Regional Curator

Are you an experienced curator who’d relish the chance to work with some of the UK’s best-loved historic houses, gardens, landscapes and collections of art and precious objects? We’re looking for an inspirational  Regional Curator to join us and help connect people to National Trust places in the South West region, with a focus on properties in Cornwall.

Internally you will be known as ‘Cultural Heritage Curator' 

You’ll be part of the  South West Consultancy: a multidisciplinary team of experts, from curators and coastal specialists to project managers and archaeologists, who provide specialist consultancy advice to the places we care for, to help make things happen.

This is a senior Regional Curatorial position. You’ll form part of a supportive curator community, made up of many different role types and specialisms based in the National Trust’s regional Consultancies, at our properties, in the Trust’s central teams, and on specific projects. 

Regional curators are responsible for a core portfolio of varied properties spread over one or two counties but will also work more widely across the region to make best use of our collective Consultancy capabilities. This post will primarily support properties in our Cornwall portfolio, ranging from the magnificent Victorian country house and garden of Lanhydrock in Bodmin; industrial heritage along the ‘Tin Coast’ at the heart of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site; exotic maritime gardens at Trelissick, Trengwainton and Glendurgan; and spectacular cultural and nature-rich landscapes along the wild Atlantic coastline.

Your contractual location will be the National Trust office at Lanhydrock near Bodmin, but our hybrid working policy means you can balance office and home working with site visits and meetings at other National Trust places. We’ll talk about this in more detail at interview, but you should expect to be at a National Trust site for 40–60% of your working week. 

The ability and willingness to travel to a variety of locations is essential. Green travel options are always encouraged, where possible and practical; however, driving and access to a car will be necessary to fulfil the regular requirements of this role. Reasonable, non-commuting, business travel costs will be covered.

You’ll use your knowledge of cultural heritage to inspire colleagues and to build their capacity and confidence in how to engage people with Trust places, both indoors and outdoors. You’ll be shifting perspectives and opening new horizons. You’ll develop high quality interpretation and cultural programming offers, creating more diverse and inclusive experiences both for existing and new audiences.

Your role will be varied and may include getting involved in regional and national programmes and organisational change, including the re-presentation and repurposing of spaces and a wide range of projects. You'll also build positive working relationships with colleagues across the Trust, and with external partners.

You don't need to have all the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile to apply. The successful candidate will be supported into post through induction. The Trust also offers a generous curator CPD programme, with a commitment to continual learning and sharing of knowledge and professional practice across multiple subject areas. 

We’d love to hear from you if this sounds like you:

• confident and knowledgeable in two or more of the following areas: history, art and design history, architectural history, landscape history, museum studies, cultural heritage and social history
• up to date with standards, guidance and innovations relating to the care and management of buildings, landscapes and collections
• experienced in developing engaging and accessible interpretation and visitor information
• dedicated to inclusive and diverse histories, programming and engagement
• a skilled communicator, who can build strong relationships within diverse teams, both internally and externally.
• a flexible thinker and problem-solver, skilled at negotiating and building productive networks, and confident in using your expertise to influence decisions
• proactive and organised, with experience of managing projects and a talent for multi-tasking and getting things done, strongly focused on detail, quality, cost and time.
• lead for inclusion and always think ‘everyone welcome’