Collections Officer; Documentation

The Tank Museum is looking for a Collections Officer (Documentation). This role will be responsible for all museum documentation and will be offered training and other opportunities to eventually develop into the position of Registrar.

The Tank Museum is the world’s largest museum dedicated to armoured fighting vehicles and is the home of over 350 vehicles, a large object collection and an accredited archive. The Tank Museums entire Collection has been Designated by Arts Council England, in recognition of its outstanding national importance.

Within the Tank Museum, the Archive & Object Collections team manages and cares for both the Archive & Object Collections. The Collections Officer (Documentation) will be a key part of this team with the responsibility of overseeing the documentation of items entering or leaving the collection, either permanently or on loan.

Although the Collections Officer (Documentation) role sits within the Archive & Object Collections team, it supports all three of the Museum’s collections:
Archive, Objects and Vehicles.

• To manage correspondence with donors and other museums regarding donations, loans and disposals.
• To manage the acquisition, loans and disposal processes to Spectrum standards, including the documentation on paper and on our Museums Index+ collections management system, Tracer.
• To work closely together with colleagues from all collections teams to make sure that documentation procedures are followed.
• To manage the museum’s historical collection documentation records and respond to internal information requests from these records.
• To assist with ongoing and new cataloguing projects as required.

• Experience working in a museum collections environment and having gained an understanding of the use and importance of collections documentation.
• Experience with maintaining formal correspondence with external stakeholders, ideally in a heritage setting.
• Experience using a Collection Management System (CMS).
• Experience in a customer service role.
• Knowledge of Spectrum procedures.
• Attention to detail and accuracy with an inquisitive and proactive attitude.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, to be able to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
• A strong, clear communicator with the ability to foster excellent working relationships with a diverse range of individuals and organisations, both within the Museum and externally, whilst maintaining high levels of discretion and diplomacy.
• Calm under pressure.

• Degree level or equivalent in a relevant subject such as a Museum, Library or Archive qualification.
• Experience of handling and caring for museum objects and/or archival material.
• Experience of cataloguing collections using a Collection Management System (CMS).
• Knowledge of GDPR, Copyright, Freedom of Information requests and other legal collection requirements.
• Interest in military history.

Due to the nature of this role you will be required to work on‑site. Hybrid or home workers will not be considered. Needs to be able to support evening and weekend events when required.