Head, Live Engagement and Participation

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Sector: Arts and Heritage, Charity and Not for Profit, Libraries, Museums and Galleries

Role: Senior Manager

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full Time

Salary: £68,077

Closing date: Wednesday, 4 December 2025

Wellcome Collection is a free museum and library exploring health and human experience, where you can enjoy exhibitions, museum and library collections, public events, and a vibrant shop and café. We also publish books and online stories.

This is a great time to join Wellcome Collection as we embark on an exciting period of change. Wellcome Collection has recently introduced a new ten-year strategy and this role will play an important part in bringing to life our vision of a world where everyone's experience of health matters.

We are looking for a Head, Live Engagement and Participation to join our team on a permanent basis.

Where in Wellcome will I be working?

You will join the Live Engagement & Participation team in the Curatorial and Public Practice department at Wellcome Collection leading the museum's team responsible for live engagement and participation, driven by the needs and interests of audiences.

What will I be doing?

You will be responsible for leading a department of producers developing and delivering programmes with young people, adult audiences, and communities to engage with our collections, health, and social justice. In collaboration with the Associate Director, Curatorial and Public Practice and the team, you will shape the strategic vision for the Live Engagement and Participation department ensuring a clear and holistic strategy for the forward programme. You will oversee all delivery planning, partnership frameworks, key recruitment for the team, budgets, reporting and evaluations. You will play a key role in maximising the reach and impact of this team, establishing a culture of reflective practice to ensure we are learning from our work and the needs of audiences, and evidencing the impact of this work.

As we implement our new strategy for a world where everyone's experience of health matters, you'll work with the Engagement and Participation Lead and leadership team to define the direction of our new commitment to participation in a way that's meaningful, sustainable, and equitable.

As Head, Live Engagement and Participation you will:

• Provide management and leadership for the Live Engagement & Participation team that are developing and delivering live engagement programmes.
• Be an active member of the Wellcome Collection management team, developing reciprocal links across teams within Wellcome Collection.
• Support Wellcome Collection's anti-racist and anti-ableist practice through personal development, nurturing networks and developing the team.

Is this job for me?

We are looking for a Head, Live Engagement and Participation who has experience in leading teams and running dynamic and ambitious engagement programmes for audiences with different interests and needs. You will have strong management, people, and communication skills. An understanding of museums and libraries and mechanisms for building trust with people who have been underserved by the sector will be a strength:

We are looking for somebody who has:

• Strong management and leadership experience, with the ability to communicate, motivate, and influence a wide range of people.
• Expertise in leading cultural engagement programmes across different scales, for audiences with different needs and is a strategic and creative thinker.
• Experience in participatory work, working closely with young people, adults, community groups to understand audience priorities and bring about meaningful social change.
• Experience in initiating and leading high-profile partnerships.
• Confidence in setting and managing budgets, forecasting and delivery planning.
• Exceptional written and verbal skills, including the ability to represent Wellcome Collection publicly and communicate complex issues.
• Commitment to anti-racist and anti-ableist practice.

To apply please upload your current CV and complete our short application.

Interview dates: Week commencing Monday, 6 January 2025

This position is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that, upon a conditional offer being made, the successful applicant will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (or equivalent) criminal record check.

Company

Wellcome aims to lead significant change within five or ten years, transforming the global response to some of today’s biggest health challenges.

TALENT AND DEVELOPMENT AT WELLCOME

At Wellcome, we’ll encourage you to try new things and develop your skills.

Core benefits

• Holiday– 25 days’ holiday a year plus bank holidays.
• Pension– you contribute at least 3% and we pay in 15% of your salary.
• Income protection– to maintain your income if you have a prolonged illness or disability.
• Life assurance– four to six times your basic salary if you’re a member of our pension plan.

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance– we pay the cover, you pay the tax.
• Employee assistance programme– free, independent 24/7 help and advice for work-related issues.

Work-life balance

• Flexible working– we make every effort to support flexible working.

Diversity and Inclusion

Embracing diversity and inclusion is fundamental to delivering our mission to improve health.