Assistant Curator

Introduction

The Assistant Curator sits in the Heritage Collections Team (HCT) within Strategic Estates (SE). The HCT are responsible for the professional management of three collections of national and international importance the Parliamentary Art Collection (PAC), the Historic Furniture and Decorative Arts Collection  (HFDA) and the Architectural Fabric Collection (AFC). This Team provides a bicameral service to the House of Commons and the House of Lords and is responsible for all aspects of strategy, display, collections management, care and conservation, technical and procedural standards, documentation, loans and interpretation. 

The Role

The postholder will deliver a wide range of duties which support the curatorial activities of the Heritage Collections team working across the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Based in the Works of Art team, the postholder will have the opportunity to work with a national collection ranging from Victorian commissions for the historic Palace to contemporary artworks and portraiture. Working across a range of collections including works of art, furniture and decorative arts, the postholder will share these diverse collections with internal and external audiences. 

The postholder will contribute to interpretation projects for internal and external audiences, support collections research and documentation, respond to collection enquiries and communicate the collections across a range of mediums.  The postholder will manage the administration and documentation of curatorial projects and support the work of the wider Heritage Collections Team as required.

The successful candidate will have the following responsibilities:

•    Support the curatorial team with the delivery of their projects and outputs, particularly administrative and logistical tasks.  
•    Respond to public, member and press team enquiries related to the Heritage Collections in a professional and timely manner. 
•    Support the management of curatorial resources, including the library, physical and digital files. 
•    Facilitate the production of interpretation materials for events, displays and exhibitions. 
•    Support the maintenance and upkeep of the Heritage Collections website. 
•    Research and draft content for use across interpretation platforms, both digital and physical.  
•    Maintain and improve the documentation of engagement procedures and resources and associated archives. 
•    Communicate information about the Collections to a range of audiences, both internal and external. 
•    Develop a research interest in a specific area of the Heritage Collections.
•    Supervise volunteers, interns, and contractors as needed.

Skills and Experience

The successful candidate will have the following skills/experience:

Criterion 1 – Experience

• Experience of working with collections in a public sector museum, art gallery or historic house context.

Criterion 2 – Planning and Organising

• Time management and organisational skills – the ability to manage workloads and prioritise tasks, while successfully working to deadlines.

• Attention to detail and ability to deliver documentation and administrative support to projects.

Criterion 3 – Working with People

• A mutually supportive and collaborative team working style whilst, upholding the values of equality, diversity and inclusion at all times.

Why Join 

In addition to your salary, we offer an attractive range of benefits including:

• 30 days’ annual leave (increasing to 35 days after first full leave year).
• Civil Service Pension scheme.
• Access to training and development.
• Flexible working.
• Interest free season ticket loan and bicycle loan. 

Next Steps

• CV & Supporting Statement – If you would like to apply for this role, please submit your CV and 500-word cover letter.

More information on the role and the full criteria can be found on the Job Description.