Job Opportunities

National Railway Museum
Masterplan Programme Director
Competitive Salary
Closing Date: 2 October 2016

The National Railway Museum is recruiting a Masterplan Programme Director to lead the planning and delivery of an once-in-a-lifetime, £50 million programme of capital works, as part of a larger brownfield development that will transform the City of York. The museum’s Masterplan includes a redisplay of the Museum’s biggest gallery, a new interactive gallery, a temporary exhibition space and a new central gallery, linking the existing museum buildings and creating a new public square.

This role will lead the development of detailed project briefs, programmes, budgets and feasibility studies and will be responsible for building and leading project teams to deliver them on time, within budget and to the highest standards.

The successful candidate will have excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage and motivate individuals at all levels towards shared goals. They will also have previous experience in a leadership role for a multifaceted capital build programme along with experience of delivering projects to the RIBA stages and procurement in the public sector; including OJEU tendering.

For further information and to apply, please see here.

Green Howards Museum
Collections Assistant – Uniform Collection
Full Time, Fixed Term Contract
Salary: £17,500
Closing date: 3 October 2016.

The purpose of this post is to support the Museum Director in a project focused on the museum’s uniform collection. The project will include:

  • conducting a significance review
  • the procurement of a new uniform display system
  • the recruitment and training of volunteers
  • the development of on-line collection resources
  • a contemporary collecting project.
For further information, and details of how to apply please see here.

Manchester Museums & Galleries Partnership
Data Officer
Permanent, Full Time Contract
Salary : £30,738 to £37,768
Closing Date : 3 October

Data-driven decision-making is a key element in developing successful organisations, and a number of initiatives have been undertaken in recent times which have enlarged the range of data that we collect.

In order to make the most of this data for strategic developments, we are now seeking to appoint a data manager who will ensure that data collected by the Partnership is robust, fit for purpose, and able to be used strategically to drive performance.

For further information and to apply, please see  here.

York Museums Trust
Volunteers Training Assistant
Permanent, 35 hours pw (flexible over 7 days)
Salary £17,468 to £18,691
Closing Date: Tuesday 4 October 2016

The Trust’s volunteer programme has been running since 2007 and now supports circa 300 active volunteers across all of its sites. The majority of these volunteers are in visitor facing roles, demonstrating and interpreting collection objects or museum spaces to our visitors.

They are seeking a Volunteers Training Assistant to work with the Volunteers Manager and Volunteers Coordinator to help develop and deliver our comprehensive training programme to our visitor facing volunteers.

The successful candidate will have strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to persuade and motivate others. They will be pro-active, self-motivated and able to work unsupervised, in particular you will be able to manage peaks and troughs of workload to make the most efficient use of your time.

Working on the Kirkgate volunteer project will require the post holder to dress in Victorian costume when training costumed volunteers in the space. The trust also have a fully working kitchen on gallery and future volunteer projects may require that the post holder takes a Level 2 Food Hygiene course and trains volunteers in the preparation of historic recipes.

The Trust is committed to providing volunteer roles which are accessible to a diverse audience, including those with learning, sensory or mental health issues, and already successfully works with several volunteers who are on the autistic spectrum. Suitable training will be provided if the post holder does not already have experience in this area.

For further information and to apply, please see here.

National Alliance for Museums, Health & Wellbeing
Project coordinator
Full Time (18 month contract in first instance)
Salary (inclusive of London allowance): £34,056 – £41,163
Closing Date: 5 October 2016

The purpose of this project is to take forward the work of National Alliance for Museums, Health and Wellbeing. The Alliance was established in 2015 as a place where information about museums and health can be shared, to improve best practice, help build resilience and provide resources, training and support. Arts Council England has awarded funding to a national consortium of partners, led by UCL Culture, to take forward Phase 2 of the National Alliance of Museums, Health & Wellbeing.

The 18-month project will include a series of activities to continue the work of the Alliance; raise sector awareness; organise a number of regional training workshops; develop online training materials; and share good practice.

For further information and to apply, please see here.

International Arts and Antiquities Security Forum

The International Arts and Antiquities Security Forum (IAASF) which will this year take place on Friday 11 November at the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, is a one-day conference aimed at security and arts professionals keen to know more about the protection of arts, culture and antiquities.

The need for protecting global arts, antiquities, cultural sites and sites of historical relevance has never been greater. The Forum and shared knowledge that it brings will help individuals and organisations understand and better manage these risks in a cost effective, sensible and practical manner – collectively allowing us to tackle these issues and reduce the cost of crime to the sector.

A BBC Five Live Investigates series in 2013 estimated art and antique theft in the UK to be worth £300m annually. Globally, the figure rises to more than £10bn.

Designed to provide those working in the arts, cultural and antiquities sectors guidance on the global security threats that exist and the methods and techniques to manage impact on organisations and assets, IAASF has attracted a panel of leading international speakers in the field of arts security, including:

Tickets are priced from £125 and can purchased here.

 

Oral History Society Regional Networking Event

This year the Oral History Society is holding its annual event for its regional networkers in Sheffield and local OHS members are warmly invited to attend the afternoon session.

The theme for this year’s event, which will take place on Saturday 15 October at The Workstation in Sheffield, is ‘Oral History and Museums’. It’s an informal event with speaker contributions from local and regional oral historians talking about the impact and use of oral history within the museum sector.

If you’re interested in debate and discussion about the oral history field and this topic, and would like to attend, please contact juliana.vandegrift@btinternet.com.

Whose Art? Our Art! Access and Activism in Gallery Education

The engage International Conference 2016, which is set to take place on 13 & 14 October, will explore how issues of access and activism impact on gallery and visual arts approaches to education and outreach.

Taking place in Liverpool, a city renowned for its radicalism and creativity, at the time of the Liverpool Biennial, this year’s Conference programme will have a strong focus on arts activism – how it has changed not only society’s response to art, but also how it has irrevocably altered the way in which the arts world now engages with society at large.

For further information & to book your place, please see here.

Charity Reform: Implementing Guidance on Fundraising and Governance – Only 14 Places Remaining!

Due to a great response, places for the conference, which takes place on 19 October at Manchester Conference Centre,  are limited and there now are only  14 places remaining. It is advised you to register your place today to avoid disappointment and join charity and public sector professionals who strive for the same aims and objectives and face the same challenges.

Concerns over alleged malpractice and harassment have put fundraising, its regulation and code of practice under heated scrutiny. Sir Stuart Etherington’s report ‘Regulating fundraising for the future: Trust in charities, confidence in fundraising regulation’ (2015) made it clear that there needs to be a better balance between the public’s right to be left alone and a charities’ right to ask for funding.

A key recommendation was a new, single regulator to be an enforcer of the code of fundraising practice across all fundraising organisations in the UK, one able to proactively investigate breaches of standards. Stronger sanctions have been recommended – such as naming and shaming organisations, suspending them from activities and ordering compulsory training. An annual complaints report is set to give a clear indication to the organisations who have been the most complained about and the key reasons for the complaints.

At Charity Reform: Implementing Guidance on Fundraising and Governance delegates will learn how new statutory guidance on charity governance, responsibilities, fundraising practice and financial management can be best implemented throughout their organisation.

To find out more or book a place, please see here.

House of Memories Dementia Awareness for Family Carers Workshops

Has your life been touched by dementia? If the answer is yes, this workshop is for you. The Museum of Liverpool and their museum partners across England are inviting carers, family members, friends and community volunteers to museums across England to find out more about dementia and the useful resources and activities that museums can provide to support you and your loved ones.

The free, half-day dementia awareness workshop is specially developed for family carers. It will include an introduction to dementia through video stories to help understand the experience of living with dementia and being a carer. There will be an opportunity to try out our innovative My House of Memories app and take part in dementia-friendly museum activities.

Please note that due to the sensitive nature of the topic, House of Memories may prompt an emotional response in those attending. You are welcome to take a break if necessary.

The dates for dementia awareness workshops for family carers are:

  • 2 November – New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, Leicester
  • 14 November – Salford Museum and Art Gallery
  • 25 November – Museum of Liverpool
  • 1 December – British Museum, London
Each day there is a morning workshop 9.30am – 12.30pm and an afternoon workshop 1.30 – 4.30pm.

To book please email learning@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk or call 0151 478 4240 and leave your contact details and which date and time you would like to book.

Find out more here.

An Introduction to Museum Documentation and the SPECTRUM Standard

This session will explore museum documentation, its importance and how it can be approached to benefit both the organisation and audience. Together, we will review the primary SPECTRUM procedures, identifying potential actions for your organisation.

There will be an opportunity to learn about the UK documentation standard, SPECTRUM. There will also be an opportunity to give feedback and contribute to the next version of the standard.

This session will be led by Sarah Brown, Outreach Officer for Collections Trust.

For further information and to book your place, please see here. Should  you have any further questions, please contact  Alan Bentley
 

Society of Decorative Art Curators Metalwork Study Day

The Society of Decorative Art Curators metalwork study day, which will take place on Wednesday 5 October 2016 at Millennium Galleries, Sheffield, will provide guidance on the identification of metals, including silver and metals which are often mistaken for silver, including plated wares. It will be an excellent opportunity for beginners but also will give those with more experience of handling metalwork the chance to brush up their knowledge.

This is a rare chance for members to study actual pieces, concentrating on identification of metals including Old Sheffield Plate, silver, electroplated nickel silver, pewter, Britannia metal and Stainless steel.

There will be sessions covering identification, cataloguing and research, manufacture, storage, display, preventative conservation and cleaning. There will also be an opportunity to visit The Sykes Gallery: Metalwork Collection gallery, refurbished in 2015.

The Study Day will be held at the Millennium Galleries, which houses a gallery dedicated to Museum Sheffield’s Designated collection of metalwork, including the largest and best cutlery and flatware collection in the UK.

The day, which will be led by Clare Starkie, Curator of Decorative Art and Emma Paragreen, Curator and Librarian, Sheffield Assay Office, is £15 for members and £20 for non-members (non-members price includes one year membership). Places must be booked in advance.  Please request an application form from:  Rachel.Conroy@leeds.gov.uk

 

Arts Award Access Fund (England) Second 2016 Round Open

The Access Fund is designed to help registered Arts Award centres who would not otherwise be able to complete Arts Award due to a lack of funds. It is managed by Trinity College London in association with Arts Council England and was launched in 2005. It is now flourishing in arts centres, colleges and schools, community projects, libraries, galleries, local authorities, theatres, youth clubs and youth justice settings.

Applications from all registered Arts Award centres based in England are accepted but priority will be given to the following centres which are:

  • working with disadvantaged young people
  • taking part in Arts Award for the first time
  • not receiving regular public funding
  • using the grant to access an Arts Award Supporter.

For further information, please see here

Consultancy Opportunity: Port Sunlight Museum

In 2016 Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT) successfully bid for an ACE Museum Resilience Fund grant to enable it to determine its social role in the village, to further unlock the potential of the unique partnership that is developing between it and the residents, and to develop its first 5 year strategic plan.

The project is ambitious and the findings will help PSVT to shape all aspects of its operating model in the future. It comes at a pivotal moment in its evolution when it is transitioning towards financial independence. PSVT is now looking to recruit a dynamic, creative and experienced consultant who can dedicate the time required to manage and deliver the project successfully.

The project has two main aims:

  1. To understand the potential of the unique partnership that is developing between the museum and village residents, and how it can be harnessed to improve peoples lives and preserve the special heritage and character of Port Sunlight;
  2. To explore how the museum function can contribute to the prosperity of Port Sunlight Village Trust by driving change and innovation, and helping to define the Trust’s purpose and strategic direction

For further details read the brief here – consultant-brief-for-ace-project-the-role-of-the-museum-in-the-resilience-of-port-sunlight-september-2016.

Budget

The available budget is £30,000 to include VAT, travel and expenses for an 18 month contract. £10,000 is available in year 1 and £20,000 in year 2.

Consultants are invited to apply by submitting a proposal that demonstrates the following:

  • Your approach and process/method to deliver the project
  • The range and depth of relevant experience in delivering this type of project including working with partners and commissioning consultants and contractors
  • Your capacity to manage the project with other commitments
  • Indicative timetable outlining how you will divide your time between activities

Please provide the name of two referees who have experience of working with you on similar projects.

An outline project timetable and budget are available from the Trust, along with a ‘Setting the Scene’ document. Please contact Katherine Lynch, Heritage Manager on 0151 644 4816 or k.lynch@portsunlightvillage.com for information.

The deadline for submissions is 10am Friday 14th October. Please email submissions to k.lynch@portsunlightvillage.com Interviews are likely to be held on Tuesday 18th October in Port Sunlight.