Assistant Curator (Textiles and Wallpaper)

We are seeking a motivated individual to join our team as Assistant Curator (Textiles and Wallpapers). This maternity cover role offers an exciting opportunity to support curatorial activity relating to the management, research, interpretation and access of the Whitworth’s internationally significant textiles and wallpaper collection and supporting with the delivery of our rolling programme of exhibitions and displays.

The Whitworth is one of the largest and most significant public galleries in the UK. The gallery has developed a reputation for its national and transnational exhibitions programmes, including touring projects, and for collections research that brings new perspectives to historic and contemporary works.

You will be responsible for:

• Supporting collections management and access processes, focused on our textiles and wallpaper collections.
• Facilitating Study Centre visits, collection enquiries, research visits, talks and exhibition tours relating to textiles and wallpaper collections and exhibitions.
• Supporting Curators with all aspects of the delivery of exhibitions and collection displays.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues including in the Civic Engagement team, to help deliver the public events programme and public tours.
• Actively contributing to the values-led working culture at the Whitworth, with particular emphasis on collections and exhibitions.

We welcome candidates who bring diverse perspectives, experiences, and approaches to their work.

About You

We encourage applications from individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. You should demonstrate:

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrable understanding of museum collection management standards and practice.
• Demonstrable interest in historic and contemporary textiles and wallpapers.
• Relevant undergraduate degree relevant to the work of museums and galleries.
• Demonstrable experience of working with art collections in a museum or gallery context, including voluntary or intern experience.
• Experience of working on the production of exhibitions or similar creative projects.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of using museum standard collection management software.
• An interest in the discourses around transcultural curating and collaboration.

We value transferable skills and real-world experience as much as formal qualifications.

Interviews: Wednesday 9 September 2026

Our benefits include:

• Generous employer pension contribution
• Christmas closure across all departments outside of annual leave and bank holidays
• Purple Place employee discount platform

For more information, please see University of Manchester Benefits. You can also find information on our Flexible and Hybrid working here.

We are an open place of enquiry and challenge. We embrace and celebrate difference, diversity and debate, and we pride ourselves on being a place of education, learning and community where we are able, within the law, to question and test received wisdom, express new ideas and explore controversial or unpopular topics and opinions. Find out more from our Freedom of Speech Policy.

Enquiries about the role, shortlisting and interviews:

• Name: Victoria Hartley, Assistant Curator (Textiles and Wallpapers)
• Email Address: victoria.hartley-3@manchester.ac.uk
• Name: Darren Pih, Head of Exhibitions and Collections
• Email Address: darren.pih@manchester.ac.uk
• General enquiries and administrative support: recruitmentservices.people@manchester.ac.uk
• Technical and job portal support: https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must demonstrate the right to work in the UK. Applications close at midnight on the closing date.