Collections Manager, Western Art

National Museums; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Annual leave 38 days

Childcare services

Family leave

Cycle loan

Bus travel discounts

Season ticket loans

Job summary

The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford is seeking a proactive Collections Manager to lead day-to-day management of the museum's art and archaeology holdings. Based on-site, you will ensure safe storage, movement, security and documentation in line with SPECTRUM standards and conservation requirements, supporting major projects and digitisation.

You will supervise the Collections Assistant, improve processes, facilitate teaching and research access, and collaborate across departments.

Qualifications

• Qualification and/or substantial relevant experience in Art History, Museum Studies or related discipline.
• Specialist knowledge of collections management best practice and SPECTRUM standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day collections management, ensuring safe storage, movement, security and documentation in line with SPECTRUM standards.
• Support major projects and digitisation, improve collections processes, facilitate teaching and research access.
• Line manage the Collections Assistant and supervise others.
• This role is full-time, on site with travel possibly required on University business.

Education

Art History / Museum Studies

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
• Cycle loan scheme
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans

More information is available at https://www.ox.ac.uk/about/jobs/life-in-oxford

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.

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].

National Museum Directors' Council, National Museums Liverpool, World Museum, WilliamBrown Street, Liverpool, L3 8EN