Heritage Outreach Officer
The heritage outreach officer introduces people to and promotes the heritage of an area: monuments, architecture, landscapes, natural or historic sites.
He or she designs tours, workshops and cultural projects for residents, school groups and tourists.
In brief: the profession of heritage facilitator
| Other Job Titles | architecture and heritage facilitator, heritage mediator, heritage guide |
|---|---|
| Recommended Education Level | Bachelor’s or professional bachelor’s degree for some local government recruitment; Bac+5 recommended for coordination roles (art history, heritage, cultural tourism, or mediation) |
| Starting Salary | from €1,870 gross/month for a territorial heritage assistant (category C) (source: Onisep) |
| Employers | local government service (Cities and Regions of Art and History), heritage or culture departments, museums and historic sites, tourist offices, cultural associations and institutions |
| Key Skills | general knowledge in history and heritage, cultural mediation and pedagogy, project management, writing and speaking skills, notions of heritage law and of how local authorities operate |
| Career Progression | cultural mediation manager, audience development officer, heritage project manager, head of a heritage or culture department, cultural and tourism engineering consultant |
| IESA Program | Master’s in Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism - Bac+5, accessible after a Bac+3 |
The Duties of the Heritage Facilitator
The heritage facilitator, also called an architecture and heritage facilitator, makes heritage more accessible and more alive. They design actions suited to different audiences in order to raise awareness of a region’s cultural, historical, architectural and natural riches.
Their main duties are as follows:
- imagining and organizing tours, exhibitions, workshops and educational routes
- designing information and mediation materials
- developing projects for school groups, families, residents and tourists
- helping communicate the actions carried out
- working with tourist offices, elected officials, associations and local cultural players
- coordinating or training tour guide-lecturers and cultural mediators
- contributing, depending on the projects, to the inventory or promotion of a heritage site.
Their role is therefore not limited to organizing events: they take part in their region’s cultural and tourism strategy.
What Skills Are Required to Become a Heritage Facilitator?
This profession requires good knowledge of heritage, but also mediation and project management skills.
The heritage facilitator must in particular have:
- solid general knowledge in history, art history, architecture or heritage;
- cultural mediation and teaching skills;
- writing and speaking skills;
- a good sense of organization;
- project management skills;
- notions of heritage law and of how local authorities work;
- diplomacy to engage with elected officials, residents, partners and teams;
- management qualities when coordinating guides or mediators.
Creativity, curiosity and the ability to adapt one’s message to each audience are also essential.
How to Become a Heritage Guide?
Several paths lead to careers in mediation and heritage promotion. Training in art history, history, architecture, heritage, cultural tourism, or cultural mediation is particularly suitable.
A bachelor’s degree or a professional bachelor’s degree can allow you to apply for certain local government recruitments. A Bac+5 is often sought for advancing to coordination or project management roles.
Train at IESA arts&culture
The Master in Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism, open after a Bac+3, develops skills in heritage promotion, regional development, and cultural tourism.
Students learn in particular to:
- define a strategy for promoting a heritage site or cultural territory;
- design tourism and cultural projects;
- understand the challenges facing local authorities;
- coordinate partners and mediation activities.
Related program:
- Master in Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism — Bac+3 admission
To build a gradual path after high school, you can also pursue a program in cultural production, cultural communication, or mediation, then continue with a Master.
What Is the Field of Practice of a Heritage Guide?
The heritage guide works mainly in the local civil service, often within the Cities and Regions of Art and History certified by the Ministry of Culture.
They can work in:
- a city, a community of municipalities, or an urban area;
- a heritage or culture department;
- a museum, a monument, or a historic site;
- a tourist office or a local development organization;
- an association or a cultural institution.
They work in connection with elected officials, municipal departments, tour guides, tourism stakeholders, and local associations.
What Career Progression Is There for a Heritage Guide?
With experience, the heritage guide can take on larger projects, coordinate a team, or join a larger local authority.
They can move up to roles such as:
- cultural mediation manager;
- audience development officer;
- heritage projects manager;
- head of a heritage or culture department;
- cultural and tourism engineering consultant.
Progression depends on experience, local civil service competitive exams, and the responsibilities held.
What is the salary of a heritage guide?
Pay depends on status, grade, seniority and the employing local authority.
For reference, Onisep reports a starting salary from €1 870 gross per month for category C territorial heritage assistants. This amount can change with bonuses, experience and access to a higher job category.
Source: Onisep, "Heritage Guide" profile, accessed August 2026.