Jobs

Part-time or Full-time
Fixed term
Salary £27,362 per annum pro rata (£14.98 per hour)
Plus generous benefits package
On-site

About the role

We are excited to be recruiting for part-time and full-time Gallery Attendants to join our friendly and dedicated team for part of our 2026 exhibition programme.

We’re looking for individuals who are friendly and approachable, with the ability to communicate clearly and confidently with a diverse audience, adapting their style as needed. You’ll bring solid experience from visitor attractions, retail, hospitality, or other customer-facing roles. Your background will be in a front-of-house or customer service environment where clear communication, and delivering excellent service are essential. If you have a confident, personable manner and a genuine passion for creating a great visitor experience, we’d love to hear from you.

As a Gallery Attendant, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring every visitor has a welcoming, engaging and enjoyable visit while helping to safeguard our art. This is a highly visible, front-facing role where communication is at the heart of everything you do. You’ll enjoy engaging with the public and take pride in delivering consistently high standards of visitor care, representing the National Galleries of Scotland with professionalism at all times.

You’ll be expected to speak with confidence, approach visitors proactively, and respond to a wide range of questions with clarity and professionalism. You’ll regularly encounter unexpected situations — from answering complex visitor queries to responding calmly to incidents in the gallery. The ability to think on your feet and handle situations with tact and sound judgement is essential.

Working from a choice of 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, or 5 days per week on fixed days which include one weekend day, we have roles available over the following dates: 

-18 July 2026 to 15 November 2026
-25 July 2026 to 31 January 2027
-01 August 2026 to 01 November 2026.

Please note: Applicants must be available to start no later than 01 August 2026 and able to commit to the full duration of the contract period. These roles are not suitable for those seeking short-term summer employment.

Watch Moving Art | Working as a Gallery Attendant on YouTube for more insight into the role.

The difference you’ll make

In all that you do, you’ll support your colleagues by welcoming visitors, helping them enjoy their experience of the National Galleries of Scotland and making the most of their visit. Our Security and Visitor Experience team exists to enable our visitors to explore, experience and enjoy our artwork safely and securely at our various Galleries. The team’s three key responsibilities are: 

-Visitor Engagement: aiming to deliver an exceptional experience to all our visitors in a welcoming, inclusive, and informative environment. 
-Security: endeavouring to keep people, our buildings and works of art safe, responding effectively to risk. 
-Income generation: encouraging donations, selling tickets for paying exhibitions, and signing up visitors to our Friends scheme. 

Reporting to Supervisors and Operation Managers you will:

-Be present in the galleries as the public face of the National Galleries of Scotland and look for opportunities to actively engage visitors. 
-Support, implement and explain gallery rules and regulations.
-Provide invigilation cover across the galleries, safeguarding art from damage.   
-Build knowledge of exhibitions and displays communicating this effectively to a diverse range of audiences.
-Maintain a high standard of presentation in the galleries calling on supervisory support when required.
-Keep up to date with current exhibitions, what’s on, general tourist information and actively promote the shops, cafés, and the benefits of the Friends scheme.
-Look after the security and safety of people, responding effectively to risk.
-Be prepared to assist in safe evacuation of our buildings in the event of any incident or emergency.
-Undertake light cleaning and occasional light lifting duties.

Who we are looking for

While an interest in art would be great it’s not essential. However, to succeed in this role you’ll need the following range of knowledge, skills, and experience and you must be:

-Passionate about offering outstanding customer care and visitor engagement in a busy gallery environment.
-An excellent communicator with superb interpersonal skills. Demonstrate the ability to talk to a wide range of people, engaging with them about the National Galleries of Scotland’s exhibitions and activities.
-Outgoing and confident working in a busy visitor environment.
-A strong team player with the ability to build good working relationships with colleagues and those in other departments to ensure the best possible visitor care is delivered.
-Able to work independently using own initiative showing a proactive, positive, and flexible approach to work.
-Willing to develop knowledge of National Galleries of Scotland’s collection, exhibitions, and activities.
-Understanding of the principles of equality and diversity in relation to visitors’ needs and have an inclusive and welcoming approach to all visitors and colleagues.
-Proficient IT skills MS Office. 
-Knowledge of another language (e.g. Gaelic) is desirable but not essential.

Please apply directly via our careers portal. Applications via email will not be accepted.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday, 18 May 2026.

Application Deadline: Monday 18/05/2026