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| Job Title: |
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Head of Collection Management |
| Organisation: |
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Tate |
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| Salary: |
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£61,750 - £63,750 p.a. |
| Type: |
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Full-Time Position |
| Location: |
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London, England |
| Closing Date: |
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Wednesday, 8th April 2026 |
| Job Ref No: |
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| Job Description |
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Job title: Head of Collection Management
Department: Collection Management, Collection Care
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £61,750 - £63,750 per annum
Hours: Full time, 36 hours
Location: Tate Britain, Millbank, London
Reporting to: Director of Collection Care
Responsible for: Collection Management department – Art Handling, Collection Registrars, Photography & Imaging, Storage Teams
Background
Tate’s vision is to serve as artistically adventurous and culturally inclusive art museums for the UK and the world. We deliver this through activities in our four galleries across the UK (Tate Liverpool, Tate St Ives, Tate Britain and Tate Modern), our digital platforms and collaborations with our national and international partners. At the heart of Tate is our collection of art, which includes the national collection of British art from the 16th century to the present day, and international modern and contemporary art from 1900 to the present day, spanning all continents. We seek to expand access to the collection and deepen understanding of art in all its diversity.
Tate is a leading global institution, and we influence critical thinking about art practice. Tate is committed to maintaining free entry for audiences to our collections. We see access to art for everyone as a universal human right and we see our galleries as sites of creative learning. We want to champion the importance of making art and encourage people to explore the many ways in which art is created and develop their own creative potential.
We want to welcome audiences that better reflect the towns and cities in our nation and attract a diverse international public. Our reach is already powerful. We intend to increase its impact across society, with art that resonates around the world.
Everyone who works at Tate has a role to play in achieving these goals. We offer exciting work built around our love for art, and have a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, with the aim to have our workforce and audience as diverse as the communities we serve. And everything we do is only possible thanks to our fantastic colleagues, who really know their stuff, support each other and want to do the best for our audiences.
We hope you will consider joining our team.
You can find further information about Tate on our website: www.tate.org.uk
About the role
The Collection Management department brings excellence and innovation to the management and care of Tate’s collections. The team are responsible for the logistical, legal, practical and technical aspects of looking after, moving, recording and installing the works of art in Tate’s care and for facilitating the delivery of Tate’s programmes across Tate, nationally and internationally. We hold the inventory of all works of art in the collection and manage Tate’s storage facilities.
The teams work closely with our colleagues in the Conservation and Library & Archive departments, as well as colleagues across Tate to manage, preserve and enable access to Tate’s collections in both physical and digital formats.
About your team
The Collection Management department brings excellence and innovation to the management and care of Tate’s collections. The team are responsible for the logistical, legal, practical and technical aspects of looking after, moving, recording and installing the works of art in Tate’s care and for facilitating the delivery of Tate’s programmes across Tate, nationally and internationally. We hold the inventory of all works of art in the collection and manage Tate’s storage facilities.
The teams work closely with our colleagues in the Conservation and Library & Archive departments, as well as colleagues across Tate to manage, preserve and enable access to Tate’s collections in both physical and digital formats.
What you will do (Main Duties and Responsibilities)
• Direct and lead the policy and strategy for Collection Management Tate-wide, providing leadership and innovation in policy and practice for collection management, installation and storage, enhancing and promoting Tate’s expertise and reputation and influencing the sector internationally.
• Hold overall responsibility for ensuring Tate complies with its contractual, legal and regulatory obligations in relation to the management, care, loan and movement of art works, ensuring that all relevant standards of Collection Care practice and procedure are communicated effectively, understood widely and complied with routinely. Ensure compliance with standards and procedures to minimise the risk of damage to art works whilst facilitating public access. Hold responsibility as Tate Britain Site Supervisor for the Civil Aviation Authority Known Consignor scheme.
• Implement clear and consistent standards for the registration, documentation, movement, transportation, installation, storage, protection and insurance of Tate’s collections and works in Tate’s care, in accordance with Tate’s statutory obligations, and con sistent with those of the international museum sector. Overseeing and improving access to stored collections, as well as storage decant projects.
• Plan, oversee, forecast and be accountable for all Collection Management budgets. Maintain effective and appropriate financial systems and controls, working with the Collection Management Management Team (CMMT) to ensure compliance with spending allocations and reporting to the Director of Collection Care and Finance as required. Contribute to divisional budget planning and management, modelling scenarios and seeking to maximise efficiency across Collection Care.
• Represent Tate externally, managing relevant reporting for Tate to external bodies and at key external sector meetings. Act for Collection Care and Tate, building relationships and partners and playing a leading role nationally and internationally on issues concerning collection management
• Provide specialist knowledge and expertise for Tate on all aspects of collection management, making an authoritative contribution to Tate committees, advising and reporting to Tate’s Directors and Trustees, as required.
• Act as Tate’s Information Asset Owner for artwork records and related information in Tate’s TMS and iBase collection management database systems, ensuring that data and documentation about Tate’s Collections is accurate, up-to-date and meets due diligence, audit and legal requirements.
• As part of the Collection Care Leadership Team, work to develop and deliver Collection Care’s vision and strategy, provide visible and effective leadership to Collection Management, managing performance across the department and supporting line managers to: cultivate a working environment characterised by openness, trust and enable teams to be encouraged to develop to their own potential. Motivate and empower individuals to take and share responsibility; and ensure that staff are aware of and recognised for their contribution to key tasks.
• As a member of the Collection Care Leadership team, share responsibility for managing Collection Care’s facilities and share responsibility for liaison with colleagues in Estates for Building and Facilities Management issues to ensure appropriate standards and controls for Care of the Collections are met and ensure that compliance with Tate’s Safety, Health & Environment policy is properly monitored. Take overall responsibility for the Collection Management element of Tate’s Business Continuity Plan and support the implementation of Tate’s Salvage plan.
• Champion diversity and inclusion in recruitment and practice within Collection Management and create a truly inclusive and welcoming environment for all those who work at Tate.
• Lead, manage and support projects, collaborating closely with teams across Tate, and with the Research department on research projects, to progress strategic priorities on Collection Management research that will benefit Tate and the international museum community. Work closely with the Development department to secure funding for budget relieving and non-budget relieving activities and projects.
What you will bring to the team
• Extensive knowledge of Collection Management; significant professional experience within a major museum collection; experience managing a storage decant project.
• A motivational leader and good communicator, able to establish vision and purpose to a diverse team of highly professional staff, and work across a complex organisation.
• Achievement in a senior management role including policy and strategy formation, service planning, development and delivery, managing complexity and organisational change.
• Demonstrable experience in leading and managing people and a track record in creating high performing teams where staff feel valued and motivated to perform.
• Up-to-date understanding of new and emerging technologies and innovations in collection care and the scope for exploiting them
• Clear thinking and solutions focussed – able to manage competing demands, make effective decisions and able the think creatively to come up with solutions to problems
• Sound business planning skills, including experience of planning budgeting, risk management and implementing operational efficiency.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, proven ability to lead, negotiate and be able to work collaboratively across a complex organisation to achieve and deliver results
• Professional standing and a commitment to national and international networking; developing relevant contacts to facilitate collaboration and capture emerging best practice
• Champion principles of equality, diversity, inclusion and sustainability, and the ability to apply and promote these in everything you do at work.
• Commitment to delivering Collection Care’s shared objectives and to acting as a critical and supportive friend to colleagues within Collection Care’s Leadership Team
• An interest and commitment to the work of the Tate
Tate for all
Diversity and Inclusion
Our jobs are like our galleries, open to all.
Our aim is to become a truly inclusive organisation with a workforce and audience as diverse as the communities we serve. This is fundamental to Tate’s future success and our ability to continue to contribute to culture and society in the UK.
We want our workforce to be more representative of all sections of society at all levels in the organisation. The range of perspectives and experience diversity brings is an asset to our organisation and we want to create an inclusive, welcoming environment for visitors, artists and all those who work at Tate. Tate expects all employees to contribute to this aim as part of their role. More information about diversity and inclusion at Tate can be found on our website.
Our Values
• Open: we’re welcoming, generous-spirited and inquisitive, with an open-source attitude that thrives on collaboration.
• Bold: we have the courage of our convictions, we’re willing to take imaginative risks: we aren’t afraid of failure - so long as we learn from it.
• Rigorous: we’ll win people’s trust if we’re accountable for our actions and excellence underpins everything we do.
• Kind: we value and respect each other, our partners, and our visitors, striving to make every encounter memorable and enriching.
Employee Benefits
• Birthdays off each year
• 25 days leave per year, rising to 27 (pro rata for part time colleagues) .
• A pension scheme with generous employer contributions.
• Life Assurance and Income Protection for DC scheme members.
• Interest-free Season Ticket Loan.
• Cycle to Work scheme – enabling you to buy a bike in a tax efficient way, for travelling to and from work.
• Rental deposit scheme – an interest free advance to help towards the cost of a deposit for privately rented accommodation
• Discounts in the Tate Restaurants and Cafes.
• Access to Tate Benefits which offers access to discounts in high street stores.
• Access to a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme to support you with any work, personal or family issues. This includes telephone-based support, as well as comprehensive online resources.
• Free entry to paying exhibitions at Tate Galleries. Opportunities for family and friends to visit the major exhibitions out–of-hours.
• Discounts on items purchased in the Tate shops.
• Free access to a number of other galleries and museums throughout the UK on production of a valid staff pass.
• Free access to other galleries and museums abroad through the International Council of Museums (ICOM) membership
Safer Recruitment
Tate is committed to providing a safe environment for all those who work at Tate and all those who come into contact with Tate as visitors to the galleries, as participants in Tate activities, and online. The safe recruitment of all those who undertake work on behalf of Tate is the first step to ensuring that we are fulfilling this commitment.
All positions at Tate are offered subject to the following conditions:
• Receipt of satisfactory references covering the last 3 years of your employment or education.
• Health clearance
• A satisfactory Disclosure Check.
• Proof that you are legally entitled to work in the UK
You can find out more information about our pre -employment checks and what they mean for you in our ‘Guidance Notes for Applicants’ document. |
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| Application Instructions |
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How to apply
Our opportunities are open for you to apply online. Please visit: https://www.tate.org.uk/about-us/working-at-tate to create an account by registering your details or, if you are an existing user, log into your account.
For all opportunities we ask candidates to complete an online application form for the vacancy they are interested in. If you need an application form in an alternative format please call us on 020 7887 4997. Once you have submitted your application you can keep track of its progress by logging into your account.
The closing date for the submission of completed application forms is 8 April 2026 by midnight.
Where vacancies attract large volumes of applicants, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early. Therefore, if you are interested, please try to submit your application as early as possible. Application Link:
https://careers.tate.org.uk/members/modules/job/detail.php?record=562 |
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https://www.tate.org.uk |
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Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG. |
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