Collection Manager: Loans and Display

Institution: British Museum
Deadline: 20 January 2026 (12:00 pm)
Location: Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom (with occasional travel to Reading and Wiltshire)
Salary: £33,469 per year
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full-time, 41 hours per week (including 1 hour paid lunch)
Work Mode: Fully on-site (with potential for future hybrid working)

The British Museum is seeking a Collection Manager: Loans and Display to join its Collection Care department. This role sits within the Collection Directorate and plays a key part in ensuring the effective care, preparation, and presentation of the Museum’s collections, with a particular focus on loans and display activity.

The post holder will lead a team of Assistant Collection Managers and contribute to the delivery of major museum projects, supporting both day-to-day operations and long-term strategic objectives related to object care and access.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and develop a team of Assistant Collection Managers, providing leadership, guidance, and performance management.
• Collaborate with Senior Collection Managers to plan and deliver museum projects, including resource allocation and project leadership.
• Work closely with other Collection Managers to ensure coordinated planning and delivery across loans and display functions.
• Oversee preparation of objects for display and loans, including handling, mount making, installation, packing, and transport.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of best-practice standards for object handling, care, documentation, and loans.
• Coordinate training initiatives and manage workshop spaces and equipment.
• Provide specialist technical advice to cross-museum projects and teams.

Person Specification

The successful candidate will have:

• Substantial experience in object handling, installation, and display within a museum or comparable heritage environment.
• Proven ability to manage, motivate, and develop staff teams.
• Strong organisational and planning skills, with experience delivering complex projects.
• Excellent attention to detail and a strong commitment to best practice in collections care and management.