Centre Assistants

Reference: APR20269459
Location: RSPB Pulborough Brooks, RH20
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Part-Time, Various hours
Salary: £26,228.00 – £27,999.00 Per Annum, Pro Rata
Benefits: Pension Scheme, Life Assurance Scheme, 26 days’ Annual Leave (Pro-Rata)

About RSPB Pulborough

RSPB Pulborough Brooks is one of the RSPB’s flagship visitor destinations with a visitor centre that includes a shop, café and events programme. RSPB Pulborough Brooks is one of the most important sites for nature in Sussex with over 3000 species. The café and shop have beautiful views across to the South Downs and is set in one of the richest areas for nature in the country.

About the Role(s):

Our work in the visitor centre is planned via the use of rotas and will include weekend and bank holiday working. Full induction and training will be provided, with opportunities to learn about the running of a busy visitor centre and nature reserve operation. Our café and shop are a crucial part of what we do here, encouraging visitors to explore the reserve, and giving them a great visitor experience.

You will be able to communicate well with our visitors and offer excellent levels of customer care. Duties will include working in either our shop or café. You will be serving customers, operating the tills, preparing food, maintaining stock levels, processing deliveries and following hygiene and health and safety regulations. In the shop you will also be helping to serve customers and undertaking other duties typical of a retail operation.

Essentials:

• Proactive approach, able to use initiative to resolve issues and improve the visitor experience
• Strong teamwork skills, with the ability to support colleagues and contribute to a positive working environment
• Basic food hygiene awareness (or willingness to complete training)
• Ability to use basic IT systems (e.g. tills, stock systems or booking tools)
• Confident communicator able to engage a wide range of visitors in a friendly, clear and professional way
• Good organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks and manage time across a varied workload
• Ability to work effectively under pressure, including managing busy periods while maintaining service standards

Desirables:

• Experience of working at a catering environment/visitor attraction
• Knowledge of health and safety in the workplace
• GCSE Maths and English or equivalent

Additional Information:

We are recruiting for two Centre Assistant roles:

Role 1

Permanent, Part-Time – 12 hours per week (steady over 52 weeks per year).

Core hours will be in the shop including;

• One weekday (either Friday or Monday) 9:45am – 4:15pm (6 hours)
• One weekend day (either Saturday or Sunday) 9:45am – 4:15pm (6 hours)

Role 2:

Permanent, Part-Time – 4 hours per week (hours will increase seasonally to 8-12 hours per week during peak trading periods)

Core hours will be in the café:

• Off-peak (36 weeks): Tuesday: 11:00am – 3:15pm (4 hours)
• School holidays (10 weeks): Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday: 11:00am – 3:15pm (4 hours)
• Bank holidays (6 weeks): Tuesday and Saturday: 11:15am – 3:15pm (4 hours)

Flexibility to work additional hours is required to ensure appropriate cover for annual leave and sickness across the shop and café operations.

Closing date: 23:59, Sunday, 17th May 2026
Interviews will take place on Friday 22nd May 2026.

Please note that we are actively recruiting for this vacancy and reserve the right to close once sufficient applications have been received.

Interested?

If you would like to apply and find out more about this position, please click the apply button to be directed to our website.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship – the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK.

As part of this application process, you will be asked to upload a CV and complete a short application form which will include a cover letter section for you to explain how you meet the above criteria.

Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

No agencies please.