Working for the Weald & Downland Living Museum
We are an award winning, internationally recognised Living Museum with 50 historic buildings and gardens over a 40-acre site situated within the South Downs National Park.
Extraordinary buildings, fascinating artefacts, glorious surroundings and friendly, dedicated people – the Weald & Downland Living Museum is a unique and incredibly rewarding place to work.
Here at the Weald & Downland Living Museum we value diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds.
Staff vacancies
Food & Beverage Manager
Reports to: Head of Finance & Operations
Working pattern: Full-time – 40 hours a week – 5 days over 7 (with flexibility)
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: £38,000 – £40,000 per annum
About the role
We are seeking an experienced and commercially focused Food & Beverage Manager to lead our café and catering operations at Weald & Downland Living Museum. Our cafés serve freshly made sandwiches, cakes and barista crafted coffee to thousands of visitors each day. This is a hands-on role requiring strong operational leadership, financial acumen and a genuine passion for delivering excellent food and service.
You will set and maintain exceptional standards of customer service and presentation, manage and develop a dedicated kitchen and front of house team, and play a key role in driving commercial performance. You will also be responsible for our satellite catering units (Shepherd Hut and other locations) and delivering catering for venue hire including educational courses, MSc programmes, summer theatre and events.
A natural people leader, you are visible on the floor, supportive and skilled at motivating staff through coaching, clear communication and a collaborative, inclusive approach. You thrive in fast-paced settings, stay calm under pressure and take pride in creating a welcoming, safe and efficient operation. You will also bring strong IT skills, excellent organisational ability and the drive to continuously review and improve the customer experience.
Our heritage is richer when it includes all voices. We are working to make our organisation an open, inclusive, and accessible place for people from every background. If you share our passion for connecting people with history in meaningful and inclusive ways, we’d love to hear from you. We’re happy to discuss any support you might need during the application process.
All candidates must already hold the legal right to work in the United Kingdom.
You can download the full job description here: Food & Beverage Manager Role
Please send a covering letter and CV to: hradvisor@wealddown.co.uk
Closing date: Wednesday 20th May 2026
Interviews will be w/c 25th May 2026
Café Team Member – Weekday Casual Role
Reports to: Food & Beverage Manager
Business Area: Café and Events
Shift Pattern: Monday – Friday 9.00am -3.00pm (with flexibility)
Location: On-site
Contract type: Casual – Zero hour
Salary: £10.85 – 12.71 per hour
About the role
We are looking for enthusiastic, can-do people to join our busy team. This casual role primarily covers Monday – Friday shifts due to business needs. Applicants must be available for weekday shifts and be able to start in June.
Working front of house and behind the scenes as required, the successful candidates will provide excellent customer service and assist with a variety of tasks including making drinks, waiting tables, dishwashing, basic food preparation and maintaining cleanliness in cafe areas.
This is a zero-hours contract. Hours will vary week to week depending on visitor numbers, café demand and events. We anticipate the role will be busiest between April and October.
Previous cafe experience is a plus, but not essential. All you really need is a friendly, can-do attitude.
Our heritage is richer when it includes all voices. We are working to make our organisation an open, inclusive, and accessible place for people from every background. If you share our passion for connecting people with history in meaningful and inclusive ways, we would love to hear from you. We are happy to discuss any support you might need during the application process.
The Weald & Downland Living Museum is dedicated to safeguarding the welfare of children, vulnerable adults, staff, volunteers and visitors. All recruitment processes include safeguarding checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) screening, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all.
All candidates must already hold the legal right to work in the United Kingdom.
Please apply to hradvisor@wealddown.co.uk and include a brief covering letter, CV and answer the following questions:
- What attracted you to this role and working at the Weald & Downland Living Museum?
- Have you got any hospitability experience?
- What does good customer service mean to you?
- Please confirm you are available to work weekdays and when you would be able to start.
N.B: The museum is in a rural location near Singleton, served by a bus service (number 60). Free staff parking is also available.
You can download the full job description here: Café Team Member – Weekday Casual Role
Closing date: Sunday 7th June 2026
Volunteering Vacancies
Volunteer Role: Winkhurst Kitchen
Have you ever wanted to work in a replica Tudor kitchen? This could be your chance!
We are looking for volunteers to join our team interpreting one of our flagship buildings, Winkhurst Tudor Kitchen.
Here, you will prepare food that may have been eaten by a Yeoman Farmer in the mid 16th century (eating it yourself is optional, but why wouldn’t you?), following authentic recipes based on extensive research by food historians.
You will also brew beer at certain times of the year, dye cloth, bake in an authentic Tudor bread oven, make distilled herb and flower waters, home remedies and also be part of the wider Bayleaf Farmhouse team, interpreting life in a prosperous Yeoman farmstead.
This isn’t just traditional cooking, this is holistic Tudor interpretation!
This position is for Mondays, Fridays or Saturdays only. Full training will be given, with no experience needed, other than enthusiasm and curiosity.
Volunteer Role: Grounds Improvement Lead
We are looking for a motivated and hands-on volunteer to lead our Grounds Improvements Plan. This role will involve coordinating and leading a group of volunteers on a weekly basis to deliver practical improvements and enhancements across the grounds. The focus is on improving the overall appearance and usability of the site, helping to create a welcoming and well-cared-for environment for the community.
The role will focus on building and supporting a new team of volunteers who may have weekday commitments, with regular sessions taking place on Saturday mornings (10:00am–1:00pm). The aim is to establish a consistent weekend team to deliver projects on a weekly basis.
Activities will include:
- Leading weekly volunteer sessions
- Organising and guiding tasks such as weeding and path clearance
- Identifying opportunities for site improvements and enhancements
- Supporting volunteers to work safely and effectively
This role is focused on improvement work rather than routine maintenance. It will not include general maintenance tasks or work within the historic gardens. We are looking for someone who:
Enjoys working outdoors
- Is confident leading and motivating small groups
- Has a practical, proactive approach
- Is passionate about improving community spaces
This is a great opportunity to make a visible difference to the grounds while bringing people together through volunteering.
Volunteer Role: Grounds Improvement Volunteer
We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our Grounds Improvement Team and help deliver practical projects to enhance the parkland site.
As part of a friendly and hands-on team, you will support weekly improvement sessions focused on making the grounds more welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.
Sessions take place on Saturday mornings (10:00am–1:00pm), creating an opportunity for those with weekday commitments to get involved and contribute regularly.
Activities may include:
- Weeding and clearing overgrown areas
- Path clearance and light landscaping tasks
- Supporting small improvement and enhancement projects
- Helping improve the overall appearance of different areas of the site
This role focuses on improvement work rather than routine maintenance and does not include work within the historic gardens. We are looking for people who:
- Enjoy being outdoors and getting involved in practical tasks
- Are happy to work as part of a team
- Can commit to attending sessions regularly where possible
- Have a positive and proactive attitude
No previous experience is required—just a willingness to get involved and make a difference.
This is a great opportunity to meet others, learn new skills, and play a direct role in improving the grounds for the wider community.
If you are interested in one of these volunteering roles, please contact volunteering@wealddown.co.uk for more information.
Become a volunteer
