Collections Support Officer

OxOnArts; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

St John’s College is seeking a Collections Support Officer to care for its historic art collections within the Libraries and Archives team. The role involves coordinating with College Officers, working with conservators, and ensuring safe handling, storage and display of objects across college spaces and public access when appropriate.

The post is Grade 5 with a salary range of £32,108–£37,338, with salaries reviewed annually. The role reports to the Head of Libraries and Archives.

Responsibilities

• Care for the College’s historic art collections in coordination with responsible College Officers
• Work with specialist conservators
• Document and catalogue the collections
• Ensure safe object handling, storage and display
• Report to the Head of Libraries and Archives
• Invigilate researchers using rare books and manuscripts (not responsible for them)

Job description

St John’s College holds significant historic and modern collections of paintings, silver, textiles, sculptures, artefacts, furniture and ceramics. Working within the Libraries and Archives team, the primary responsibility of the Collections Support Officer is to care for the College’s historic art collections in co-ordination with the responsible College Officers, work with specialist conservators, document and catalogue the collections, and ensure safe object handling, storage and display. The postholder reports to the Head of Libraries and Archives.

The Collections Support Officer will not be responsible for the College’s collection of rare books and manuscripts, which are cared for by other members of the Libraries and Archives team, but will be involved in invigilating researchers using them.

The role provides an excellent opportunity for someone with a love of art and history and an eye for detail, who is interested in a career in the heritage sector. The role is about looking after a historic collection of an Oxford college, in use and on display across a variety of spaces in a thriving academic institution, but also made accessible to the wider public on regular occasions. The College is engaged in an active programme of documenting, maintaining and restoring its collections, and making them accessible online and through academic publications.

Appointment will be Grade 5 of the University’s salary scale for non-academic staff, currently £32,108–£37,338 inclusive of the Oxford University weighting. Salaries are reviewed annually in line with the pay award for other salaried administrative staff.