Director: Creative Programmes and Collections

Job Description

Job title: Director: Creative Programmes and Collections (up to one year maternity cover FTC)

Department: Creative Programmes and Collections

Salary: £63k plus generous pension and holiday

Reporting line: Director

Responsible for: Curator, Community Producer, Creative Learning Producer, Exhibitions & Project Manager, Volunteer Manager, Collections Manager

Role type: Full-time, i.e. 35 hours pw. Applications for part-time working, flexible or hybrid working (minimum 4 days a week in person) will be considered

Job purpose

Museum of the Home is seeking a temporary Director: Creative Programmes and Collections to cover key aspects of the role during maternity leave. The postholder will lead the curatorial, collections and learning teams, with particular focus on developing a dynamic and issues-focused programming strategy for the next five years.

Other key areas of work include developing our plans for Phase II of our Real Rooms project, to rethink our roomsets from 1600-1830; developing a national and international impact strategy - ensuring Museum of the Home reaches more people; leading on the possible redisplay of the statue of Robert Geffrye within a wider decolonisation framework.

This role also needs to work closely with the Head of Communications on an audience development strategy and content development for the new website, with the Head of Commercial Development to boost income generated from programming and with the Head of Development on fundraising strategies.

Experience at a senior level within the Museum sector will be an advantage.

Our values, and how they are represented in this role, you must be:

Bold: Brave in trying new things, taking action and fighting for change on issues affecting the ways we live.

Kind: friendly, generous and considerate in all your actions

Eco-active: embed climate action in all decision-making and encourage visitors to make eco-minded choices at home.

Equitable: act transparently, ethically and inclusively - and allocate resources, time and care equitably

Main responsibilities

• Play an active role on the Museum’s Leadership Team, ensuring the work of the Creative Programmes and Collections Department is well represented and collaborative, including representation at the Board of Trustees.
• Lead the curatorial, collections and learning teams, providing clear and inspirational line management.
• Develop and begin delivery of the five-year programming strategy, including embedding process and procedure.
• With community partners, lead on plans for the redisplay of the statue of Robert Geffrye.
• Develop plans for Phase II of our Real Rooms capital project, to rethink our roomsets from 1600-1830.
• Lead on research and dissemination, including the support of nine PhD studentships and the Museum’s contribution to the Centre for Studies of Home, a partnership with Queen Mary University.
• Develop and begin delivery for a national and international impact strategy, taking an issues-based approach to the history of home, past, present and future and ensuring the work of the Museum has wider reach.
• Develop and begin delivery for the Cotton Chair Collection project, to digitise and promote this important resource of English Regional Chairs.
• Lead on evaluation for the Museum – drawing together current practices across departments and developing a process for ensuring learnings impact new planning.
• Develop the Museum’s role within our diverse local community.
• Be an advocate for the Museum’s vision, brand and manifesto.

The above list is not exclusive or exhaustive and the job holder may be required to undertake such other duties as may reasonably be required.

Skills/Knowledge/Experience/Personal Attributes:

Essential:

• Experience within the museum sector at a senior level, including line management.
• Strategic thinker, able to form clear and inspiring plans and unite teams to deliver.
• Experienced programmer, with a passion for issues-based content and for working with and for diverse audiences.
• Proven budget management experience and understanding of targets and deadlines.
• Ability to think creatively and challenge status quo.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work in new ways with external partners including community organisations, schools, artists, curators and academics.
• A passion for education in museums.
• Ready to work occasional evenings and weekends, for which a time off in lieu system operates.
• Experience of diligence and compliance in security matters and health and safety regulations.

Desirable:

• Experience of decolonisation practice within a cultural organisation.
• Experience of collections management.
• Experience working with event planning and scheduling software e.g. Artifax.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to maintaining an inclusive working environment, with a diverse workforce. We value individuality, equality and representation and appoint on merit.

As a Disability Confident Committed employer, our recruitment is inclusive and accessible. If you would like to request an alternative application format on disability grounds, please contact us on jobs@museumofthehome.org.uk.

This role may require out of hours work in the event of an emergency to support the emergency plan.

All back of house roles on minimum 4 days per week will work approximately one shift per month in the galleries as part of our Visitor First scheme.

This role will require a basic DBS clearance.

Benefits:

We aim to provide a stimulating working environment for everyone in the team. You’ll be working alongside great colleagues and in a beautiful Grade I listed building.

You are also entitled to other employment benefits when you join us:

• 25 days paid holiday per year (increasing by one day per year, up to 30 days), plus bank holidays (FTE).
• Membership to one of two pension schemes.
• Staff discount in our shop and on-site café.
• Free access to many exhibitions, museums and art galleries in London.
• Enhanced sick pay and family leave.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Season Ticket Loan.
• A confidential Employee Assistance Programme.
• Free tea and coffee.

We also have various groups for staff to join:

• Wellbeing forum.
• Climate Action Group.
• Equity Action Group.

How to Apply:

Please complete the application form on the next page and submit along with your CV and a written supporting statement (approximately 1,000 words and no more than 2 A4 pages) which includes your motivation for the role.

Applications will be reviewed anonymously by the selection panel consisting of HR, Deputy Director and Director. For Safer Recruitment purposes, an application form will be provided to collect additional information if a candidate is selected for interview.

Shortlisted candidates will be offered the opportunity to speak with the Director prior to interview; this is your time to find out more about the role and the Museum. This does not form part of the formal interview process.

All applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by 1 December 2024. Please contact NSwaffield@museumofthehome.org.uk or jobs@museumofthehome.org.uk to discuss this further.