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Building Conservation Officer

Do you want to become a Building Conservation Officer? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

Job Description - Print Page

Building conservation officers help to protect historic buildings, such as houses, churches, windmills, lighthouses and factories. Their work may involve:

• inspecting and surveying buildings
• writing reports on the condition of buildings
• estimating costs for conservation projects
• applying for grants and funding
• finding suppliers and craftspeople who can provide traditional materials and skills
• managing projects and ensuring all the work complies with legislation.

They may work with local and national government agencies, and heritage and conservation groups, to develop policies and give advice to owners, architects, heritage groups and other bodies. They also give presentations to explain and promote building conservation. Some building conservation officers are part of a small team, but many work alone.

Building conservation officers usually work normal daytime hours, from Monday to Friday. Travel to sites may involve early starts and late finishes. Although they are mainly based in offices, they spend a lot of time on site, which can involve working outdoors in all weather conditions and in buildings that are in a poor state of repair.

Salaries range from around £18,000 to £36,000 a year.

A building conservation officer should:

• understand historic architecture, building methods and techniques
• have excellent communication skills
• have project management skills
• be confident working with figures
• be interested in history and heritage, architecture and construction.

Building conservation is a relatively small field, although opportunities are growing. There are jobs throughout the UK. Employers include local authority planning departments, heritage organisations and specialist interest groups.

The majority of entrants are graduates in subjects like planning, building/construction, civil/structural engineering, surveying and architecture. Some entrants have relevant postgraduate qualifications. Most employers look for candidates with previous experience gained through volunteering. There is no maximum age for entry.

Training is likely to be on the job, supplemented by short courses. Professional associations may offer training courses, seminars and visits.

A building conservation officer may gain promotion to senior conservation officer or a managerial role. It might be necessary to move employer in order to progress. Some experienced conservation officers become self-employed, offering their services on a consultancy basis.

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