Assistant Collection Manager: Loans and Display

British Museum; Camden Town; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free exhibition entry

Civil Service Pension Scheme

25 days’ annual leave

Learning and development

Job summary

The British Museum is seeking an Assistant Collection Manager within Loans & Display to support its busy programme of exhibitions and international loans. This is a hands-on technical role handling objects, preparing them for transit, and coordinating loans and installation.

You will work across the collection with an emphasis on safe handling, mounting and documentation, plus collaboration with colleagues and external partners. Travel and occasional out-of-hours work are required.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience handling museum or gallery objects.
• Good manual dexterity and ability to use workshop tools and equipment.
• Understanding of object types, materials, and their handling/display needs.
• Knowledge of packing for transit; mount-making; installation/deinstallation is advantageous.
• Ability to plan installation activities and manage competing deadlines.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; able to work with colleagues and external partners.
• Flexibility for occasional out-of-hours work and UK/international travel.

Responsibilities

• Safely handle, move, pack and prepare objects for UK and international loans, exhibitions and displays.
• Design and fabricate mounts and supports using various materials and workshop equipment.
• Support installation and deinstallation at BM and other venues.
• Plan and coordinate installation activities, including schedules and resources.
• Maintain accurate object/location records and undertake condition checks and photography.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external organisations to coordinate safe movement and display of objects.
• Identify practical challenges and contribute to technical improvements.
• Occasionally act as courier for loans and ensure health and safety standards.

Skills

Object handling

Manual dexterity

Understanding object types

Packing for transit

Installation planning

Problem solving

Communication

Travel availability

Job description

Assistant Collection Manager: Loans and Display Assistant Collection Manager Sep26

Vacancy Type Fixed Term

Contract length Fixed term for 2 years, 3 months

Working Pattern Full Time

Is hybrid working available? No

Location Bloomsbury, London (with occasional travel to other sites as required)

Salary £31,675 per annum

Application Deadline Sunday, October 25, 2026

Job Profile Job Profile document

About the role This is an exciting opportunity to join the British Museum’s Loans & Display team, helping to deliver the Museum’s busy programme of exhibitions as well as UK and international loans.

Primarily a hands‑on technical role, you will work with objects from across the collection, supporting their safe preparation, movement, packing, display and installation. You will also use our organisational skills to support the coordination of loans and other activity.

The team works in a fast‑paced environment, often to tight deadlines, offering excellent opportunities to develop and innovate technical skills, methods and processes while contributing to an ambitious programme of exhibitions and loans.

If you are passionate about the practical care and movement of collections and are looking for an opportunity to develop your technical expertise while contributing to a high‑profile programme of exhibitions and international loans, we would be delighted to hear from you.

About you

We are looking for someone with demonstrable practical experience and technical knowledge relevant to museum collections, exhibitions and loans, ideally gained within a museum or gallery environment.

You will bring:

• Practical experience of object handling and working safely with museum, gallery or heritage collections.
• Good manual dexterity and confidence using appropriate hand tools and workshop equipment.
• An understanding of different object types, materials and their handling and display requirements.
• Knowledge and experience of technical activities such as packing objects for transit; mount‑making; and exhibition installation and deinstallation is advantageous.
• Able to plan or schedule practical installation activities, with the organisational skills to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Strong problem‑solving skills with excellent attention to detail and the ability to develop practical solutions to technical challenges.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues and external partners.
• The flexibility to undertake occasional out‑of‑hours work and UK and international travel where required.

Key areas of responsibility

As an Assistant Collection Manager within Loans & Display, you will:

• Safely handle, move, pack and prepare museum objects for UK and international loans, exhibitions and displays.
• Design and make appropriate mounts and supports for objects, using a range of materials, techniques and workshop equipment.
• Support the installation and deinstallation of exhibitions, displays and loans, both at the British Museum and at other venues.
• Help plan and coordinate installation activity, including schedules, resources and practical requirements, to ensure projects are delivered safely and to deadline.
• Undertake condition checking, documentation and photography, maintaining accurate object and location records.
• Work closely with colleagues across the Museum and with external organisations to coordinate the safe movement and display of objects.
• Identify practical challenges and contribute to technical solutions and improvements in working methods and processes.
• Where required, act as a courier accompanying objects on UK and international loans.
• Ensure appropriate collections care, security and health and safety standards are maintained throughout all activities.

The British Museum is undertaking its biggest transformation since its founding nearly 300 years ago. This physical and intellectual transformation includes large scale building and gallery transformation, new ways of connecting with audiences and different ways of working. As we look towards this exciting future, we remain guided by the words of our founder Hans Sloane - who dreamed of a museum connecting all arts and sciences, which would be accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Benefits

At the British Museum, we believe our people are at the heart of everything we do and have designed a benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary. Our full list of benefits can be found here, but we’ve outlined some highlights below:

• Free exhibition entry for you and guests, exclusive private views, ICOM and reciprocal museum access.
• Civil Service Pension Scheme defined benefit with 28.97% employer contribution.
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays and 2.5 privilege days (and +5 days after 10 years).
• Social and wellbeing perks including Staff parties, social clubs, CSSC sports and leisure, and support from the Civil Service Retirement Fellowship.
• Peer support and allyship with five diversity networks for community.
• Learning and development through courses, mentoring and Athena as well as support for professional qualifications.
• Employee Assistance Programme available 24/7 for counselling, wellbeing support and more.

Values

Our values drive everything we do, from how we handle our objects to how we work in our team to fostering a culture where everyone feels heard and empowered:

• Care Deeply
• Embrace the Unknown
• Spark Curiosity
• Value Many Voices

These are a core part of how we recruit. Throughout the application, interview and selection process, we look for examples of how candidates demonstrate these behaviours in their own work and experiences. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with our values and reflect them in your application.

Additional information

If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to [e-mail].

Internal Applicants: We welcome internal applicants regardless of background, department or length of service but encourage you to let your manager know before applying. If you are on a permanent contract and want the fixed‑term contract to be treated as a secondment, you will need to obtain your manager’s support before submitting an application.

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