CHIPPENHAM TOWN COUNCIL

JOB PROFILE

1Job Details
Job Title: / Collections Officer
Permanent /Temporary / Permanent
Directorate: / Chippenham Town Council
Service: / Museum and Heritage Service
Grade: / Grade 6 ( SCP 26 -28)
Hours of work / Full Time 37 hours per week
Version Date: / February 2016
2Job Purpose
Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre holds mainly social history and archaeological collections connected to the history and development of the town and surrounding villages.
The purpose of the post is to ensure that Collections Management Programmes meet “best practice” standards, to develop improved access to the collections and to manage the MODES documentation system.
The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that the collections are stored, displayed and conserved to the highest standards of collection care.
The post holder will be conversant with current computer technology, attend the town council’s IT working group and will assist in developing and improving its IT systems.
The Collections Officer will be encouraged to develop research projects and exhibition programmes connected to the collections and will be supported by a full-time Museum Assistant.
The post holder will work closely with the Curator and the Learning and Outreach Officer as the management team to deliver best practice and to develop the museum service.
3Reporting Relationships
Museum and Heritage Centre Curator/ Manager
│ │
Collections Officer Learning and Outreach Officer
│ │
Museum Assistant (Collections) Museum Assistant (Admin)
│
Cleaner
4Outcomes
The post holder will be expected to:
  • Be responsible for the management of the Museum Documentation system (MODES) working closely with Wiltshire Council’s Museum’s Officer on a county-wide documentation scheme and the Wiltshire Treasures website.
  • Lead, manage and participate in the promotion of Chippenham Museum's Collections through loans, image and data management.
  • Ensure that Collections care and management standards meet “best practice” and the Arts Council Accreditation standard.
  • Develop strategies and plans for disaster planning and improved environmental conditions of stores and display spaces.
  • Operate and support a rolling programme of storage and display case maintenance.
  • Manage the movement of collections, including the loans system.
  • Manage finances and resources, including maximising sources of income for collections related projects.
  • Manage a full -time museum assistant ( collections)
  • Manage a small team of volunteers to assist with collection related projects and research.
  • To assist and develop IT provision within the Museum and Chippenham Town Council.
With the Museum management team
  • Develop and deliver strategies and plans for increasing access to Chippenham Museum’s collections.
  • Initiate research projects and the exhibition and publication programme.
  • Research, design and produce panels and graphic materials for exhibitions
  • Answer enquiries and carry out research on behalf of members of the public and other institutions when reasonably requested.
  • Maintain and assist with running cultural and other events in the museum and Chippenham town.
  • Work with artists and other cultural and creative bodies to develop new events that are mutually beneficial and have strong community appeal.
  • To assist with the creation of promotional and marketing material
  • Promote marketing strategies to encourage the wider use of facilities providing materials for publications, website and any other media.
  • Provide effective processes for the continual improvement of Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre.
  • Support and develop the overall objectives and strategy of the museum service.

5Knowledge
The post holder needs to be able to demonstrate an understanding or experience of:
  • Current museums professional practice
  • Specialism in at least one collections management subject
  • Project management
  • Professional guidelines for the care, management, acquisition and disposal of museum collections
  • Current Information Technology systems and applications

6Job specific skills and competencies
The post holder is expected to demonstrate:
  • Ability to manage collections within subject speciality
  • Ability to manage projects and deadlines
  • Ability to communicate effectively with members of the public, staff and colleagues
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to present information accurately and in a manner accessible to diverse audiences
  • Extensive IT experience, particularly in Microsoft applications and databases and collections management systems
  • Ability to handle fragile and high value artefacts and objects safely
  • A well-developed visual sense and understanding of the issues involved in the display and exhibition of museum and gallery objects
  • Well-organised approach to work with an ability to handle information, records and statistics accurately

7Organisational Behaviours
The post holder is expected to display the following behaviours:
Communication
  • Makes sure that communications with other members of the team are appropriate, sufficient and effective
  • Keeps people up to date
  • Communicates information clearly and concisely
  • Is open and honest in communication and behaviour
  • Provides constructive feedback/ advice/ instruction
Customer Focus
  • Encourages team and others to be customer focused
  • Invests effort in making a difference to how services are planned and delivered
  • Works collaboratively across service/ team/ organisational boundaries to deliver excellent customer service
  • Actively seeks out customer feedback to identify service improvements
Professionalism
  • Is a role model for professionalism
  • Is flexible and willing to support change
  • Demonstrates honesty and integrity in their decisions and actions
  • Is accountable and holds others to account
  • Is task and solutions focused
Respect
  • Recognises the time, effort and commitment of others
  • Shows respect for people at all levels
  • Supports corporate decisions once these are made
  • Is fair and consistent in their approach
Creative/Innovative Thinking
  • Looks for more effective ways to improve the service and encourages others to come up with ideas and new ways of working
  • Is prepared to take managed risks
Engagement
  • Provides a shared vision and direction and aligns employee performance with team, service and organisational objectives
  • Is accessible and approachable
  • Ensures relevant mechanisms are in place to encourage engagement
  • Encourages good and appropriate working relationships
  • Explains how decisions have been reached and involves people in decisions which affect them
  • Delegates responsibility appropriately – strikes the right balance between giving guidance and giving responsibility
Future Focused
  • Demonstrates knowledge of the organisation’s vision, mission and aims and works to achieve these
  • Manages budgets and/ or resources effectively and looks for opportunities to maximise budgets/ resources
  • Seeks to deliver above average results for the organisation
  • Negotiates effectively
  • Sees the bigger picture, both internally and externally, and takes this into account when making decisions
Team Role
  • Demonstrates a positive approach to work
  • Manages change effectively
  • Creates a work environment which promotes health, safety and well-being
  • Is supportive and encouraging
  • Represents team interests to higher management
  • Creates a culture of learning, e.g. coaches and mentors others
  • Regularly monitors and reviews performance - recognises and acknowledges good performance; deals with under performance and other problems at the earliest opportunity

8Requirements of the Job
The post holder needs to hold as a minimum:
  • Qualification at degree level in a subject related to Chippenham Museum's collections
  • Recognised post graduate qualification in museum practice or equivalent practical experience
  • Post holder will be required on occasion to work outside normal office hours to deliver activities and work successfully with target audiences

9Development
The post holder must have undertaken or be committed to undertaking the following within a specified period:
  • Online learning modules appropriate to the post, including Data Protection Essentials.
  • Health and Safety training
  • Specialist courses / seminars / conferences arranged by external training providers