Head of Technical Services in London

The V&A is a family of museums dedicated to the power of creativity.

Our mission is to champion design and creativity in all its forms, advance cultural knowledge, and inspire makers, creators and innovators everywhere.

The mission of the Collections Care and Access division is to manage, preserve, and provide access to the V&A’s collection in both physical and digital format, working across multiple V&A sites.

Our specialist teams bring excellence and innovation to the long-term care, management and research of the V&A’s collections, and support the delivery of the V&A’s public programmes of exhibition, loan and display.

We are looking for a Head of Technical Services to provide clear and effective leadership and direction for the Technical Services Department, an expert and committed team of more than thirty specialist museum technicians who are widely recognised across the sector for their expertise.

You will lead the Department’s contribution to the museum’s strategic aims and delivery of multisite programmes, whilst also maintaining and developing the skills, knowledge and capabilities required to showcase, safeguard and care for our collections.

We seek an exceptional technical leader who combines deep practical expertise with an ability to inspire people and shape the future of museum technical practice, ensuring the highest standards of object handling, installation and workshop practice are consistently achieved and continuously improved.

• What will you be doing
• Provide clear and effective leadership and direction for the Technical Services Department, ensuring its activities contribute to the V&A's strategic aims, develop resilient and sustainable technical practice and operations, and showcase, safeguard and care for our collections.
• Maintain and develop excellence, quality and consistency of technical expertise, identifying the skills, knowledge and capabilities required to support the V&A's future ambitions Foster a culture of learning, mentorship and knowledge sharing, enabling technical expertise to be sustained, developed and passed on, whilst ensuring the highest standards of object handling, installation and workshop practice are consistently achieved and continuously improved.
• Hold responsibility for managing and directing Technical Services activities across multiple sites, with overall accountability for scheduling and delivery.

Advise on public programme, determining scheduling, sequencing and deliverability.

Anticipate fast changing scenarios and plan effectively to ensure high standards are maintained and seamless delivery continues to be achieved.

• Be accountable for Technical Services work areas, including workshops, stores and studios at South Kensington, Young V&A, V&A East Storehouse and V&A East Museum to ensure they are fit for purpose, safe and efficiently run.

Liaise with staff in Security, Estate and external contractors as required.

• Oversee the development of delivery standards, performance measures and information systems for the Department and ensure that Technical Services processes are appropriate, easily understood and used.

Ensure that appropriate systems for the management of information, benchmarking of standards, risk assessments, safe systems and ways of work are all in place and adhered to.

• Manage and align Technical Services Department resources, holding responsibility for overseeing and managing the Department’s budget, planning and reviewing forecasts.

Specify and manage contracts for any external technical services provision.

• Build and sustain strong relationships with internal and external partners, representing Technical Services within the Collection Care Division and the wider Museum and externally.

Advocate for Technical Services specialist practice within the V&A and the wider sector, building and maintaining effective networks and relationships.

• Develop an effective management team for the group by providing inspirational line management, motivating and developing Technical Managers and maintain a skilled flexible workforce.

Actively carry out line management duties regarding performance, absence management and other Museum policies.

• Be responsible for Health and Safety, regularly review COSHH, risk assessments, method statements and working practices.

Ensure Health and Safety compliance are integral to the culture of all Technical Services activities.

Who are we looking for?

• Proven leadership and management experience within the cultural heritage sector, with a focus on Technical Services, or a related operational area.

Ability to influence and persuade.

Critical thinking.

• Recognised as a leader in the field, through innovation and new ways of working, able to provide clear and effective leadership of skilled practitioners.
• Significant knowledge of specialist technical practice including awareness of, and ability to respond to, new and emerging national and international guidelines and skills in object handling, movement and installation policy and practice, and related fields.
• Demonstrable operational planning, process engineering, administration and budget management experience with excellent organisational and project management skills.
• Hold a degree or equivalent practical experience, coupled with significant professional experience in the field of technical services practice within the cultural heritage sector.
• In-depth knowledge of Health and Safety legislation and ensuring implementation and compliance.
• Experience of leading and developing high performing teams and able to demonstrate previous experience of successfully and tenaciously managing complex change.
• An excellent team player with the ability to generate ideas and drive projects forward whilst being inclusive and maximising the talents of others in the team or involved with the projects.
• Demonstrable analytical and problem solving skills.
• Excellent standard of written English and highly numerate with the ability to carry out complex numerical analysis.
• Significant interpersonal and consultative skills, including the ability to communicate, present, negotiate, influence and build credibility with colleagues and external parties.
• The ability to use MS Office, Excel and other relevant IT systems as appropriate for the role.
• Significant experience of managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple complex issues and tasks in a changing environment with tight deadlines.
• Demonstrable financial and budget management skills and experience.
• Shares our Values of Sustainability, Equity, Creativity, Collaboration & Generosity.

What’s in it for you?

• 29 days of holiday + public holidays each year
• 5.5% employee pension contribution, 10% employer pension contribution (post-probation)
• Life assurance scheme (to value of 4 x annual salary)
• Family-friendly policies e. g. enhanced maternity + paid carers leave
• Free sanitary products for all employees across our sites
• Free entrance to many major museums and exhibitions
• Benefits platform offering discounts at major retailers
• Many more
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