Head of Collections Services in London

Salary: (pay range £69,600-£87,000)

Closing date: 18th August 2026

Contract type: Permanent

Interview dates: W/C 7th September

Wellcome Collection is a free museum and library. We believe everyone’s experience of health matters. Through our collections, exhibitions and events, in books and online, we explore the past, present and future of health. Wellcome Collection opened in 2007 and currently welcomes around 400k visitors per year, with over 4m online visits. We care for many thousands of items relating to health, medicine and human experience, including rare books, artworks, films and videos, personal archives and objects. We’re part of Wellcome, a charitable foundation supporting science to help build a healthier future for everyone.

You will be leading the Collections Services team within the Collections, Research and Digital Directorate. You’ll report to the Associate Director of Collections and Digital. The Collections Services team comprises expert teams across Registration, Conservation and Collections Care, and Collections Development. They are responsible for developing and delivering Wellcome Collection’s varied collections work, including but not limited to: loans; conservation and heritage science; collections development and acquisitions; and sustainable storage practice.

You will be a vital member of Wellcome Collection’s newly formed leadership team that will oversee the running of the museum and library, working closely with the Directorate and Wellcome’s Executive Committee. You will oversee the operational collections processes for Wellcome Collection, translating and prioritising the Strategic Plan with team managers to deliver against Wellcome and Wellcome Collections’ strategy and mission delivery. This role is critical in guiding key teams within the Collections, Research and Digital department through a period of change as we embark on a new strategic plan and capital project that will see Wellcome Collection grow in ambition and scale.

What will I be doing?

• Lead senior managers to own ongoing strategic alignment with Wellcome Collection’s Strategic Plan across Registration, Conservation and Collections Care, and Collections Development to deliver against Wellcome Collection’s strategy.
• Provide leadership and advocacy for expert teams responsible for delivering Wellcome Collection’s varied collections work. Particular focus will be on facilities, environmental conditions and security; digital collections infrastructure and fostering an environment within which innovative and progressive collections practice can become embedded.
• Increase the visibility and accountability for collections practice, including heritage science, collections development, sustainable storage practice and similar long-term strategic ambitions.
• Approach collections management work from a human-centred perspective, placing our audiences, communities and stakeholders at the core of the way we think about collections and the knowledge we create and capture for them.

Is this job for me?

We are looking for an exceptional collections leader with expertise in working across Collections Services disciplines and managing multi-disciplinary teams within an archive, library or museum setting. Do you have proven experience in managing uncertainty, change, and sensitive issues, and achieving positive outcomes with a high degree of probity and integrity? Are you able to communicate to and influence a range of audiences including executive and non-executive board members, and stakeholders across the arts, cultural and research sectors? Do you have a personal commitment to equitable practice across access, diversity and inclusion and an understanding of how to embed these commitments into collections services? If this criteria resonates with your skills and experience, we encourage you to apply.

Minimum Criteria:

• Demonstrable experience of working across Collections Services disciplines within a complex organisation, advocating for collections work across all levels of governance.
• Appropriate management experience in an archive, library or museum with responsibility for developing and managing significant, multi-format collections, with a strong understanding of the need for coherent digital services and the vital role digital plays in driving increased accessibility to collections.
• Demonstrable experience of managing a multidisciplinary team comprised of a range of collections specialisms.
• Demonstrable experience of providing leadership and advocacy for expert teams responsible for delivering varied collections work. Relevant examples should include environmental conditions and security, digital collections infrastructure, heritage science, collections development and sustainable storage practice.

You can view the full Job Description on our website. You can read more about the benefits we offer our employees on our website.

Our Hybrid Way of Working

We understand that our colleagues have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to build a flexible working environment, in which people can perform at their best. At Wellcome we have a hybrid way of working which is 3 days in our Euston Road offices (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) with the remaining 2 days working either remotely or in the office.

Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do

Diversity and Inclusion is a priority at Wellcome. We are committed to cultivating a fair and inclusive environment, where everyone can be themselves and thrive. We are happy to discuss flexible working options for all roles. We work to ensure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible to everyone. This includes making adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term condition. Please visit our website for more information on adjustments and accessibility, or contact us at jobs@wellcome.org.