Senior Collection Manager: Heavy Objects

www.nationalmuseums.org.uk - Jobboard; London; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

The British Museum seeks a Collection Management Operations Lead to oversee heavy object handling within its expansive collection. The role requires specialized knowledge in collection care, team leadership skills, and the ability to manage safety practices while delivering critical projects. As part of a historic institution, you will contribute to preserving cultural heritage in a contemporary context.

Benefits

Generous annual leave allowance

Membership of civil service pension scheme

Free entry to museums and exhibitions

Interest-free travel and bicycle loans

Professional development opportunities

Employee Assistance Programme

Discounts on food and gifts

Qualifications

• Experience managing heavy object handling and collection care.
• Ability to lead and motivate teams.
• Understanding of British Museum’s collections.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning for handling teams and project delivery.
• Advise on technical aspects of object movement and display.
• Manage team performance and development.

Skills

Practical experience of hand tools

Knowledge of materials

Team leadership

Education

Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Forklift license

Mobile cranes

Workshop equipment

Job description

About the role:
Lead on the planning, coordination and delivery of collection management operations across the Museum, with a focus on the scheduling and delivery of the heavy object handling components of the Museum’s ambitious collection programme.

The post holder will be a specialist point of advice on the movement, display, and handling of heavy objects for colleagues internally and externally. The role will also contribute to the development of standard procedures and related training, reflecting recognised best practice and health and safety standards in the sector.

Key areas of responsibility:
• Lead on the resource planning of dedicated heavy object handling teams to deliver a programme of projects and daily care of the collection, as well as the implementation, management and review of policies and procedures to underpin the work.
• Use specialist knowledge of heavy object handling and understanding of building concepts such as floor loading to advise on the planning and preparation of movement of museum objects such as monumental sculpture, friezes, lintels, etc. with a strong focus on technical skills, resource allocation, planning, and staff and object safety, balancing business-as-usual delivery with collection projects.
• Manage a team of Collection Managers including robust planning and management of progression and development within their teams and delivery of pro-active performance management as required.
• Maintain a common schedule of projects and activities, including delivery of the Museum’s loans and temporary exhibitions programme, reporting to senior management and other colleagues as required.

About you:
• Practical experience of hand tools, workshop equipment and scaffolding.
• Specialist equipment knowledge including slinging and forklift license, mobile cranes, gantries, etc.
• Good knowledge of materials, in particular different types of stone and their attributes.
• In-depth knowledge of collection care and object handling, display, and preventive conservation practices.
• Demonstrable interest in aspects of the British Museum’s collections.
• Resource and budget management.
• Demonstratable ability to lead, develop, and motivate a team.
• An undergraduate degree or equivalent practical experience.

About the British Museum:
Founded in 1753, the British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history and culture. The Museum is a leading visitor attraction, and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, the Sutton-Hoo finds, and the Lewis Chessmen. The Museum also holds an extensive collection of prints and drawings spanning 600 years, including works by the greatest graphic artists such as Dürer, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.

You can view a selection of our impressive collection of prints and drawings in our virtual gallery.

The Museum offers a competitive benefits package including:

• Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service) plus 2.5 privilege days and plus bank holidays.
• Membership of the civil service defined benefit pension scheme (find out here what benefits a civil service pension provides).
• Free entry to a wide range of museums and exhibitions
• Participation in private and public Museum activities, including talks by leading curators from around the world and behind-the-scenes opportunities to learn how museums care for and manage their extraordinary collections.
• Interest-free travel, bicycle, and rental deposit loans
• Professional and personal development opportunities
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts on food and gift shop purchases

Additional details:
For more information about this role, please see the job description.
If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to [e-mail].

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees have the right to work in the UK. If you currently do not hold the right to work in the UK, we can only sponsor a limited number of roles that meet eligibility criteria. To offer a sponsorship, the job role you apply needs to be in the list of eligible occupations: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations. Additionally (with some limited exceptions), the role will need to meet the minimum salary threshold of £38,700 or the going rate for the job, whichever is the highest. You can find more information here: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job

The British Museum is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from unlawful discrimination or harassment. We value the benefits that a diverse workforce brings to a museum which represents world culture. The Museum is committed to ensuring that no job applicant suffers unlawful discrimination because of any protected characteristics. Our recruitment procedures aim to ensure that individuals are treated because of their relevant knowledge, skills, and experience.

We specifically encourage applications from candidates from ethnic minority groups who are underrepresented within our senior roles.

We offer a flexible way of working scheme that allows our employees to work remotely in a way that suits them and the organisation. We welcome questions and conversations at interview stage about how flexible working could work for you.

The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.

National Museum Directors' Council, Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG.