The Wallace Collection

Acting Head of Collections 2008-10

Closing date for Applications: Saturday, May 10th, 2008

The Wallace Collection is seeking a temporary Head of Collections to cover for Jeremy Warren while he is on study leave to work on The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Sculpture and to curate an important loan exhibition.  The post will be for two years and a secondment from a senior role in another museum might be an appealing possibility.  

The role is both curatorial and managerial, and is to provide backfill in readiness for Jeremy Warren’s return.  The Head of Collections is directly responsible for the Curatorial team, which also includes Exhibitions, Library and Archives, and manages the Conservation, Education and New Media teams (including Picture Library and Photography), each having its own Head of Department. There are curators for each area of the Collection, so no particular curatorial expertise is envisaged for this role, though proven sound scholarship in an area of the fine or decorative arts is essential. The candidate will manage the day to day administration of the Department, will negotiate and manage the Department’s budgets and will represent the Department within the museum and to the Trustees, as well as nationally and internationally. The candidate will report directly to the Director.

The successful candidate will also be a member of the Senior Management Team of three who assist the Director in running all aspects of the Wallace Collection.  The other two cover Finance and Operations, and Fund Raising and Marketing. He/she will also be especially vital to the success of the new 2008-11 Corporate Plan. This has three leading objectives (each incorporating a range of different projects) and, since these affect all areas of life at the Wallace Collection, each is allocated to one of the Senior Management Team: Scholarship and Excellence to collections; Capital Projects to Finance and Operations;Visitor Services to Fund Raising and Marketing.

The Acting Head of Collections will be particularly responsible for seeing that this visionary aim for his/her department is taken forward with professionalism, encouragement and gusto. There are seven curators and five are positively involved in academic projects resulting in Wallace Collection publications over the next five years. These are: Jeremy Warren: The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Sculpture Vol.1; Tobias Capwell: The Wallace Collection Summary Catalogue of European Arms and Armour; Suzanne Higgott: The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Limoges Enamels and Glass; and Christoph Vogtherr and Stephen Duffy: Miniatures in the Wallace Collection. There are also two external scholars working on further catalogue projects: Charles Truman on The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Gold Boxes and Robert Elgood on The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Asian Arms and Armour.

There are also three phases of gallery refurbishments planned on the first floor of Hertford House between 2008 and 2014. These will also draw on the Department’s expertise and skills in order to achieve the highest possible standards of excellence in display. The postholder will direct the Curator of Arms and Armour on the development of our Olympic Project for 2012 on Fencing, incorporating an exhibition The Art of the Sword and an exciting programme of events. He/she will continue to develop our Museum Network with our four partners and our MA programmes with the Courtauld Institute and the Institut ‘d’Études Supérieures dans les Arts (IESA).

The salary for this temporary post will be in the range £50k per annum. In addition, the postholder will receive a minimum 25 days per year annual leave (dependent on the nature of the appointment/secondment), membership of an occupational pension scheme and an interest-free season ticket loan.

A full job description can be found below. Alternatively, please write to The Personnel Department, The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, London, W1U 3BN for a postal application pack.

If you wish to make an application, please send your curriculum vitae and a covering letter outlining why you are interested in the post and what special qualities you could bring to the Wallace Collection. These should be to Paul Little, the Personnel Manager, the Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, London, W1U 3BN or emailed to recruitment@wallacecollection.org.

Closing date for all completed application forms: 10th May 2008.

The Wallace Collection is an equal opportunities employer

Required Documents

Full Job Description

Equal Opportunities Form