Curatorial Assistant

The Chitra Collection; London; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization is seeking a Curatorial Assistant to support the management and promotion of a unique tea collection. The role involves research, social media management, and collaboration on exhibitions. Ideal for individuals passionate about art and history, offering a full-time position with opportunities for growth.

Benefits

20 days annual leave plus additional 3 over Christmas

Bank holidays

Qualifications

• Experience working with historic collections or in a museum environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a small team.

Responsibilities

• Researching and improving catalogue records on the collection database.
• Maintaining social media pages and producing digital content.
• Facilitating research and administration of acquisitions.

Skills

Communication

Research

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Knowledge of a relevant second modern language

Job description

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In 2011 Nirmal Sethia, the Chairman of the luxury tea company Newby Teas set himself the task of acquiring the world’s greatest collection of teawares to record and preserve tea cultures of the past. Named in honour of his late wife, Chitra, the collection totals almost 3000 objects and is the world’s finest and most comprehensive of its kind. With objects from Europe, Asia and the Americas, and from over a thousand years of history, the Chitra Collection is a unique reflection of the importance of tea and the diversity of tea drinking customs across the world.

The Chitra Collection is owned by the N. Sethia Foundation, a charity founded by Nirmal Sethia in 1995, which supports medical research, the arts, youth activities and disaster relief management.

To find out more about the collection, please visit our website:www.chitracollection.com

Purpose of the role:

The management of the Chitra Collection is the responsibility of a small team that is passionate about caring for and building this unique collection. We are seeking to appoint a permanent Curatorial Assistant to support in a wide range of projects.

What you will do:

Reporting to the Assistant Curator and the Director, you will be researching our collection and improving catalogue records on our collection database (Museum Index+). Your primary responsibilities will be to maintain our social media pages, producing creative digital content. You will also facilitate research and administration of acquisitions, including obtaining condition reports, bid registration and liaising with art handling companies. You will play a big role in a project of collections rationalisation, liaising with auction houses to organise valuations and the sale of items. The role will involve the ongoing maintenance of the collection storage and displays, commissioning conservation and photography, monitoring environmental conditions and integrated pest management. There will be opportunities for facilitating planning and production of future exhibitions and public programming events. You will regularly give tours of the collection, and help host visits from students, scholars and curators. Discretion will be essential when dealing with sensitive collection information.

Application process:

Please submit the following [e-mail]

• A personal statement (of no more than one A4 Page) explaining why this role is of interest to you and how your skills and experience respond to our requirements.
• A short writing sample of no more than 500 words on an arts or heritage related topic.
• A demonstrable interest in the history of art, design and decorative arts.
• Some experience of working with historic collections or in a museum environment.
• Knowledge of handling and inspecting historic objects.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with a demonstrable ability to make artworks accessible and interesting to various audiences.
• Excellent research and administrative skills.
• Ability to prioritise your workload, deliver to deadlines and adapt quickly in response to ad hoc requests.
• Highly effective interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate diplomatically at all levels.
• Self-motivated with the ability to use initiative when unsupervised.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a small team.
• Experience of writing and producing content for social media pages.
• Knowledge of a relevant second modern language

Please note this position is office based, working hours Monday-Friday 9am-6pm. Annual leave allowance is 20 days with an additional 3 over the Christmas break plus bank holidays.

Deadline for applications:23May 2025

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Entry level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology

• Industries

  Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos

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