english-heritage.org.uk. No agencies please.
Find out more about us and what we do: You can also meet some of our people and hear about why they enjoy working with us:
Everybody's welcome at English Heritage
Forget the stereotypes. It takes thousands of people from every background to care for England's heritage and open it up for everybody to enjoy. We're looking for every type of person with every kind of skill and experience, and we're committed to making sure that English Heritage is an equitable, diverse and inclusive place to work. You can connect with others through our EDI networks as a member or ally. These include Ethnic Diversity, Faith & Belief, Social Equity, LGBTQ+, Neurodivergence, Age, Disability and Gender Health and Wellbeing.
We take wellbeing seriously. We are committed to ensuring everyone feels safe at work and can carry out their role. To support this, we have a network of Mental Health First aiders, regular information and awareness events, unlimited access to an Employee Assistance Programme and work with our people to implement reasonable adjustments.