Head of Exhibitions & Design
Full time | 35 hours | Permanent
Full Time Salary: £64,762 - £73,428
Hours: 35 hours per week | Monday - Friday
Location: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh | Hybrid | Occasional national and international travel
About the Head of Exhibitions & Design role
In this role, you will lead National Museums Scotland's exhibitions and design activity, working with colleagues across the organisation to create inspiring, audience-focused experiences that bring Scotland's National Collection to life. Through strategic leadership, creative collaboration and excellent project delivery, you will help shape how millions of visitors engage with our museums, collections and stories.
Key responsibilities
- Be responsible for the development, planning and delivery of a strategically driven, engaging and coordinated programme of world class exhibitions and their touring
- Take overall responsibility for a programme of investments in our permanent displays coordinating a series of capital investments and refreshment projects.
- Be responsible for the delivery of high quality and effective interpretation of visitor content outputs across National Museum Scotland sites.
- Lead and maintain high standards of design quality, consistency and coherence across National Museum Scotland sites, including exhibitions, permanent displays, brand development, and communication channels
Skills and experience we’re looking for
- Significant experience of managing high profile exhibition and permanent display projects in a museum, visitor attraction or heritage attraction environment
- Experience of dealing with a diverse range of people management issues, commensurate with senior manager-level responsibilities
- Proven ability to provide strategic leadership and direction for complex exhibition, design and visitor-focused programmes
- Ability to champion innovation, creativity and continuous improvement while maintaining organisational standard.
The expected closing date for this role is 16/11/2026 (16 NOVEMBER 2026). The Selection Event is likely to take place either WC 23/11/2026 or W/C 07/12/2026 (7 DECEMBER 2026).
National Museum Directors' Council, National Museums Liverpool, World Museum, WilliamBrown Street, Liverpool, L3 8EN
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Head of Exhibitions & Design employer: National Museums
As a Building Services Engineer with our client-side Estates team, you will thrive in a dynamic and rewarding environment dedicated to preserving one of the world's finest art collections. Our collaborative work culture fosters innovation and professional growth, offering you the chance to manage complex projects that directly impact the visitor experience and sustainability goals. Located in Liverpool, you will enjoy the unique advantage of working within nationally significant gallery buildings, contributing to the care and conservation of invaluable art while developing your expertise in a supportive setting.
