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Job title: Senior Curator – London Transport Museum (LTM)

Salary: £32,375 - £37,625 PA, free travel on TfL services plus benefits

Location: Select one: Albany House (St James’s Park) / Museum Depot at Acton, Museum at Covent Garden and Remote Working
Contract Type: LTM – FTC – 12 Months

About London Transport Museum (LTM)

Based in Covent Garden, we are the world’s leading museum of urban transport and an award-winning day out. But that’s just part of our story. We are passionate. We are curious. We are adventurers.

As a heritage and education charity, we reach every primary school in the capital to fire the imaginations of tomorrow’s engineers, designers, scientists and arts enthusiasts. With business partners and industry decision-makers, we tackle the topics that matter to London, from smart cities to green innovation.

We want to close skills gaps, redress gender imbalance and create opportunities for under-represented and disadvantaged communities.

We want to ignite curiosity to shape the future.

Overview of role

This postholder will develop the Museum’s collections, undertake work that improves the knowledge of the collections, promote and facilitate best practice in collections development and management, and manage a team of Curatorial staff.

This post will have a remit to provide well developed knowledge and expertise on the Museum’s subject area and develop and maintain a comprehensive general knowledge and understanding of the broad range of material across the London Transport Museum (LTM) Collection as a whole.

This Senior Curator role has a particular focus on collections management, including acquisition, disposal, audit, movement, loan, documentation, conservation and storage and with collections managed, documented and cared for to national sector standards. It therefore requires demonstrable skills, knowledge and experience of collections management.

Key Accountabilities

• Advise on, develop and manage the Museum’s collections, images and knowledge resources in accordance with best professional practice as defined by Arts Council England (ACE) and Museums Association (MA) to ensure compliance with recognised national sector standards such as the Accreditation and Designation schemes, contributing to policy and procedural guidelines as required
• Assist the Head Curator to plan and implement best practice in the development and management of the collection, including acquisition, disposal, audit, movement, loan, documentation, conservation and storage of the Museum's collections applied through the IMS (Information Management System) and ensure that these standards are applied at all times by staff and volunteers
• Take a lead role in a series of collections based projects with clear public outcomes (such as displays, exhibitions, publications, talks, tours and online learning resources) and which improve access, interpretation and engagement with the Museum’s collections, images and knowledge for the widest possible audience in accordance with the Museum’s aims and objectives. This will include managing the work of cross-departmental project teams, volunteers and contractors.
• Plan, research, write and produce authoritative content for exhibition, publication and collections development projects in conjunction with internal and external partners
• Provide well developed knowledge and expertise on the broad range of the Museum's collections, including vehicle, engineering, poster, artwork, photographic, plans and drawings, film, oral history and ephemera collections. Develop and maintain an expert knowledge of urban transport and its significance in London’s history and development past, present and future, using this to interpret and communicate the Museum’s collections and themes through a variety of media, including representing LTM in Press interviews.
• Line manage a small team of Curatorial staff. Also represent the Head Curator at internal meetings as necessary.
• Train, develop and share knowledge with colleagues as part of a learning culture which values continuous improvement and staff development across the museum. Working front of house will be required on occasion.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Skills

• Resourceful, innovative, self-motivated and capable of working on a range of disciplines while maintaining a focus on Museum aims and objectives (essential)
• Excellent and demonstrable oral and written communication skills (essential)
• Work on own initiative without supervision, work under pressure and manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines (essential)
• Enthusiastic, confident, and self-motivated team worker with good interpersonal skills, attention to detail and ability to lead, motivate and develop teams and individuals (essential)
• Flexible and able to demonstrate a commitment to the broader objectives of the Curatorial team and the Museum (essential)
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships, influence behavioural change and engage with stakeholders at all levels up to and including senior executives (essential)
• Good IT skills (essential)

Knowledge

• Education to degree level or equivalent experience (essential)
• Up-to-date knowledge and awareness of developments and issues in the museum sector, especially in the area of collections development and management (essential)
• Highly computer literate and a good understanding of budgetary control and management (essential)
• A recognised museum and/or relevant postgraduate qualification (desirable)
• Proven knowledge of and understanding of London past and present (desirable)

Experience

• Experience of working with, developing and managing a diverse collection (essential)
• Experience of computerised databases and museum information management systems (essential)
• Experience of staff and project management and demonstrable knowledge and experience in delivering projects that meet current museum sector standards (essential)
• Proven experience in planning, researching, commissioning, writing and producing museum content, such as exhibitions and publications (essential)
• Demonstrable experience of curatorial and collections responsibilities in a museum or gallery environment (essential)
• Experience of public speaking through public lectures, television, radio and press communications (desirable)

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria. We also use anonymising software that removes identifying information from CVs and cover letters to make the process fair.

Application Process

• Please apply using your CV and a one page covering letter. Word format preferred and do not include any photographs or images
• Think carefully about the skills, knowledge and experience in the advert and cover this in your CV and cover letter. Word format preferred and do not include any photographs or images

The closing date for applications is Friday 31st March 2023 @ 23:59

Benefits
In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow. Rewards vary according to the business area but mostly include:

• Final salary pension scheme
• Free travel for you on the TfL network
• Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home
• 30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays
• Private healthcare discounted scheme (optional)
• Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme
• Retail, health, leisure, and travel offers
• Discounted Eurostar travel.

Fixed term contract/Secondment opportunity for 12 months

As a fixed term contractor we can offer you a choice of pension arrangements. If you choose not to take our final salary pension scheme you will be paid an allowance on top of your salary, subject to Tax and National Insurance. We will share all the details with you at offer stage and the choice will be yours based on your circumstances. Depending on what you choose you can add up-to 14% to your salary.

Secondment wording: If you are successful in securing this secondment opportunity, you will need to be released from your existing role, so please ensure that you make your line manager aware of your application.

We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice.

We may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.