Information about working at the V&A

Benefits and rewards

Employees of the V&A have access to an attractive range of benefits and services, many of which are unique to the V&A.Our staff have access to

• Civil Service Pension Scheme, a generous defined benefit pension scheme where the employee contribution is 3.5% and the employer contribution is between 16.7% - 24.3%
• Civil Service Injury Benefits Scheme, Benevolent Fund, and Healthcare (a medical insurance scheme)Benenden Healthcare (healthcare society)
• 44% discounted membership of BUPA
• Occupational Health Service
• Leave bank enabling staff to bank up to 35 days annual leave at a time
• Performance-related bonus system
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption entitlements
• Generous occupational sick pay scheme to support and reassure them during periods of ill health
• Childcare vouchers
• Season Ticket Loans
• Ride2Work - Tax free bike scheme
• Free staff welfare and counselling service
• Tax efficient charity payroll giving scheme

and other special perks..

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• Complimentary tickets for friends/family to come to all paying exhibitions
• discounts in V&A shops and restaurants, including publications discounts
• on-site massage and yoga classes
• deals and discounts with local shops and restaurants
• reciprocal agreements with a wide variety of museums and galleries to get in free (often including their paying exhibitions), both in the UK and abroad.

Training & development

The V&A is one of the leading museums in training and development practice, particularly in the development of curators, technical, front of house and other staff in the culture and heritage sector.

Our programmes support the V&A's planning: focusing on core objectives and strategic plans through working with individuals, managers and whole departments. Many of the training opportunities are also open to staff from across the museum sector. All training carried out in or on behalf of the V&A embraces the Museum's commitment to diversity.

The Training and Development Department aims to respond to varying learning styles using a variety of methodologies in line with good and innovative training practice. These include: 

• course-based programmes
• tutor-led training events
• mentoring
• self-study opportunities

In addition there is a Learning Resource Centre, which includes books, magazines, CD-ROM and DVD based training courses, plus full access to Ashridge Business School's Virtual Learning Resource Centre with whom the V&A has developed a learning website.

In recognition for its work, the V&A has been awarded status as an accredited assessment centre for all Cultural Heritage National Vocational Qualifications. We now act as a provider and assessor of programmes, offering NVQ assessments to anyone working in the cultural sector.

Read more about NVQ's.

The V&A's overall commitment to developing its staff and the high quality of the Training and Development Department's work was recognised with the Investors in People Award in 2002, 2004.

Valuing diversity

Our goal is to integrate diversity into everything that we do and ensure that all aspects of the Museum - the staff profile, the collections, audiences, programmes and events - reflect the diversity that exists within society. We believe that being committed to equality and diversity is central to creating a positive environment which makes full use of the wide range of talents and resources of our staff. Our aim is to create an inclusive workplace in which uniqueness is valued, the potential of everyone is realised, different ways of doing things are welcomed and organisational objectives are met.

A variety of programmes and initiatives support this expanding agenda. For example, we are working in partnership with organisations such as the Arts Council to develop a more diverse pool of museum sector recruits and since 2005 have hosted student placements in the summer for gifted and talented young people through the Young Graduates in Museums and Galleries programme. This programme is a valuable opportunity to show talented young people the careers available in culture and arts organisations, in particular optimising awareness amongst students from non-traditional (black and asian) backgrounds.

Over recent years considerable time and energy has been spent transforming the V&A into a more disability confident employer. We have developed a range of practices to support the employment of people with disabilities and as part of the Employer's Forum on Disability “Disability Standard 2005“ were praised for our success in retaining staff with disabilities. A Staff Disability Forum meets on a quarterly basis to consult and involve staff with disabilities in the development of a more inclusive environment and services.

We offer a range of flexible working arrangements that enable staff to balance the demands of work against their cultural, social and personal lifestyles.

Read more about Diversity at the V&A.