Visitor Experience Operations Manager

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Visitor Experience & Operations Manager for Museum of Watford

Band 7, £40,907 - £45,120 per annum
Full Time, Permanent

About Watford Borough Council
Watford is a vibrant urban borough located in Southwest Hertfordshire, boasting excellent transport links with mainline connections to London. As the hub of a wider sub-region, Watford serves a population of approximately 500,000 people within a 20-minute travel radius.
Positioned within the London commuter belt, Watford benefits from the capital’s dynamic economic influence, contributing to a strong and resilient local economy.
The borough offers a unique blend of traditional market town charm and modern urban energy big enough to be ambitious, yet small enough for individuals to make a real impact. Watford is also one of the few local authorities with a directly elected mayor, ensuring consistent leadership and a clear strategic vision.
Our values are more than just words—they are the foundation of our culture. Developed collaboratively by our team, they reflect the pride we take in our work, what drives us, and how we think, act, and engage with our community.
At a glance
– £1.4bn local investment happening – mix of public and private funding
– 5 major development and regeneration projects happening
– 3500 registered businesses
– Higher than average working age population
– Skilled workforce
– Affordable local housing market
– Home to many major international head offices

What we are looking for
Join the Museum of Watford at a key moment in our redevelopment in which you will shape an exceptional visitor journey and establish new operating plans as we prepare to move to our new home at Watford Town Hall. As Visitor Experience & Operations Manager, you’ll ensure every guest enjoys a welcoming, engaging, and memorable experience that connects them to Watford’s rich heritage. You’ll build a dynamic team, manage front-of-house operations, and contribute to the museum’s financial sustainability through enterprise activities and delivery of our Heritage Fund Business Plan. Our museum will take on the ethos of a civic museum engaging our community and bringing Watford’s rich history to life with an array of partners. With Stage 2 funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund secured, we plan to re-open in our new home in Spring 2027.
We are seeking a confident, pragmatic and people-focussed leader with a passion for heritage who can champion our audiences and lead their team to deliver outstanding customer service.
About our Redevelopment
Our Town Hall Quarter programme aims to revitalise Watford Museum as part of a wider flagship scheme to regenerate Watford town centre. But this project is about much more than physical regeneration: we aim to transform our Town Hall into the beating heart of our community, with a modern museum and community spaces at its core. Our bold, ambitious plan creates a cultural space to tell our stories, connect our communities and inspire our journeys ahead. Exhibits will combine treasures dating back to the Bronze Age, with stories of the Windrush Generation and present-day icons. It’s about creating a space not just for storytelling, but one that sparks conversation and connection, with additional spaces for work and leisure. With the Watford Museum in its new home, we’re reimagining what regeneration can really mean for communities, to breathe renewed energy and a sense of pride and purpose into the heart of our town, for everyone.
For more details on our plans, please visit our website.

How to apply

We would love to hear from candidates inspired by this unique opportunity with the ambition, desire and experience to take our museum service and our organisational values forwards.
If you wish to discuss this role or require further information, please contact Jo Wiltcher, Project Lead: Jo.wiltcher@watford.gov.uk

Closing Date: Midnight, Sunday 28th September 2025.
Interviews will be held in person on 14 October 2025

A basic Disclosure check or DBS enhanced check (as applicable) will be carried out for this post.

At Watford Borough Council we consider equality issues alongside other factors when making decisions as an employer of choice. We are committed to ensuring that we have effective policies, strategies, procedures, and processes and that we encourage behaviour which promotes equality, encourages diversity, and contributes to an inclusive organisational culture.