How we recruit, and what to expect
How do I apply for a job at Bishopsgate Institute?
When we have a vacancy, we advertise it on our website and provide a deadline for applications. You need to complete our application form and get it to us before the deadline. We sometimes close vacancies early if we have already received applications meeting the requirements, so it’s worth applying early.
There are also two compulsory questions on the application form, relating to your right to work in the UK and your availability for the interview dates we have advertised. We won’t be able to consider your application if you either answer “no” to these, or if you forget to answer them at all. And if you send your application in late, we won’t be able to look at it.
We don’t use agencies or CV libraries, but we do share the vacancy on relevant job boards and portals.
We recruit to employed positions, full- and part-time, fixed-term and permanent. Occasionally we have casual worker opportunities for specific duties, and freelance opportunities for specific services. All are advertised on our website.
Why an application form and not a CV?
We only ask for the information we need, and an application form is the most inclusive way to gather that. Everyone has to present their experience, skills and suitability for the role in the same way – a level playing field.
We ask applicants to complete two personal statements: one matching your skills and experience to the criteria set out in the job description and person specification, and one that asks you why Bishopsgate Institute, and this particular role, is right for you.
There is also an equal opportunities monitoring form to send with your application – it’s optional.
A CV on its own will not be accepted as an application.
What if I use AI?
Using AI to help you check spelling, grammar or the clarity of your application is fine, but the content of your application needs to be your own and must accurately reflect your skills and experience. Using AI to generate your personal statements rather than writing them yourself isn’t a great start.
Applications are anonymised for shortlisting
Once your application has been received, the contents are anonymised. Those who are shortlisting do not know whose application they are assessing.. Anything that could identify you, such as your name, is redacted from the application the panel sees. This means they can focus on how you have demonstrated that you meet the requirements for the role, which is what matters.
How we assess applications
The shortlisting panel compares your application and the evidence you present within it to the core requirements for the role. They will assess whether you have fully met, partially met or not met those criteria.
The maximum number of people we can interview will depend on the number of interview slots available, which will be set before shortlisting takes place. After shortlisting, the panel will look at the overall scores for each application to determine how many candidates, if any, have satisfied the criteria to be invited to interview.
If none of the applications meets the requirements for the role, we will not interview anyone. Similarly, if after the interview process there are no applicants meeting the required standards, we will not appoint anyone.
Evidence we need to see in your application
We are looking for evidence that you have the skills, aptitude (ability and strengths), experience and behaviours we require.
Please be as brief as possible and provide examples to support your statements.
Skills are the abilities, knowledge and expertise needed to carry out specific tasks or activities effectively.
We also assess your ability and strengths, meaning your aptitude or potential to perform to the required standard, as well as what you enjoy doing and what you do well. Experience refers to your past work history and the practical skills you have gained. We assess this to determine whether you possess the background and knowledge to succeed in the role.
Behaviours are the observable actions, attitudes and working styles that people use to do their jobs well, such as teamwork, problem-solving and communication. They show how a person gets work done rather than just what technical skills they have. They can help indicate how a candidate is likely to handle daily tasks, stress and team projects.
It’s worth emphasising that communication skills are a requirement for all roles, and this includes your ability to get the necessary information across in writing in as clear and accessible a manner as possible, including correct spelling and punctuation.
The skills, aptitude, experience and behaviours we require are all set out in the job description and person specification, so we need you to demonstrate them throughout the assessment process, as well as once you are in the role.
If you know you have the skills we need, but from a different role or sector, even from unpaid roles, then make this as clear as you can in the personal statement.
And finally, we also need to know that you have understood what the role is and what it involves day to day, including the level at which it operates. Please don’t apply for the job you’d like instead of the one we are actually offering.
Interviews and work-based tests
We invite candidates whose applications meet our criteria to an interview, and this is in person at the Institute. To help you plan, we advertise the date or dates for these interviews as part of the advert (and one of the compulsory questions on the application form asks you to confirm you would be available to attend on those dates).
We do not usually conduct interviews remotely. We are a venue-based charity, and our building and location are an integral part of how we deliver our mission.
Because we want everyone to be able to do their best in an interview, we usually share in advance the questions we are intending to ask. This means you don’t have to worry about what’s going to come up, but it does mean we expect you to give us considered and thoughtful answers. We will usually ask follow-up questions that arise from your answer, and there is time at the end for you to ask us any questions you may have.
We will tell you about the timetable, including when you might expect to hear back from us after the interview.
Sometimes, we include a work-based test in the interview process if it’s a helpful way for us to see how candidates might undertake a real-life task. If we do, we will make sure you know about it in advance.
Feedback
If your application has not been successful at the shortlisting stage, we will let you know, but are not able to provide feedback at this stage.
If your application is not successful after interview, we will offer written feedback if you would like it.
We do not enter into correspondence over our recruitment process or outcomes.
Offer, references and probation
If you are successful, we will offer you the role, conditional on satisfactory references and other checks (including your right to work in the UK).
We will ask for two different professional references that we can take up to confirm your suitability for employment in the role. These can be from two different organisations you have worked for, or, if you have held two different roles within the same organisation, they can relate to those two different roles.
If the references are not satisfactory, the offer will be withdrawn.
Once you start in the role, you will be in a probationary period for three months. Your manager will check in with you regularly and set objectives with you, so that the performance reviews and end-of-probation assessment can be comprehensive.
Recruitment FAQs
Is the salary negotiable?
No. The salary advertised for a role is the salary offered on appointment and is not open to negotiation. We make sure our salaries are clear so that candidates can managed their own expectations before applying.
Our salaries are in line with the market for similar roles in the charity, arts and heritage sectors, and we do not have salary ranges.
Where more than one member of staff performs the same role, the same salary applies to everyone performing that role.
Salaries are reviewed annually by the Trustees. A salary review does not guarantee an increase although the Trustees hope to award an annual uplift of 1–3% to eligible staff who have passed probation and do not have a live formal warning on file.
Our pay policy also provides for a role and its salary to be reviewed where the Institute requires a member of staff to undertake duties and responsibilities materially beyond their contractual job description, whether temporarily or on a more permanent basis.
Can I work from home?
We are a venue-based organisation and many of our roles cannot be performed off-site. We consider flexible working requests in accordance with our Flexible Working Policy, but the nature of our work means that regular homeworking may not be possible for many roles.
Although flexible working arrangements may help staff manage personal circumstances and responsibilities outside work, they will not be approved as a substitute for childcare or other caring arrangements. Staff working from home are expected to be available for work and able to perform their duties during their agreed working hours, just as they would be when working on site.
Are there opportunities for promotion?
Yes, although opportunities arise less frequently than they might in a larger organisation. A number of our current team have been appointed internally to more senior roles at Bishopsgate Institute.
Our standard practice is to recruit to permanent vacancies through a competitive process, and internal applicants are welcome to apply alongside external candidates.
There are also opportunities from time to time for staff to take on additional or higher-level responsibilities on a temporary basis, for example to provide cover during a long-term absence. Where appropriate, these arrangements may include a temporary salary uplift.
We are a small team of 26 employees, so we do not have a formal or automatic promotion pathway. Staff development is primarily focused on building the skills and experience needed for their current role rather than preparing for an assumed future promotion, unless a formal succession plan is in place, for example for a specialist role. We encourage staff to develop their skills and experience within their roles.
Do I get a staff discount?
Yes – up to 75% off the full price of a course, and up to 75% off the full price of up to four tickets to an event, subject to availability.
Do I have to work Bank Holidays?
We are open almost 365 days a year and regularly have hires on bank holidays. Some roles operate across five days out of seven and, particularly in public-facing roles, staff may therefore be required to work on a bank holiday. Where this happens, the bank holiday entitlement can be taken as leave at another time.
We traditionally close between Christmas and New Year. However, where there is a business need to open during this period, we will do so and particular roles may need to be covered. Staff affected will be given sufficient notice. Closure days are not deducted from the 26-day annual leave entitlement.
How big is the team?
We have 26 employees, plus a small team of casuals covering duty management and visitor experience shifts on occasion.
The Board of Trustees can have up to 15 members and currently has 11.
Do I get to do programming or work with the archives if I work at Bishopsgate Institute?
Most roles at Bishopsgate Institute do not include programming, production or archive-related responsibilities. We encourage staff to learn more about our collections, including through staff tours, and staff are welcome to explore the archives in their own time. However, programming, production or archive-related activities should not be undertaken during working hours unless they form part of a staff member’s role or have been specifically agreed.
Programming is led by the Artistic Director in collaboration with the Special Collections & Archives Manager. Many of our team have exciting ideas for programming, or want to run their own event, but responsibility for developing and delivering the Institute’s programme sits with the relevant roles. Unless specifically agreed, developing or running events is not part of a staff member’s role simply by virtue of working at Bishopsgate Institute.
Our Archivist roles require a formal postgraduate professional qualification in Archives and Records Management. Candidates with qualifications obtained outside the UK would need to demonstrate that their qualification is professionally equivalent to the qualification required for the role. Archivist vacancies arise very rarely and will be advertised in line with our standard recruitment process when they do.
Can I wear what I want?
We do not prescribe a particular style of dress, but all staff, whether in public-facing roles or not, are expected to dress appropriately and present themselves professionally for their role and working environment. In your role, you’re not just an employee: you’re a representative of Bishopsgate Institute.
Our Code of Conduct provides further guidance on appropriate dress at work.
What’s your social media policy for staff?
Integrity is our most important commodity. Staff are free to use social media in a personal capacity but are expected to exercise appropriate professional judgement when doing so. Personal social media activity must not disclose confidential information, purport to represent the views of Bishopsgate Institute, or contain material that could reasonably cause serious reputational harm to the Institute or undermine a staff member’s ability to perform their role.
Staff must not use personal social media accounts to initiate, facilitate or promote collaborations, partnerships or other arrangements on behalf of Bishopsgate Institute, or imply that such an arrangement has the Institute’s support, unless it has been established or authorised through the appropriate internal channels.
Staff should be aware that information published online can become publicly available and that it may not always be possible to maintain a complete separation between personal and professional identities.
Staff may not post, blog or publish on behalf of the Institute unless authorised to do so by the Chief Executive. The Institute’s Social Media and Electronic Communications Policies both apply.
How much holiday do I get?
Full-time staff receive 26 days of annual leave plus an allowance equivalent to the usual eight bank holidays, subject to the requirements of their role.
Some roles are required to work on bank holidays. Where this applies, the relevant bank holiday entitlement can be taken at another time.
Is there a TOIL (time off in lieu) scheme?
Full-time staff receive 26 days of annual leave plus an allowance equivalent to the usual eight bank holidays, subject to the requirements of their role. Some roles are required to work on bank holidays. Where this applies, the relevant bank holiday entitlement can be taken at another time.
Do you cover my travel costs?
We do not cover the cost of your normal commute to and from your usual place of work.
Where you are required to travel in order to perform your role – for example, to attend agreed training or another work-related activity – the Institute will cover the appropriate travel costs in accordance with its expenses policy.
