Assistant Collection Manager: Loans and Display

Full-time

On-site in Bloomsbury, London, with occasional travel to other sites in London and Reading

Fixed term (2 years, 3 months)

£31,675 per annum

Interviews are expected to take place on Thursday, 19 October.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the British Museum’s Loans & Display team, helping to deliver the Museum’s busy programme of exhibitions as well as UK and international loans.

Primarily a hands-on technical role, you will work with objects from across the collection, supporting their safe preparation, movement, packing, display and installation. You will also use our organisational skills to support the coordination of loans and other activity.

The team works in a fast-paced environment, often to tight deadlines, offering excellent opportunities to develop and innovate technical skills, methods and processes while contributing to an ambitious programme of exhibitions and loans.

If you are passionate about the practical care and movement of collections and are looking for an opportunity to develop your technical expertise while contributing to a high-profile programme of exhibitions and international loans, we would be delighted to hear from you.

We are looking for someone with demonstrable practical experience and technical knowledge relevant to museum collections, exhibitions and loans, ideally gained within a museum or gallery environment.

You will bring:

• Practical experience of object handling and working safely with museum, gallery or heritage collections.
• Good manual dexterity and confidence using appropriate hand tools and workshop equipment.
• An understanding of different object types, materials and their handling and display requirements.
• Knowledge and experience of technical activities such as packing objects for transit; mount-making; and exhibition installation and deinstallation is advantageous.
• Able to plan or schedule practical installation activities, with the organisational skills to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Strong problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail and the ability to develop practical solutions to technical challenges.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues and external partners.
• The flexibility to undertake occasional out-of-hours work and UK and international travel where required.

As an Assistant Collection Manager within Loans & Display, you will:

• Safely handle, move, pack and prepare museum objects for UK and international loans, exhibitions and displays.
• Design and make appropriate mounts and supports for objects, using a range of materials, techniques and workshop equipment.
• Support the installation and deinstallation of exhibitions, displays and loans, both at the British Museum and at other venues.
• Help plan and coordinate installation activity, including schedules, resources and practical requirements, to ensure projects are delivered safely and to deadline.
• Undertake condition checking, documentation and photography, maintaining accurate object and location records.
• Work closely with colleagues across the Museum and with external organisations to coordinate the safe movement and display of objects.
• Identify practical challenges and contribute to technical solutions and improvements in working methods and processes.
• Where required, act as a courier accompanying objects on UK and international loans.
• Ensure appropriate collections care, security and health and safety standards are maintained throughout all activities.

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