Head of Conservation

Job Summary

The Museum is seeking a Head of Conservation to lead on the protection of the world’s most extensive natural history collection of approximately 80 million specimens. The collections are continually growing through new acquisitions, fieldwork, and donations, ensuring they remain a vital and dynamic resource for understanding the natural world. This role delivers through leadership, representation, planning, and cross-museum collaboration whilst ensuring the collections are preserved for future generations to access and study. The role will include leading and managing a busy team of preventive and remedial conservators as well as oversight of conservation science research activities.

Based in Science Innovation Platforms (Science Group), the role works across all areas, including Science Group, Corporate Services, Public Programmes, and Development. At the heart of this role is responsibility for the development and delivery of the Museum’s conservation strategy, a comprehensive conservation policy, and conservation services to the Museum.

The successful applicant will work closely with the Director of Collections and Head of Registry plus other Senior Leadership Team colleagues to ensure an integrated approach to the care and conservation of NHM Collections.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

As the NHM’s expert in the field of Conservation, provide guidance and advice to the Director of Science (and other NHM staff) with respect to the care and conservation of the collections. The role-holder is expected to provide leadership and set standards for the Museum in this regard, referencing and interpreting external standards when appropriate.

1. Provide expertise, evidence-based recommendations, and decisions to NHM Executive Board, Science Executive Committee, and Board of Trustees to enable the NHM to work to achieve its strategic goals.
2. Responsible for setting and directing conservation policy and for its application across the NHM Collections; leading and applying the policy for Science and Public Programmes.
3. Lead on conservation policy, strategy, and activities across the NHM, including management of the conservation team and resources, budget forecasting, and negotiating for additional allocation of resources.
4. Contribute to the successful delivery of NHM Unlocked initiative by providing advice and support.
5. Committee membership including Collections Management Group; Board membership for several capital and non-capital committees; Chair of the Unlocked Collections Decision Group; member of Labs Decisions Group; member of Science Leadership Team; External Committee membership of UK Heads of Conservation Group.
6. Public Engagement: Lead on conservation decisions for NHM exhibits both internally/externally and on loan. Provide advice and set standards for objects on display. Carry out public engagement activities such as speaking/lecturing. Represent the NHM as an official spokesperson where appropriate.
7. Continuing Professional Development for the Conservation team.

Role Competencies

1. Postgraduate degree in a conservation discipline or relevant subject or significant equivalent experience.
2. In-depth knowledge of contemporary principles and practice in conservation.
3. Demonstrable experience of successfully leading and motivating a team of professionals.
4. Knowledge and understanding of current developments and issues in the museum sector, both nationally and internationally.
5. Proven project management ability with a knowledge of project management methodologies.
6. Demonstrable experience of resource management e.g. budget management and reporting.
7. Ability to think creatively and strategically and to develop new concepts and approaches.
8. Ability to influence and negotiate at all levels of the organisation and externally.
9. Excellent communication and influencing skills.
10. Ability to find solutions, on occasion beyond the bounds of readily available answers and precedents for conservation challenges using risk management and evidence-based approaches.
11. Ability to make critical decisions and give conservation advice with confidence, generally based on precedents but not exclusively, drawing on the specialist conservation knowledge of others within the team as appropriate.

National Museum Directors’ Council, Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG.

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