Exhibitions Project Manager
Posted 1 day 14 hours ago by WALLACE COLLECTION
Permanent
Full Time
I.T. & Communications Jobs
London, United Kingdom
Job Description
THE WALLACE COLLECTION
The Wallace Collection is an internationally outstanding collection which contains unsurpassed masterpieces of paintings, sculpture, furniture, arms and armour and porcelain. Built over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, it is one of the finest and most celebrated collections in the world. So that it could be kept together and enjoyed by generations of visitors, the collection was given to the British Nation in 1897 and opened to the public in June 1900. It was an astonishing bequest and one of the greatest gifts of art works ever to be transferred into public ownership. The museum is internationally famous for its collection of French eighteenth-century art, Arms and Armour and for its Old Master paintings.
The museum is managed by the Director Dr Xavier Bray, who reports to a board of Trustees appointed by the Prime Minister, and is financed by a combination of grant-in-aid from central government and self-generated income.
We aim to engage with and diversify our audience and, before the pandemic, we attracted over 450,000 visitors a year to the museum.
SALARY
The salary for this role is between £35,500 and £38,000 per annum dependent on skills and experience.
OUR PRIORITIES
The Collection is committed to providing access to as wide a public as possible and to helping visitors engage with this diversity. Our goal is to create a place of understanding, cultural pluralism, curiosity and learning. To do this, we plan to create a world-class visitor experience for all ages which stimulates engagement with our collection through a new programme of exhibitions, major gallery refurbishments and an enhanced and expanded digital presence.
Our strategic priorities are to:
The Wallace Collection exhibition programme draws upon the different aspects of the museum's collection and history, to inspire new connections and different perspectives on the Collection.
The Wallace Collection's Exhibitions team organises a dynamic programme of two ticketed loan exhibitions and two to three focussed free displays per year. Forthcoming major exhibitions are Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur, Caravaggio's Cupid and Winston Churchill: The Painter. In addition to this, some of our exhibitions are organised in partnership with leading museums internationally.
ROLE SUMMARY
The Exhibitions Project Manager will lead on all aspects of the successful organisational management and delivery of specific exhibition and displays from concept through to deinstallation and any onward tour.
The postholder will be the key point of contact for their specific projects, liaising with a wide range of internal and external colleagues including curators, external designers, external publishers, transport agents, ACE, lenders, venue partners and contractors.
This role reports to the Head of Exhibitions and Collection Care.
ROLE DESCRIPTION
Exhibition Management and Registration:
Essential:
Please complete the Application Form, and the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, following the links provided on our website. Please note the equal opportunities form is used for monitoring purposes only and does not form part of the selection process. Both forms should be emailed by midnight 09/02/2025. Please note late applications or applications via a CV will not be considered.
Interviews for the role will take place on week commencing, 10/02/2025. Candidates who have been shortlisted for interview will be contacted after the closing date . click apply for full job details
The Wallace Collection is an internationally outstanding collection which contains unsurpassed masterpieces of paintings, sculpture, furniture, arms and armour and porcelain. Built over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, it is one of the finest and most celebrated collections in the world. So that it could be kept together and enjoyed by generations of visitors, the collection was given to the British Nation in 1897 and opened to the public in June 1900. It was an astonishing bequest and one of the greatest gifts of art works ever to be transferred into public ownership. The museum is internationally famous for its collection of French eighteenth-century art, Arms and Armour and for its Old Master paintings.
The museum is managed by the Director Dr Xavier Bray, who reports to a board of Trustees appointed by the Prime Minister, and is financed by a combination of grant-in-aid from central government and self-generated income.
We aim to engage with and diversify our audience and, before the pandemic, we attracted over 450,000 visitors a year to the museum.
SALARY
The salary for this role is between £35,500 and £38,000 per annum dependent on skills and experience.
OUR PRIORITIES
The Collection is committed to providing access to as wide a public as possible and to helping visitors engage with this diversity. Our goal is to create a place of understanding, cultural pluralism, curiosity and learning. To do this, we plan to create a world-class visitor experience for all ages which stimulates engagement with our collection through a new programme of exhibitions, major gallery refurbishments and an enhanced and expanded digital presence.
Our strategic priorities are to:
- To maintain, research and preserve the Collection for future generations;
- To broaden and deepen visitor engagement, connecting with audiences onsite and digitally;
- To build and support a strong exhibition programme;
- To lay a strong financial foundation for the future; and
- To embark upon a Masterplan programme to transform the museum.
The Wallace Collection exhibition programme draws upon the different aspects of the museum's collection and history, to inspire new connections and different perspectives on the Collection.
The Wallace Collection's Exhibitions team organises a dynamic programme of two ticketed loan exhibitions and two to three focussed free displays per year. Forthcoming major exhibitions are Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur, Caravaggio's Cupid and Winston Churchill: The Painter. In addition to this, some of our exhibitions are organised in partnership with leading museums internationally.
ROLE SUMMARY
The Exhibitions Project Manager will lead on all aspects of the successful organisational management and delivery of specific exhibition and displays from concept through to deinstallation and any onward tour.
The postholder will be the key point of contact for their specific projects, liaising with a wide range of internal and external colleagues including curators, external designers, external publishers, transport agents, ACE, lenders, venue partners and contractors.
This role reports to the Head of Exhibitions and Collection Care.
ROLE DESCRIPTION
Exhibition Management and Registration:
- Responsible for the project management of simultaneous major loan exhibitions and small displays at the Wallace Collection and with partner venues, to schedule, budget and standard.
- Establish key milestones and deadlines, that are achievable, and delivery focused.
- Set, manage and drive forward project schedules, liaising with stakeholders as required.
- Identify and regularly review risk throughout each project.
- Initiate and chair exhibition meetings including debriefs.
- Oversee meticulous records on the Gallery's exhibitions management database, or electronic records.
- Oversee Government Indemnity and/or commercial insurance applications.
- Generate transport and packing tenders for national/international fine art transport.
- Oversee and manage the coordination of installation/de-installation teams and schedules (Conservators, Art Handlers, Contractors, Designers, Lighting, in house and freelance).
- Accurate management of exhibition project budgets, tracking expenditure, generating accurate forecasts and regularly reporting.
- Maintain the management of shared costs for partnership exhibitions, reconcile costs and generate final agreed invoice.
- Procure and appoint transport tenders, external conservators' services, mount makers, commercial insurance, build contractors and other required services.
- Generate and manage loan lists, loan correspondence and status reports for specific projects; reviewing according to budgetary and display requirements.
- Diplomatically negotiate loan agreements with lenders to mutually acceptable terms and conditions.
- Independently arrange all loan logistics and procedures including transport, couriers, insurance and British Government Indemnity, Immunity from Seizure applications; to be in line with Wallace Collection policies and practices, DCMS and ACE requirements, Health & Safety and other statutory requirements.
- Always maintain positive working relationship with stakeholders with diplomacy and discretion.
- Manage and oversee the 2D and 3D exhibition design process for allocated projects and chair design meetings.
- Manage the interpretation process, coordinating the assembly of content for digital interpretation across various platforms (multimedia and audio).
- Coordinate the production of exhibition build, graphics and printed interpretation liaising with external designers and producers.
- Work to the Wallace Collections H&S and CDM regulations.
- Support the Head of Exhibitions and Collection Care with the tendering and appointment of external publishers.
- Liaise with Curatorial to ensure the catalogue production schedule falls within the agreed deadlines and budgets.
- Line manage and oversee the work of an Exhibitions Assistant, promoting their development.
- Proactively stay informed with current policy across the sector via Continued Professional Development and networks (UKRG, IAL etc).
- On occasion may be required to support colleagues to oversee the safety of the Collection during events.
- Carry out courier duties for loans from the Wallace Collection to borrowers.
- This job description cannot be considered to be exhaustive and other duties will be determined by circumstances as and when required.
Essential:
- Degree level qualification in a relevant subject, or equivalent vocational experience.
- At least 3 years' experience of exhibition project management and/or exhibition registration in a museum or gallery environment.
- Proven project management skills with the ability to manage and drive life cycles of numerous loan exhibitions concurrently.
- Demonstrable experience of Museum Standards and sector policy, related to the management of objects, loans in, display and transport arrangements.
- Experience of the exhibition design process and working with 2D and 3D designers and an understanding of audiences and visitor experience/experience design.
- Experience or understanding of exhibitions publication production process and copyright.
- Experience of accurately monitoring expenditure, providing forecasts and value engineering.
- Experience of tendering for major exhibitions and contract negotiation with external contractors.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to negotiate, be sensitive and diplomatic.
- Highly-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to build positive working relations with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrable computer skills; including collections database systems, ability to manage information systematically and accurately.
- Practical organisational management skills; meticulousness, a keen attention to detail in all aspects of work, particularly record keeping.
- Exceptional time management skills, to successfully manage simultaneous project deadlines effectively.
- Work flexibly and calmly under pressure with a solution focussed approach.
- Line management experience and management of external contractors/ freelancers.
- Experience of exhibitions touring nationally and/or internationally.
- An interest in the Wallace Collection.
Please complete the Application Form, and the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, following the links provided on our website. Please note the equal opportunities form is used for monitoring purposes only and does not form part of the selection process. Both forms should be emailed by midnight 09/02/2025. Please note late applications or applications via a CV will not be considered.
Interviews for the role will take place on week commencing, 10/02/2025. Candidates who have been shortlisted for interview will be contacted after the closing date . click apply for full job details