Assistant Collection Manager: Storage and Moves (Large Objects) in London

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the Western Range decant project, one of the most significant collections storage projects currently underway in the museum sector.

Working in the Storage and Moves team within the Collection Care and Moves department, you will be responsible for the movement, packing, transport and storage of museum objects, with a particular focus on large 3D objects.

This is a hands-on, technical role within a project team working in close daily collaboration. You will work with the team to plan and deliver complex object moves and maintain a high standard of collections care and documentation to ensure the safe and secure handling, packing, transport and storage of the collection.

If you’re practical, detail-oriented and enjoy teamwork we’d love to hear from you.

About you

You’ll have practical object handling experience in a museum, gallery, heritage site or collection-focussed organisation. You’ll be comfortable working in a physically active environment, have an interest in solving technical problems, a methodical and detail-oriented approach to your work.

You’ll have:

• Strong teamwork and communication skills.
• Experience handling, moving or installing objects, artworks or collections.
• A proactive, flexible approach and the ability to use initiative.
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Confidence maintaining accurate records and working with databases or collections management systems.
• An understanding of collections care and object handling best practice.
• The ability to remain calm and professional while working to deadlines.

Key areas of responsibility

• Prepare, pack, move and rehouse large and complex museum objects.
• Support the delivery of major collections storage and relocation move projects.
• Ensure best practice in object handling, storage and transit.
• Maintain accurate object documentation, location records and photography.
• Produce condition reports and support collections audits.
• Monitor the security and preservation of collections in storage and during movement.
• Follow Integrated Pest Management and health and safety procedures.
• Support volunteers, contractors and colleagues through training and knowledge sharing where required.

The Masterplan

The British Museum is undertaking its biggest transformation since its founding nearly 300 years ago. This physical and intellectual transformation includes large scale building and gallery transformation, new ways of connecting with audiences and different ways of working. As we look towards this exciting future, we remain guided by the words of our founder Hans Sloane - who dreamed of a museum connecting all arts and sciences, which would be accessible to everyone, everywhere.

At the British Museum, we believe our people are at the heart of everything we do and have designed a benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary. Our full list of benefits can be found here, but we’ve outlined some highlights below:

• Free exhibition entry for you and guests, exclusive private views, ICOM and reciprocal museum access.
• Civil Service Pension Scheme defined benefit with 28.97% employer contribution.
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays and 2.5 privilege days (and +5 days after 10 years).
• Learning and development through courses, mentoring and Athena as well as support for professional qualifications.
• Employee Assistance Programme available 24/7 for counselling, wellbeing support and more.
• Interest‑free loans including season ticket, rental deposit and bicycle loans.

Our values drive everything we do, from how we handle our objects to how we work in our team to fostering a culture where everyone feels heard and empowered:

• Care Deeply
• Embrace the Unknown
• Spark Curiosity
• Value Many Voices

These are a core part of how we recruit. Throughout the application, interview and selection process, we look for examples of how candidates demonstrate these behaviours in their own work and experiences. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with our values and reflect them in your application.

If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to bmrecruit@britishmuseum.org.

Internal Applicants: We welcome internal applicants regardless of background, department or length of service but encourage you to let your manager know before applying. If you are on a permanent contract and want the fixed-term contract to be treated as a secondment, you will need to obtain your manager’s support before submitting an application.

The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.