Reference: FEB20206734
Expiry date: 23:59, 16 March 2020
Location: South Kensington
Salary: £65,000 Per Annum
Benefits: Group Personal Pension, Life Assurance Scheme, and other great benefits
Providing superb collection conservation, care and management is core to the V&A museum’s mission and central to our plans for the future.
The new Head of Conservation will bring to life our vision to revolutionise access to our collection through the Collections and Research Centre (CRC) we are developing in Stratford, East London. The new CRC will enable us to provide greater engagement between our museum practice, objects and our visitors, through the creation of an open storage facility which will provide a new type of museum visitor experience.
This role requires an innovative approach to leadership in conservation, working with an experienced and committed team, currently comprising over 50 conservators, conservation scientists, and support staff, to deliver conservation care activities spanning scientific investigation, research, assessment, treatment, and the overall care and preservation of the collection.
Key Responsibilities for the role:
- Provide clear and effective leadership and management of the Conservation Department, delivering our vision of revolutionising access to our collection. Setting a clear direction for the Department and ensuring timely and practical delivery of conservation advice and care across multiple sites.
- Working with the Director of Conservation and Collections Management, bring a pioneering approach to our practice to evolve the model for the provision of conservation care to support new ways of working and the Museum’s strategic activities. This may include a review of current structures and arrangements.
- Have accountability and oversight of the activities of the Department, including scheduling and delivery of work, and ensuring that appropriate systems for the management of information, bench marking of standards, risk assessment, safe systems of work and auditing are all in place and adhered to.
- Ensure the activities of the Conservation Department support the strategic aims of the Museum, including growing public access to the collection, both physical and digital, and supporting the Museum’s public programme, exhibitions and loans.
- Be accountable for the standards of conservation documentation and treatments by Museum conservators and contract conservators.
- Be accountable for monitoring and advising on environmental display and storage controls so that conditions are suitable for the long-term preservation and display of the Museum’s collection.
- Manage and align department resources (people and budget) to deliver conservation services, taking responsibility for setting and monitoring the Department’s budget.
- Develop and implement best standards and procedures for the preservation care and maintenance of the collection, including review and implementation of collections care policies.
- Ensure the safety of all conservation staff, encouraging awareness of their health and wellbeing through management of risks in the working environment.
- Lead in developing and consolidating research partnerships with other national and international conservation and conservation science institutions, and as appropriate seek to secure UK and international research funding.
- Expand awareness of the work of the Department including by support for conservation research projects and encouraging the dissemination of research by members of the department to the conservation community and beyond through staff activity, publications, and lectures, working where appropriate in collaboration with the V&A Research Institute.
- Sustain strong relationships with internal and external partners, and represent conservation within the Museum, and nationally and internationally.
- Lead recruitment and staff management in the Conservation department and support student placements and other training programmes within the department.
Person Specification:
- Recognised as a leader in the conservation field, through innovation and new ways of working, able to provide clear and effective leadership of skilled practitioners. Able to demonstrate extensive practical conservation experience, and a strong track record of relevant conservation research.
- Demonstrated operational planning, administration and budget management experience with excellent organisational and project management skills.
- Experience in developing collection care policy, planning and implementation.
- Holds an MA or other Post Graduate equivalent in conservation or equivalent practical experience, coupled with significant experience in conservation or collections management in the museum sector.
- Experience of leading and developing high performing teams and able to demonstrate previous experience of successfully and tenaciously managing complex change.
- Significant interpersonal and consultative skills, including the ability to communicate, present, negotiate, influence and build credibility with colleagues and external parties.
- The ability to use MS Office and other relevant IT systems as appropriate for the role.
- Significant experience of managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple complex issues and tasks in a changing environment with tight deadlines.
