Assistant Collection Manager: Loans and Display

British Museum; London; On-site; GBP 29,000; Full time

Job summary

The British Museum is seeking an Assistant Collection Manager for Loans and Display to handle the care and preservation of its collection. This pivotal role involves the movement and preparation of objects for loans and display, and requires a practical focus, problem-solving skills, and a keen interest in museum collections. The position offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including generous leave and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Generous annual leave allowance

Membership of the civil service pension scheme

Free entry to museums and exhibitions

Interest-free travel and bicycle loans

Professional and personal development opportunities

Employee Assistance Programme

Discounts on food and purchases

Qualifications

• Good general education including GCSEs.
• Demonstrable interest in museum collections.
• Practical experience with hand tools (desirable).

Responsibilities

• Monitor security of objects and maintain them in good condition.
• Facilitate the movement, packing, and display of objects.
• Construct mounts and install objects in the museum.

Skills

Problem solving

Understanding of materials and objects

Demonstrable interest in museum collections

Education

Good general education including GCSEs or equivalent

Tools

Hand tools and workshop equipment

Job description

Vacancy for Assistant Collection Manager: Loans and Display

Salary: £28,144 per annum

Location: Bloomsbury with occasional travel to other sites in Reading, Wiltshire and London.

Role Summary

Assistant Collection Manager: Loans and Display
Collection Care and Moves
Full-time (41 hours per week)
Permanent
£28,144 per annum
Application deadline: 12pm (midday) on 25 June 2025

About the role:

Assistant Collection Managers in the Loans & Display team are responsible for all practical aspects of care and preservation of the British Museum collections (with a primary focus on mount making, loan packing, and exhibition installation).

The post holder will work as part of a team, and their activities will include the storage, movement and preparation of objects for loans and display, and may take place across all Museum sites.

Assistant Collection Managers may also be responsible for the packing, handling and display of objects lent to venues in the UK and internationally.

This role is primarily technical. Problem solving is a key aspect of the role, and a flexible approach to working is essential.

Key areas of responsibility:

• Monitor security of objects and to maintain them in good condition in storage, in transit and whilst on display
• Observe best practice in all aspects of object handling and collections storage
• Facilitate the movement, packing and display of objects across the collections
• Maintain and update essential object documentation, including location information
• Construct mounts and to install objects in the Museum and at other venues
• Assist the Framed Works team as required

About you:

• Good general education including GCSEs or equivalent
• Demonstrable interest in aspects of the Museum’s collections
• Understanding and appreciation of materials and objects
• Practical experience of hand tools and workshop equipment (desirable)

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 ourvirtual 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

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 [e-mail] .

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees have the right to work in theUK.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.