Summary Gibside has a reputation for the quality of its play offer for families. Every summer, around 50,000 people visit Gibside with many of those visiting our flagship event ’Summer of Play’. But Gibside has so much more to offer all year round. You’ll plan and deliver events and activities that create lasting, joyful memories for our visitors over the summer holidays, such as nature crafts, as well as looking ahead towards the next big moments for autumn and winter. This role involves manual handling and being outdoors in all weather, as you will be setting up activities and equipment.
Salary: £13.25 per hour
Contract Duration: Fixed term until 5th August 2026
Contract Type: This is a zero-hour contract, meaning we?can’t?guarantee a set number of hours each week.?While we aim to provide a consistent work pattern, flexibility is needed as schedules may change based on business needs.?We’ll?try to give as much notice as possible.
Typical Working Pattern: Although not guaranteed, we expect to offer around 30 hours per week, spread over4 or 5 days a week. This role will involve work at weekends and possibly on bank holidays, as these are the busiest and most exciting times at Gibside. The role does not require evenings or split shifts.
Interview Date: Thursday 21st May
Proposed Start Date: Week commencing 15th June
What it’s like to work here Reporting to the Senior Visitor Experience Officer, you’ll work alongside the Active Outdoors Assistant at Gibside. You’ll work as part of a team that is passionate about ensuring that everyone who visits Gibside has a great day out, and is able to participate in our activities.
You’ll work at Gibside, a Grade 1-listed Park and Garden which features valley views, woodland, a Palladian chapel, a stable block, a grand ruin, and the Column to Liberty towering above it all. Wildlife and horticulture rich, Gibside is home to Roe deer, Red Kites, amphibian-filled ponds, and a fruitful Walled Garden. You’ll enjoy the benefits of working outdoors in nature. You can find out more about Gibside here: Gibside | Tyne & Wear | National Trust
What you’ll be doing Working as part of a team, you’ll help prepare Gibside for the summer season by creating a festival atmosphere through the installation of bunting, flags, selfie stations and a wide range of play equipment. Throughout the summer holidays, the role involves planning and delivering drop-in craft workshops, as well as supporting other outdoor activities such as storytelling. You’ll also work closely with the Senior Visitor Experience Officer to plan ahead for upcoming key moments and events.
The role includes setting up play equipment, carrying out regular checks during the day to ensure it remains presentable and safe, and actively engaging with families to encourage participation in the many play opportunities across the site. You’ll support the evaluation of the Summer of Play programme by speaking with families to understand what they enjoyed and identify areas for improvement. Collaboration with volunteer teams who help deliver events and activities is also an essential part of the role.
Strong communication across departments is key, ensuring everyone on site is aware of planned activities - particularly the Welcome team, as well as Gardeners, Rangers, and the House and Collections teams.
In addition, you’ll look ahead by researching and ordering resources for the autumn and winter programmes. Behind the scenes, you’ll help keep storage areas organised and flag any equipment requiring maintenance to ensure everything continues to run smoothly.
You can view the full role profile for this role in the document attached. You don’t need to have all of the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile; this is just to provide a full picture of what’s possible in this role.
Who we’re looking for We’d love to hear from you if you have:
*good communication skills, building relationships with a wide range of people
*a team player, but can also work by yourself
*adaptable and have a flexible approach
*an understanding of the importance of great service
*keen to learn new things
*well organised and able to manage time well
The package The National Trust has the motto ’For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.
•Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
•Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
•Rental deposit loan scheme
•Season ticket loan
•EV car lease scheme (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
•Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts
•Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.
•Flexible working whenever possible
•Employee assistance programme
•Free parking at most Trust places
Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.