Assistant Documentation Manager, Department of Antiquities

University of Oxford; Oxford; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent educational institution in Oxford is looking for an Assistant Documentation Manager to support its ambitious Collections Management Project at the Ashmolean Museum. The role involves overseeing object audits and data management within a cultural-heritage environment. Candidates should have relevant experience, confidence with various management systems, and a degree in a related field. The position is full-time and fixed-term until February 2028, with numerous benefits including a pension scheme and generous leave.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme

38 days of annual leave

Comprehensive range of childcare services

Family leave schemes

Cycle loan scheme

Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans

Qualifications

• Experience working in a museum or cultural-heritage environment.
• Confident using Collections Management Software and Digital Asset Management Systems.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage a busy workload.

Responsibilities

• Oversee object audits and data management.
• Document processes that underpin museum's core activities.
• Work closely with the Department's Documentation Manager and Collections Assistants.

Skills

Collections Management Software

Digital Asset Management Systems

Data entry skills

Cataloguing skills

Attention to detail

Manual handling

Education

Degree in Archaeology, Museum Studies or related discipline

Tools

Excel

Job description

The Department of Antiquities at the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology cares for around 275,000 objects representing the material cultures of Europe, Egypt and Sudan, and the Middle East, spanning almost the entire history of humanity. The Department is undertaking an ambitious two‑year Collections Management Project, DigitiseLocateStore (DLS), to audit, document, and digitise the collections with the goal of enhancing access‑both physically and online‑and ensuring best practice in collections care and long‑term storage.

To support this work, we are seeking to appoint an Assistant Documentation Manager to work closely with the Department's Documentation Manager and a team of Collections Assistants. The postholder will play a key role in the delivery of the project, overseeing object audits, data management, and documentation processes that underpin the museum's core activities of research, teaching, and public engagement.

Location: Ashmolean Museum sites in Oxfordshire (including off‑site stores near Bicester and Botley). This is a full‑time (36.5 hours per week), fixed‑term post until 28 February 2028. Due to the nature of this post, the successful candidate will be required to undertake a satisfactory Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check due to working in the stores with the museum collection.

You will have experience working in a museum or cultural‑heritage environment, including handling and documenting delicate artefacts. You will be confident using Collections Management Software and Digital Asset Management Systems, with excellent data‑entry, cataloguing, and IT skills (including Excel). You will demonstrate strong attention to detail, the ability to manage a busy workload, and the physical ability to carry out manual‑handling tasks safely. You will ideally hold a degree in Archaeology, Museum Studies, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience), and have knowledge of UK museum data standards and Accreditation Scheme requirements. Experience working with historic archives, GDPR compliance, and digital imaging would be an advantage.

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees' wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days of annual leave
• A comprehensive range of childcare services
• Family leave schemes
• Cycle loan scheme
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans

More information is available at https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/staff-benefits

Diversity: Our staff and students come from all over the world, and we proudly promote a friendly and inclusive culture. Diversity is positively encouraged, through diverse groups and champions, as well as a number of family‑friendly policies, such as the right to apply for flexible working and support for staff returning from periods of extended absence, for example, shared parental leave.