Chief Curator

Chief Curator

Historic Royal Palaces is the independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, the Banqueting House, Kew Palace and Hillsborough Castle & Gardens.

Departments: Curators
Home Palace: Hampton Court Palace, HM Tower of London
Status: Established/Permanent
Salary: £76,187
Salary Rate: Per Annum
Days/Hours of work: Full time, 36 hours per week, Monday - Friday

About the role and about you

Hybrid between Home Based and Tower of London or Hampton Court Palace (inc. travel to other palaces on occasion.

We are a team of people who love and look after six of the most wonderful palaces in the world. We create space for spirits to stir and be stirred.

A rare opportunity has arisen to join our Palaces and Collections Directorate in the new year as our Chief Curator.

This is a high profile and strategic role to lead the Curator's team in advising on and supporting the presentation, appearance, development and appropriate use of the palaces, their contents, and grounds and providing the Curatorial face and trusted voice to HRP's audiences. You will share the management of the Palaces and Collections Department and you will work closely alongside the Joint Chief Curator, who focusses on visitor facing media and content.

About the role

This role sets the high standards to which our palaces and collections are managed, conserved, renovated, repaired, and presented. You will help bring to life our palaces, their collections, and communities by exploring new perspectives and techniques and engaging innovatively with diverse audiences to provide new stories and enable authentic, inclusive, and inspiring interpretation, exhibitions, programming, and digital content. You will be jointly accountable for leading the Palaces and Collections team, providing strategic direction and leadership and motivating, supervising, coaching and developing the Curators' Team.

Supporting the Media, Public Relations, Publishing and Digital Engagement teams, you will lead and develop the team in being the Curatorial face and trusted voice of HRP to provide the necessary breadth and depth of public profile and expert voice.

You will also provide leadership and strategic development for academic research and engagement within and outside of HRP, promoting its academic research and engagement as an IRO at an international level. You will provide expert advice across the organisation on a whole range of issues from accommodation strategy to heritage inspired retail merchandise and represent the Curators' team at cross-palace groups such as Programme Boards.

Benefits include:

• Hybrid working
• Enhanced holiday entitlement
• Generous Employer's Pension Contribution (up to 11%
• Annual Pay Review & Bonus
• Critical Illness Cover/Income Replacement Scheme & Life Assurance
• Family-friendly policies and benefits
• Staff discounts and membership to all palaces

To be succesful;

Given the nature of the role, a PhD or MA in history, heritage or other relevant studies; e.g. Museum Studies, is required along with a humanities degree, or, equivalent experience at this level.

You'll have extensive experience of curating collections and displays/ exhibitions within in a heritage or museum organisation and will be experienced and engaging in delivering tours, talks & lectures to the media, audiences of visitors, experts and leisure learners. You'll have a good track record of working within cross-disciplinary teams to lead curatorial projects.

With strong research expertise, you'll have led academic research and have a museums and/or academic research profile which includes evidence of publications in an area of relevant specialism.

You will have solid experience of working at a senior leadership level with experience of managing high performing teams.

Closing date: 23:55pm Sunday 24th November 2024
Interviews will be held: tbc

We have adopted a hybrid model of part working from home and part working from site, we are open to discussing what best works for individuals and their work life balance whilst also delivering the business requirements.

Historic Royal Palaces is an equal opportunities employer and truly values a diverse workforce. Applications are welcome from candidates regardless of their background.

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