Collections Manager, Western Art

Corehr; Oxford; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

An excellent contributory pension

38 days of annual leave

Childcare services

Family leave schemes

Travel discounts

Job summary

Ashmolean Museum is seeking a proactive Collections Manager to lead day-to-day handling, storage and documentation of its vast art and archaeological collection. You will ensure best practice under SPECTRUM standards and contribute to major digitisation projects and cross-department initiatives.

You will oversee collections care, enable teaching access and manage the Collections Assistant, requiring strong organisational, communication and problem-solving skills.

Qualifications

• Qualification or substantial experience in Art History, Museum Studies, or related discipline.
• Specialist knowledge of collections management best practice and SPECTRUM standards.
• Experience with collections care, documentation or digitisation and project delivery.
• Ability to prioritise, supervise others and undertake physically demanding collections work.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day collections management, ensuring safe storage and secure handling.
• Move, document and safeguard objects in line with SPECTRUM standards.
• Support major projects, digitisation and access for teaching and research.
• Line-manage the Collections Assistant and coordinate team activities.

Skills

Collections management

SPECTRUM standards

Project delivery

Organisational skills

Communication

Problem solving

Supervision

Physical handling

Education

Art History / Museum Studies degree

Tools

Digitisation tools

Documentation systems

Job description

About the role

The Ashmolean Museum is the University of Oxford’s world-class museum of art and archaeology. The Department of Western Art cares for approximately 300,000 objects.

You will lead day-to-day collections management, ensuring safe storage, movement, security and documentation in line with SPECTRUM standards and conservation requirements. Working across the Museum, you will support major upcoming projects and digitisation, improve collections processes, facilitate teaching and research access, and line manage the Collections Assistant.

This is a full-time, permanent post based on site at the Museum and storage sites, with flexibility around working hours.

This role requires regular manual handling and working at heights.

Additionally, it may also require travel outside of Europe or North America on University business.

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 access to museum collections.

About You

You will have a qualification and/or substantial relevant experience in Art History, Museum Studies or a related discipline, plus specialist knowledge of collections management best practice and SPECTRUM standards. You will have experience of collections care, documentation or digitisation, and project delivery, alongside strong organisational, communication and problem-solving skills. You will be able to prioritise independently, supervise others and undertake physically demanding collections work.

What We Offer

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
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans

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.

We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment processes are inclusive and accessible. If you require the job description or any other materials in an alternative format, or if you would like to request any adjustments to support you through the application or interview process, please contact the recruitment team at [e-mail].