Senior Collection Manager: Care and Access

About the role:
Lead on the planning and coordination of collection management operations across the Museum with a focus on the technical aspects of day-to-day collection care and access, primarily involving maintenance of galleries and collection stores, the movement and essential documentation of objects and the operation of study rooms in support of the Museum’s ambitious collection programme.

The post holder will be responsible for the management of shared collection storage and research spaces and will provide support and guidance to collection management colleagues across the Museum by setting standards, ensuring consistency of processes, and managing relevant training programmes.

Key areas of responsibility:
• Manage the implementation, monitoring and review of collection management processes and procedures to ensure that the Museum meets standards of best practice, including maintenance, documentation and the display, storage, handling, study and movement of the collection.
• Manage Collection Managers responsible for shared collection storage and research spaces, including robust planning and management of progression and development within teams and delivery of pro-active performance management as required.
• Advocate and champion collection management best practice across the Museum, acting as a key communication channel for the resolution of issues impacting delivery of collection management activities.
• Maintain a common schedule of projects and activities, reporting to senior management and other colleagues as required.
• Work closely with Collection Managers across the Museum and the other Senior Collection Managers to ensure that the entire programme of activity, including storage projects, gallery projects, loans, exhibitions, study room operations and day-to-day care of the collection is supported in an integrated way.

About you:
• An undergraduate degree or equivalent practical experience
• Demonstrable interest in aspects of the British Museum’s collections
• Proficient at managing timetables, resources, and budgets.
• Proven manual dexterity
• In-depth knowledge of collection care and object handling, display, and preventative conservation practises.
• Experience delivering a varied programme of work, with strong prioritisation, planning, and organisational skills.
• Able to work flexibly as part of a wide, multi-disciplinary team.


About the British Museum:
Founded in 1753, the British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history and culture. The Museum is a leading visitor attraction, and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, the Sutton-Hoo finds, and the Lewis Chessmen. The Museum also holds an extensive collection of prints and drawings spanning 600 years, including works by the greatest graphic artists such as Dürer, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.

You can view a selection of our impressive collection of prints and drawings in our virtual gallery.

The Museum offers a competitive benefits package including:

• Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service) plus 2.5 privilege days and plus bank holidays.
• Membership of the civil service defined benefit pension scheme (find out here what benefits a civil service pension provides).
• Free entry to a wide range of museums and exhibitions
• Participation in private and public Museum activities, including talks by leading curators from around the world and behind-the-scenes opportunities to learn how museums care for and manage their extraordinary collections.
• Interest-free travel, bicycle, and rental deposit loans
• Professional and personal development opportunities
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts on food and gift shop purchases

Additional details:
For more information about this role, please see the job description.
If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to [email protected].

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees have the right to work in the UK. If you currently do not hold the right to work in the UK, we can only sponsor a limited number of roles that meet eligibility criteria. To offer a sponsorship, the job role you apply needs to be in the list of eligible occupations: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations. Additionally (with some limited exceptions), the role will need to meet the minimum salary threshold of £38,700 or the going rate for the job, whichever is the highest. You can find more information here: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job

The British Museum is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from unlawful discrimination or harassment. We value the benefits that a diverse workforce brings to a museum which represents world culture. The Museum is committed to ensuring that no job applicant suffers unlawful discrimination because of any protected characteristics. Our recruitment procedures aim to ensure that individuals are treated because of their relevant knowledge, skills, and experience.

We specifically encourage applications from candidates from ethnic minority groups who are underrepresented within our senior roles. We offer a flexible way of working scheme that allows our employees to work remotely in a way that suits them and the organisation. We welcome questions and conversations at interview stage about how flexible working could work for you.

The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.

Museum Website: https://bmrecruit.ciphr-irecruit.com//templates/CIPHR/jobdetail_8176.aspx