Collections Loans Manager

Did you know that Crafts Council Gallery is available for hire?

Contract and Hours - Fixed-term, part-time, 2 days / 14.5 hours per week. Twelve-month role to commence ASAP from November 2026.

A typical working day is 9.15-5.30pm, including a lunch break (unpaid). We support flexible working and part-time arrangements where it is appropriate for the role.

We promote hybrid working with three days per week worked at our office and gallery for full-time staff, and two days per week office and gallery working for part-time staff.

Wednesday is a whole team office and gallery day when staff meetings take place.

Salary - £12,000 gross per annum pro rata for period worked, based on part-time working, 2 days per week. Full-time equivalent £30,000 gross per annum.

Location - Crafts Council Office and Gallery is based on the Pentonville Road in Islington, London, with some hybrid / home working.

Reporting to - Senior Curator of Collections.

Working Closely With -

• Public Programmes team
• Communications team
• Learning and Skills team

This role focuses on coordinating the day-to-day delivery and administration of Crafts Council’s Collection loans programme, drawing from the Primary, Handling and Archive Collections. The postholder will ensure agreed live loan projects, image rights requests, agreements, documentation, deadlines, borrower liaison and logistics are effectively managed, monitored and reported on throughout their full lifecycle.

The role also builds awareness of Crafts Council Collection loans, developing and maintaining relationships with existing and potential borrowers and undertaking targeted outreach to warm leads, existing relationships and realistic opportunities for repeat or higher-value loans.

Working closely with the Senior Curator of Collections and Collections Manager, you will work collaboratively with borrowing organisations, gather audience figures, feedback, interpretation opportunities, images, rights permissions and digital content, and provide regular internal updates on the loans pipeline, confirmed activity, income, risks and opportunities.

A key part of the role is maintaining accurate loans, borrower and object records across Salesforce, Museum Index and Asset Index+. These systems will be used to manage enquiries, confirmed loans, income, costs, correspondence, images, rights information, condition, valuation and location records, and key reporting data. Across all systems, you will ensure records remain accurate and up to date, that live loan agreements are in place, and that reporting data is consistently maintained across the programme.

The role also involves coordinating installations, de-installations, transport, technicians, facility reports and collection movements, working with colleagues and external partners as needed. You will work directly with borrowers to review and monitor UKRG facility reports and collaborate with the Collections Manager to support best practice in collections care, handling, display and documentation.

Core Responsibilities:

Working closely with the Senior Curator of Collections and Collections Manager, you will be responsible for the following manageable areas across this two-day-a-week role:

Coordination and Administration

Coordinate the day-to-day delivery and administration of the Collection loans programme, ensuring agreements, documentation, deadlines, borrower liaison and logistics are progressed for agreed live projects.

Records and Systems

Maintain accurate loans, borrower and object records across Salesforce, Museum Index and Asset Index+, including enquiries, confirmed loans, income, costs, correspondence, images, rights information and key reporting data.

Installations, Transport and Movements

Coordinate installations, de-installations, transport, technicians, facility reports and collection movements, working with colleagues and external partners as needed.

Collections Care

Support collections care requirements for loans, including facility report review, condition, valuation and location records, and best practice in handling, display and documentation.

Process Improvement

Review and improve core loans processes, templates and workflows so enquiries are handled efficiently, consistently and professionally.

Borrower Engagement and Outreach

Develop and maintain a prioritised contact list of existing and potential borrowers, undertaking targeted outreach to warm leads, existing relationships and realistic opportunities for repeat or higher-value loans.

Impact, Interpretation and Digital Content

Gather audience figures, feedback, interpretation opportunities, images, rights permissions and digital content to support borrower engagement, reporting and impact measurement.

Internal Reporting and Insight

Provide regular internal updates on the loans pipeline, confirmed activity, income, risks and opportunities, using insight from enquiries and borrower conversations to inform future Collection planning and elevate strategic opportunities.

Who We’re Looking For

This is a collaborative and detail-focused role suited to someone highly organised, confident managing multiple processes simultaneously, and experienced in collections administration and loans coordination. You will enjoy building positive working relationships, maintaining clear systems and helping ensure the successful delivery of the Crafts Council Collection loans programme.

Please email recruitment@craftscouncil.org.uk, if you have any questions, or to request information in an alternative format. Please let us know if you would like to arrange for an informal conversation prior to making an application.

Please also complete our anonymised Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form here.

We use this anonymised information to monitor and improve how we are doing to attract the best talent that is representative of the UK population, and to help us report our progress to our supporters.

To apply for this role, you will be eligible to work in the UK. Any offers of employment will be subject to securing two satisfactory references and proof of right to work. We regret that we are not currently a sponsoring organisation.