Assistant Director (Artwork Management)

National Gallery Singapore; Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

National Gallery Singapore is seeking a strategic leader to drive artwork management, loans, and governance. You will oversee insurance, risk management, and compliance across the Artwork Management department, while coordinating international loan projects and liaising with global museums and partners.

The role requires 8–10 years of relevant experience, a related degree, and strong leadership and communication skills to foster collaboration across multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders in

Qualifications

• Preferably a degree in Museum Studies or related discipline.
• 8–10 years of relevant working experience in collections management or loans.
• Strong knowledge of collections governance, insurance, risk and compliance.
• Proven leadership and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Support the Director in developing strategies, policies and governance for artwork management and loans.
• Lead collections governance, insurance administration, and risk management across the department.
• Oversee policy development, procedures and best practices for collections management and movement of artworks.
• Advise management on trends and best practices in collections stewardship, loans and logistics.
• Lead end-to-end planning of National Collection loan projects with local and international institutions.
• Coordinate logistics, courier duties, and liaise with global museums and stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Stakeholder management

Attention to detail

Education

Museum studies degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Collections management systems

Job description

About Us

National Gallery Singapore is a leading visual arts institution which oversees the world's largest public collection of Singapore and Southeast Asian modern art. Situated at the birthplace of modern Singapore, in the heart of the Civic District, the Gallery is housed in two national monuments - City Hall and former Supreme Court - that have been beautifully restored and transformed into this exciting 64,000 square metre venue. Reflecting Singapore's unique heritage and geographical location, the Gallery aims to be a progressive museum that creates dialogues between the art of Singapore, Southeast Asia and the world to foster and inspire a creative and inclusive society. This is reflected in our collaborative research, education, long‑term and special exhibitions, and innovative programming. The Gallery also works with international museums such as Centre Pompidou, Muse d'Orsay, Tate Britain, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT) and National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), to jointly present Southeast Asian art in the global context, positioning Singapore as a key node in the global visual arts scene.

In 2020, the Gallery was the only museum in Southeast Asia that received a ranking in The Art Newspaper's annual global survey of attendance at art museums, taking 20th place. In 2018, the Gallery was also the first museum in Asia to receive the Children in Museums Award by the European Museum Academy and Hands On! International Association of Children in Museums. It also won the awards for "Best Theme Attraction" at TTG Travel Awards 2017, "Best Attraction Experience", "Breakthrough Contribution to Tourism" and "Best Customer Service (Attractions)" at the prestigious Singapore Tourism Awards in 2016 for its role in adding to the vibrancy of Singapore's tourism landscape.

We offer job opportunities in our dynamic organisation. Working at the Gallery enhances and cultivates your love for the arts, and offers you a chance to be part of the Gallery's vision.

OUR PEOPLE

At National Gallery Singapore, we develop cultural leaders who make the world better. Our people are united by a shared belief in the power and necessity of art, and work together to create meaningful experiences for our visitors.

Job Description

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Support the Director in developing and implementing strategies, policies, and operational frameworks relating to artwork management, collections management, loans, logistics, risk management, and compliance.
• Provide leadership and oversight for collections governance, artwork stewardship, risk management, insurance administration, and compliance activities across the Artwork Management department.
• Lead the review, development, and implementation of policies, standard operating procedures, and best practices relating to collections management, artwork movement, loans administration, documentation, and preventive care.
• Advise management on emerging trends, risks, and industry best practices relating to collections stewardship, insurance, loans management, and artwork logistics.

National Collection Loans Management

• Lead and manage all incoming and outgoing Gallery National Collection loan requests from local and international institutions, ensuring alignment with institutional objectives, loan policies, and stakeholder requirements.
• Oversee the end‑to‑end planning and execution of National Collection loan projects, including assessment of loan requests, lender and borrower requirements, loan approvals, scheduling, and risk management.
• Coordinate and oversee all logistical arrangements, including to act as a courier relating to National Collection loans, including transportation planning, freight forwarding, customs requirements, insurance coverage, packing specifications, and environmental requirements.
• Liaise with local and international museums, galleries, government agencies, logistics providers, insurers, conservators, and other stakeholders to facilitate successful loan outcomes.

Insurance & Risk Management

• Oversee artwork insurance for incoming and outgoing loans, including National Collection and Gallery's loans.
• Lead the development and periodic review of business continuity, emergency response, and disaster recovery plans relating to artworks and collections.

Compliance, Audit & Assurance

• Lead audit preparedness and compliance reviews relating to collections management, inventory controls, loan documentation, insurance records, and artwork movement processes.
• Oversee periodic artwork verification exercises, inventory reconciliations, and collections audits to ensure accountability and compliance with organisational requirements.
• Ensure accurate maintenance of collections records, loan documentation, insurance schedules, condition reports, and governance records.
• Monitor compliance with internal policies, regulatory requirements, lender obligations, and museum best practices.

Capability Development & Continuous Improvement

• Lead capability development initiatives relating to collections management, artwork logistics, loans administration, documentation standards, risk management, and artwork stewardship.
• Develop and coordinate training programmes and knowledge‑sharing initiatives to strengthen professional competencies across the Artwork Management department.
• Foster collaboration between collections, logistics, exhibition operations, and related stakeholders to improve end‑to‑end workflow management.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with lenders, museums, government agencies, insurers, logistics providers, and other stakeholders.
• Represent the Gallery on collections management, loans, insurance, governance, and artwork stewardship matters at internal and external forums.

Other Duties

• Undertake other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Director, Artwork & Exhibition Management.

Qualifications

• Preferably at least 8-10 years of relevant working experience in collections management, museum registration, artwork loans and logistics, or a related field. A degree in Museum Studies, Preventive Conservation, Information Science, Business or Arts Management, or a related discipline is preferred. Equivalent combinations of relevant training and professional experience will also be considered.
• Strong knowledge of collections governance, artwork loans administration, insurance, risk management, inventory control and compliance would be an advantage.
• Familiarity with audit processes and collection inventory systems, with the ability to support audit preparedness, maintain accurate records and ensure compliance with organisational requirements.
• Proven leadership, project management and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and complex operational requirements.
• Meticulous, organised, analytical and independent, with strong problem‑solving and decision‑making abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and writing skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and engage effectively with local and international stakeholders.
• Proactive, adaptable and committed to continuous learning, process improvement and team development.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and able to adapt to new technologies and collections management systems.
• A keen interest in the arts, heritage and culture, with a strong commitment to the care and stewardship of the National Collection.