Reference Number: CCT042

Closing Date: 1st April 2024

Hours: 37 per week

Rate of Pay: £22,575.95-28,356.80 per annum

About the role:

We are looking for a Collections Officer to support the ongoing care of the collections managed by Culture Coventry Trust on behalf of Coventry City Council. Culture Coventry operates the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum and Coventry Transport Museum, as well as two off-site stores, and the postholder will work across all sites.

Working as part of the busy Collections team, responsibilities will involve the management, care and documentation of the collections, which include social history, archaeology, natural sciences, visual art and transport.

A key part of the role will be supporting the relocation of collections from the current off-site stores to a new Collections Centre.

The main responsibilities are:

• To carry out ongoing collections management, care and documentation activities, working towards greater public access to the collections.
• To support collections review and rationalisation and the move from current offsite storage to the new Collections Centre.
• When required to work on projects as part of a project team.
• To work in a wider team with colleagues in collections, exhibitions & events, learning & engagement, and operations to facilitate access to collections and to ensure their care.

We are looking for a self-motivated team player with a professional and friendly manner and:

• Commitment to audience development and inclusive access to collections
• Good planning and organisational skills
• Experience of working with museum collections
• Knowledge of SPECTRUM and Accreditation standards

Closing date 1 April 2024

Job Description

Reporting to:Curatorial Manager

Responsible for: Curatorial Assistant

Scope

Culture Coventry Trust and Coventry Sports Foundation are operating as CV Life, so that the scope of this Job Description as a CV Life document extends to cover the employment contracts held with either Culture Coventry Trust or Coventry Sports Foundation.

Main duties of the role:

• Maintain appropriate collections management standards relating to legislative obligations, storage, movement, handling and display of collections.
• Carry out collections documentation including accessioning and cataloguing collections to SPECTRUM standards.
• Support the ongoing collections review process, including rationalisation of collections and preparation of collections for move to new Collections Centre.
• Line manage the Collections Assistant and supervise collections trainees, apprentices, volunteers (including the Transport Museum workshop volunteers) and work placements as necessary.
• Working with the Collections Care Officers and Collections Care Technicians to ensure that the collection is cared for and maintained to Accredited Standards, including monitoring environmental conditions and implementing programme of IPM.
• Promote access to the collections through temporary exhibitions, permanent displays, events, digitisation and learning and engagement initiatives to encourage their use by as wide an audience as possible and in accordance with museum standards.
• Assist with the management of loans to external organisations and loans into the museum.
• Manage the museum’s electronic collections management system and act as the point of contact with the database supplier.
• Support the upgrade of the museum’s collections management system from Adlib to Axiell Collections.
• Implement, maintain and review Collections Care and Documentation policies and procedures in accordance with museum policy review schedule.
• To act as a member of the response team for Culture Coventry’s Emergency Response Plan.
• Encourage and facilitate research of the collection and respond to public enquiries about the collection.
• Promote public awareness of the museum collections through talks, guided tours and publications to specialist and non-specialist individuals and groups.
• Work with the marketing team to promote the collections through a range of media, locally and at a national level, where appropriate.
• To provide information, reports and statistics relating to the collections to the Curatorial Manager, other Culture Coventry staff, the public and stakeholders as required.
• As appropriate, carry out training, research and network opportunities to develop knowledge and good practice around the collections.
• Support with knowledge and skills sharing across the collections and wider teams.

This job description is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and may be reviewed and updated depending upon operational requirements and staffing levels.

Responsibilities for all employees

• To embrace and lead by example on the Company’s key values of PRIDE, PASSION and PERFORMANCE or those that might at any time be subsequently re-defined.
• To undertake all duties and fully comply with all of the Company’s general standards and those relating to the specific requirements of the role.
• To carry out tasks at a range of sites that are either operated or managed by the Companies / Trusts or where services are delivered by the Companies / Trusts
• To be involved in any aspects or opportunities for sharing of good practice, expertise and responsibilities within the Companies / Trusts. To generally help promote the work and public image of the Companies / Trusts, always maintaining high standards of customer service and personal appearance.
• To attend and fully engage with all internal training and development requirements and opportunities, and maintain such qualifications as required by the demands of the role.
• To interact positively with customers adopting a friendly and professional approach at all times.
• To support the Company’s commitment to providing a safe environment for children, young people ad vulnerable adults, ensuring awareness of the Company’s Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practice Guidance, and to be vigilant, reporting any safeguarding concerns without delay.
• To comply with the General Data Protection Regulations when dealing with, maintaining, sharing and storing information.
• To undertake other duties as specified, which are appropriate to the qualifications, experience and general level of the post.
• To co-operate with managers and colleagues to ensure environmental responsibilities are complied with.

Person Specification

EssentialPersonal Attributes

• Understanding of and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and how it relates to the role.
• Good communication skills both written and verbal.
• Ability to prioritise workloads and work with minimal supervision.
• Good organisational and planning skills with the ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work in a team but also independently.

EssentialKnowledge and Experience

• Experience of working in a heritage environment with museum collections, including care and documentation.
• Experience of object handling in a museum.
• Knowledge of current professional standards and best practice in collections management, including SPECTRUM and Accreditation standards.
• Knowledge and experience using collection management systems such as Adlib or other Axiell software.
• Experience of supervising staff, volunteers and trainees.

EssentialSpecial Skills

• Strong all round ICT skills.
• Ability to work on different projects simultaneously.
• Practical skills including use of lifting and movement equipment, use of hand tools.
• Ability to manage designated budgets.
• A flexible approach to work with the willingness and ability to work outside standard hours on occasion.

If you have any enquires, please contact our Human Resources Team by emailing recruitment@cvlife.co.uk

Benefits

• Great development opportunities
• FREE health and fitness membership* **
• FREE health and fitness membership for a family member or friend* **
• FREE uniform for applicable roles
• FREE training for applicable roles
• DISCOUNTS on various Centre activities*
• FREE entry to venues*

(*not applicable to casual workers)
(**The two benefits combined can be worth £1000!)

People from Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse backgrounds, disabled, deaf and neurodivergent people are under-represented in our workforce, so we particularly encourage applications from candidates in these groups.

If you think this is the role and organisation for you then we would love to hear from you.

Please complete our short application form (average 30 mins to complete) by clicking the Apply Online Button below. We shortlist for our vacancies on an ongoing basis, and we may close a vacancy earlier than the advertised date. Please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

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