Heritage manager

As a heritage manager, you'll be responsible for the conservation and ongoing management of heritage sites like historic buildings, landscapes, museums, ancient monuments and other properties.

You'll have a broad remit, with responsibilities ranging from the preservation of important sites, through to developing plans to maintain a community's culture or a region's industrial legacy. Your aim will be to balance the preservation of a site, with the need for income generation and business sustainability.

Responsibilities

As a heritage manager, you'll need to:

• manage budgets and carry out strategic planning
• secure funding from external sources, such as grants or sponsorship
• generate income from commercial activities, such as catering and hiring out the venue for events and film shoots
• run a retail operation (shop or online) connected to the heritage site
• administer the collection of entrance fees, donations, sponsorship and memberships
• organise and monitor building, renovation and conservation work
• recruit, supervise and motivate staff and volunteers
• engage with the media and carry out digital marketing to promote the site
• use digital technologies (e.g. social media, websites and analytics) to increase visitor numbers and enhance engagement
• develop new ways to present the attraction or collection to maximise visitors' enjoyment and understanding
• ensure high standards of customer service and health and safety for visitors to the site
• write reports, policies and procedures, marketing documents and interpretive material
• lead project management activities
• liaise at a senior level with local authorities or national bodies that oversee the site’s operations
• collaborate with external agencies such as funding bodies, professional associations, other heritage organisations, tourist bodies and regional development agencies, to deliver joint projects
• develop outreach activities in the local community to widen access and engagement
• keep up to date with developments in the field (including digital heritage, sustainability and access) and current historical research relating to the attraction
• respond to enquiries from researchers and the public
• design and analyse visitor feedback surveys to inform improvements.

Salary

• At assistant level in a curator/collection management role, your salary is likely to range from £25,933 to £31,950.
• In a supervisor or team leader role, you could earn around £38,049.
• As a manager or head of department, you may earn in the region of £57,558

Salaries may be higher with a postgraduate qualification, and salaries in London are usually at the top end or above these scales.

Income data from the Museums Association Salary Research and Recommendations: October 2024 Update. Figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

There can be early starts and late finishes, particularly during special events, private hires or filming. Expect to work some weekends and public holidays if you're employed at visitor attractions that open to the public year-round.

Flexible working arrangements, including part-time hours, job sharing and occasional remote or hybrid working (for administrative or planning tasks), may be possible depending on the employer and role.

Career breaks are also an option in some organisations.

What to expect

• You'll mainly be office-based but will likely spend some time outdoors at open-air heritage sites and on guided tours.
• Depending on your role, you may also spend time on-site supervising conservation or interpretation projects, liaising with contractors, or engaging with local communities.
• Some jobs, for example in marketing, collection management or conservation, involve regular travel to other sites in your region or across the UK, including overnight stays for meetings, conferences or events.
• Jobs are available across the UK in both urban and rural locations.
• If you work as an area manager with a national organisation you may spend a significant proportion of your time travelling. If you're based in a museum or gallery within a local authority, your role is likely to be site- or office-based, though some hybrid working may be possible for administrative tasks.
• Self-employment is uncommon, although there is some scope for consultancy work at a senior level. Freelance opportunities also exist for heritage specialists such as project evaluators, bid writers and interpretation consultants, who can earn around £250 or more per day.

Qualifications

This area of work is open to graduates from a wide range of disciplines, but the following subjects may be particularly useful:

• administration
• archaeology
• countryside or estate management
• education - secondary or primary with a PGCE qualification
• geography
• heritage or museum studies
• history or history of art
• library and information services
• sustainability, environmental management or digital heritage.

Entry with an HND or foundation degree only is unlikely. While lower-level jobs, such as seasonal posts or internships in visitor reception, interpretation or retail, do not require a degree, they are often taken up by graduates or students as work placements, volunteering opportunities or paid internships.

Experience as a heritage officer, learning assistant or interpreter can provide valuable insight into the sector and help you progress towards management roles.

A postgraduate qualification is not always essential, although a pre-entry qualification in heritage, museum or cultural management shows commitment and may improve your career prospects.

Many heritage professionals choose to study part time while working, or complete a Masters that includes a practical placement or dissertation project in partnership with a heritage organisation.

Search for postgraduate courses in heritage management.

Qualifications in areas such as education, marketing, communication, sustainability, project management, finance or digital and web technologies are also valued for specialist or management roles.

Skills

You'll need to show evidence of the following:

• the ability to deal effectively with a range of people, including colleagues, volunteers, stakeholders and the public
• excellent written communication skills
• a genuine interest in and understanding of the heritage sector, including awareness of current issues such as funding, access, preservation and community engagement
• good negotiation skills
• good administrative and budgeting skills
• confidence using digital tools and media for communication, interpretation and visitor engagement
• commercial awareness and customer service skills
• an enthusiasm for continuous learning and professional development
• the ability to use your initiative and work well both independently and in a team
• experience of partnership and collaborative working
• flexibility, creativity and problem-solving ability
• effective time-management and project-management skills
• leadership potential and the ability to motivate others.

Work experience

You'll need to gain some relevant experience as competition for heritage roles is strong. Look for seasonal or entry-level work as a tour guide, interpreter or visitor-reception assistant. Research organisations carefully and approach them speculatively - this shows initiative and commitment to the sector.

Organisations such as the National Trust, English Heritage, Historic England and the Wordsworth Trust offer paid training or early-career programmes, providing experience in areas such as conservation, visitor operations and learning.

Volunteering is another valuable way to build experience and networks. Look for opportunities with the National Trust, English Heritage, the National Trust for Scotland, Historic Houses and AHSS (The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland), as these recruit volunteers for both public-facing and practical conservation projects. Short-term placements, internships and community-heritage projects can also help you develop transferable skills and sector contacts.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

The main employers of heritage managers are:

• amenity societies
• cathedrals and churches
• conservation organisations and charities
• heritage charities and trusts
• local authorities and national heritage bodies such as Historic England, Cadw (Wales) and Historic Environment Scotland
• museums
• privately owned historic houses, heritage centres and independent museums. Many of these are members of Historic Houses.
• tourist boards and other tourism operators.

Look for job vacancies at:

• English Heritage Jobs
• IHBC Jobs etc
• Museum Jobs
• Museums Association (MA)
• National Trust Jobs

Professional development

If you work for a larger national organisation or a local authority, you may receive in-house training on heritage management and have the opportunity to attend conferences. You'll usually be encouraged to complete qualifications that support your professional development, and may also receive training in areas such as IT, digital engagement, management and leadership.

Training may also be available through regional heritage consortia or partnerships of museums and heritage organisations. The Heritage Consortium offers information about collaborative training and research opportunities.

Smaller heritage attractions may not have the same capacity to offer regular staff training, but joining local or professional heritage networks can give you access to CPD events, workshops and sector news.

Joining a relevant professional body such as Historic England, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) or RIBA is another good way to stay up to date and build professional connections.

If you don’t already have a postgraduate qualification, you may be encouraged to complete a part-time Masters in heritage management, museum studies or a related field while working. In some cases, employers may contribute towards course fees or study leave.

The MA (Museums Association) offers training for museum and heritage professionals through its professional development programme, the Associateship of the Museums Association (AMA). The programme, which includes mentoring and a work-based project, typically takes around three years to complete and requires a minimum of around 35 hours of CPD per year. It also provides training and professional development opportunities through its online learning programme, Museum Essentials, which may also be suitable for heritage professionals.

Specialist training is also available from:

• GEM (Group for Education in Museums)
• Society for Museum Archaeology
• AHI (Association for Heritage Interpretation) – runs short courses and events across the UK.

Career prospects

Career paths within the heritage sector are extremely diverse. You may start at a junior or assistant level, but with experience and proven ability you can move into roles with greater responsibility.

If you stay with a particular organisation or heritage attraction for a few years, you're likely to gain opportunities to shape your role and develop areas of professional interest, such as education, conservation, audience engagement or commercial development.

Larger national organisations provide scope to broaden your experience and progress internally, perhaps into an area manager, property manager or senior leadership role. You may also choose to work towards the Associateship of the Museums Association (AMA), which demonstrates professional competence and a commitment to continuing professional development (CPD).

Alternatively, you could build a career in the independent or consultancy sector, using skills such as project management, fundraising, bid writing, interpretation or policy development. Experienced professionals may also move into freelance or advisory work, supporting heritage and cultural organisations across the UK.