Programme Manager: Collection Management Operations
On site (Bloomsbury, London) with occasional travel to other BM sites as required.
Permanent
58,162 per annum
About the role
We are seeking an exceptional Collection Management Operations professional to lead a team of collection management specialists delivering a programme of collection care activities across the British Museum. This successful candidate will have excellent collection management skills and experience, particularly in the technical care of collections, and be able to use and build upon these to work on a more strategic level.
This role balances the running of business as usual alongside leading on the collection care aspects of large scale special and international exhibitions, as well as coordinating collection management input across some of the British Museums permanent displays in the redevelopment of the Western Range.
As such, you’ll oversee the delivery of high-profile projects, lead and motivate an expert team of collection management professionals, act as principal liaison for collection management workstreams within the Museum’s key programmes and consider how the collection management team can best support this exciting period of transformation.
This is a unique and high-impact leadership role underpinned by technical expertise, where you will help shape the future of collection storage, display, access and care at the British Museum.
About you
• Undergraduate degree in a relevant subject and recognised project management qualification, or equivalent experience.
• Significant experience in collection management within a museum or heritage setting with in-depth technical knowledge of collection care and object handling.
• Excellent understanding of display, installation, packing for loan, storage and preventative conservation practices with experience in health and safety management.
• Strong programme or project management experience delivering complex initiatives with multi-disciplinary teams.
• Excellent risk management, planning, budgeting and resource management skills.
• Able to lead, manage and motivate a team of specialist collection care professionals and champions inclusivity and collaboration.
• Ability to engage, influence and collaborate with senior stakeholders across a complex organisation.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to interpret and present complex information clearly.
Key areas of responsibility
• Lead and inspire a team of senior collection management specialists to deliver a complex programme of technical activities across the Museum.
• Act as the principal liaison for collection management workstreams within the Museum’s Masterplan programme as well as other key programmes and exhibitions.
• Oversee delivery of projects including exhibitions, loans, storage solutions and gallery maintenance.
• Ensure all activity supports strategic priorities in line with Collection Care, Storage and Conservation policies.
• Provide expert advice on technical collection management and best practice.
• Lead programme planning, including budget, resources and procurement strategies.
• Drive a high-performance culture, fostering collaboration across collection management, curatorial, conservation and operational teams.
• Manage delivery to tight deadlines, ensuring quality and compliance across all projects.
The Masterplan
The British Museum is undertaking its biggest transformation since its founding nearly 300 years ago. This physical and intellectual transformation includes large scale building and gallery transformation, new ways of connecting with audiences and different ways of working. As we look towards this exciting future, we remain guided by the words of our founder Hans Sloane - who dreamed of a museum connecting all arts and sciences, which would be accessible to everyone, everywhere.
Benefits
At the British Museum, we believe our people are at the heart of everything we do and have designed a benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary. Our full list of benefits can be found via the application link, but we’ve outlined some highlights below:
• Free exhibition entry for you and guests, exclusive private views, ICOM and reciprocal museum access.
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays and 2.5 privilege days (and +5 days after 10 years).
• Learning and development through courses, mentoring and Athena as well as support for professional qualifications.
• Employee Assistance Programme available 24/7 for counselling, wellbeing support and more.
• Enhanced parental leave including maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave.
• Support for carers through Employers for Carers.
• Civil Service Pension Scheme with a secure, inflation‑linked defined benefit.
Our Values
Our values drive everything we do, from how we handle our objects to how we work in our team to fostering a culture where everyone feels heard and empowered:
• Care Deeply
• Embrace the Unknown
• Spark Curiosity
• Value Many Voices
These are a core part of how we recruit. Throughout the application, interview and selection process, we look for examples of how candidates demonstrate these behaviours in their own work and experiences. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with our values and reflect them in your application.
Additional details
At the British Museum, we are committed to a fair and inclusive recruitment process where every applicant has the opportunity to present their genuine strengths and experience in their own voice.
If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details
*We may be able to provide visa sponsorship for this role, subject to meeting eligibility requirements. You can find out more about these here.*
The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.
