CurMat/21 – Curator (Maternity Cover)
Apply Now Print Back To Search Results
Posted: 22/09/2021 16:41
Salary: up to £30,500 per annum, dependent on experience
Location: London
Level: NA
Deadline: 10/10/2021 23:59
Hours: 37.5
Benefits: Attractive benefits
Job Type: Fixed Term
Overview
The Design Museum’s temporary exhibitions programme is the central focus of its activities. The exhibitions include monographs and thematic exhibitions on every aspect of contemporary design and architecture.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a self-motivated Curator who is passionate and knowledgeable about design to join the Curatorial team. The successful candidate will be experienced when it comes to delivering exhibitions to a broad audience, brimming with realisable ideas for the future exhibition programme, and capable of harnessing their knowledge of design to research and deliver compelling exhibitions.
This role will suit an individual with exceptional knowledge of design history, connections within the design industry and experience researching and developing projects collaboratively.
Job scope
The role will involve taking responsibility for developing and delivering our upcoming exhibition Objects of Desire: Surrealism and Design 1924 – Today on a fixed-term basis as a maternity cover. It will also involve being an active member of the curatorial team. The curator will develop the exhibition content, generate a narrative, formulate an object list and work with the exhibitions team to deliver the exhibition according to a timeline. The role combines practical curatorial skills and the ability to build partnerships with the opportunity to take personal initiative and develop a curatorial voice.
The role may also include developing pre-existing exhibition ideas and generating new exhibition concepts that fit with the museum’s curatorial vision. Those concepts may be presented to key stakeholders at the museum and upon approval, be developed in to a fully worked exhibition. This role will have line management responsibilities for assistant curators.
Job description
Curatorial
• Develop Surrealism exhibition content building on a pre-existing draft object list and narrative.
• Sourcing objects/exhibits for the exhibition from other institutions and working closely with the partner institution.
• Lead on the curation of the exhibition including key exhibition components such as the narrative, interpretation plan, viable loans, object lists, captions and labels and sourcing objects.
• Write engaging exhibition text that aligns with the interpretation plan.
• Work with the Learning team to finalise the learning and public programmes toolkit relating to the exhibition.
• Undertake picture research and copyright clearance.
• Work with the Curatorial team, Head of Touring Exhibitions and Head of Marketing and Communications to improve existing marketing materials and develop new ones as required.
• Support the Head of Curatorial and Interpretation and/or Chief Curator with departmental duties relating to the Curatorial team.
Exhibition project management and administration
• Work closely with the Exhibition Project Manager and, if appropriate, exhibition designers to ensure the smooth and timely delivery of the exhibition as an integral member of a team.
• Make approaches to exhibitors and lenders and work with members of the Exhibitions team to ensure Loan Agreements are secured.
• Complete project documentation such as narrative, object list and design documents, ensuring that all relevant updates are accessible for all members of the team.
• Participate in cross-departmental meetings relating to the project and other departmental matters and report to senior staff.
• Attend and participate in relevant meetings on the project and deliver progress reports as required.
• Communicate the financial implications of the exhibition such as complex loans and potential transport challenges to the Exhibition Project Manager.
• Act as liaison and point of contact for curatorial team or assigned project when required.
People management
• Lead and inspire direct reports and the team to achieve the highest level of performance and develop their skills and talents to enable them to reach their full potential.
• Manage direct reports in accordance with the museum’s policies and procedures.
• Manage volunteers, treating them as integral members of the museum and curatorial team and be responsible for their induction, supervision, and timely review meetings.
• Work with and support volunteers to ensure their full integration into the museum.
Person specification
Essential Knowledge
• A degree in design history, art history or related field, with a proven expertise in design, architecture, fashion, technology, or science.
• Knowledge of surrealism and ability to draw on an existing network within this sphere.
Experience
• Extensive experience of working in the museum sector or similar.
• Demonstrable experience of generating and delivering exhibitions.
• Experience of delivering successful visitor engagement in the context of exhibitions and displays.
• Experience of leading and inspiring a team and/or supporting the career development of others.
• Proven experience of working to international museum standards for loan requirements, transportation, packing, handling, and environmental requirements and negotiating loans and associated contracts.
• Previous experience of curating exhibitions for a general audience that attracted substantial visitor numbers.
• Experience of budgeting and monitoring procedures.
Skills
• An adept communicator, particularly with regards presenting curatorial content to stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to influence others and liaise effectively with colleagues and external contacts within a museum/gallery environment.
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines and retain good attention to detail.
• A mutually supportive and collaborative team working style.
• A commitment to the work of the museum and its values: welcoming, collaborative, enterprising and forward looking.
Desirable Knowledge
• A master’s degree in design history, art history or equivalent.
Experience
• Experience of developing and delivering interpretation that effectively engages visitors.
• Experience of working to high standards of object handling in a gallery or museum environment.
• Experience of marketing touring exhibitions.
• Knowledge of design software such as InDesign.
Terms + conditions
Salary: up to £30,500 per annum, dependent on experience
Holidays: 25 days per annum + christmas eve (museum closed)
Hours: full-time, 37.5 hours per week
Closing date: 10th October 2021, midnight
Interviews: w/c 18th October 2021
Application process
For all the latest job vacancies at the Design Museum, please visit our Careers page to apply via our online portal. During the application process you will be asked to download an application form. The completed application form must be reuploaded onto your application. Please note we are not able to accept other forms of application for our job roles.
Design Museum Staff Benefits
Employees are entitled to 25 days holiday, rising to 26 days after two years’ service and 27 days after five years’ service, plus 8 days Bank Holiday and Christmas Eve (museum closed), pro-rata for part-time employees. Other benefits include access to a defined contribution pension scheme, an employee assistance programme, season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme, free entry for friends and family to the museum, a variety of staff discounts including the museum shop and free entry to a wide number of galleries and museums in London.
Hours of Work
Full-time employees are required to work no less than 37.5 hours per week and the standard working day is 9.30am – 6.00pm which includes a daily 1 hour break (30 minutes paid and 30 minutes unpaid). Hours for part-time employees are pro-rated accordingly.
Diversity and Inclusion
The museum pro-actively seeks to collaborate with institutional partners, individuals and networks to realise its commitment to build a culturally diverse workforce. We positively encourage applications from underrepresented groups and consider candidates who are suitably qualified and eligible regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.
About the Design Museum
The Design Museum is located in London and is the world’s leading design museum. It makes the impact of design visible and is the only place in the UK where the design industry, education and the public can come together to change the way people think about themselves and the future.
Since it opened its doors in 1989 the museum has displayed everything from an AK-47 to high heels designed by Christian Louboutin. It is a registered charity that has staged over 100 exhibitions, welcomed over six million visitors and showcased the work of some of the world’s most celebrated designers and architects including Paul Smith, Zaha Hadid, Jonathan Ive, Miuccia Prada, Frank Gehry, Eileen Gray and Dieter Rams.
On 24 November 2016, The Design Museum relocated to Kensington, west London. Leading architectural designer John Pawson converted the interior of a 1960s modernist building to create a new home for the Design Museum giving it three times more space in which to show a wider range of exhibitions and significantly extend its learning programme.
In July 2020, the Design Museum was awarded nearly £1 million National Lottery funding through the Arts Council’s Emergency Response Fund.
