Volunteer Collections Manager - Role Description

Role Title: Collections Manager

Role purpose

To care for artefact collections at the museum and assist with the training of volunteer Collection Care assistants.

Reports to

The volunteering and Training Manager, and Board of Trustees

Working with

Librarian and collections care volunteers.

Principal Duties

  • Maintenance of artefacts on display.

•Process acquisitions, and disposal of objects when required

•Manage artefact loans and documentation in or out of the museum.

•Develop plans for improvements to collection care.

•Ensure Emergency Planning Equipment is up to date

•Oversee collections care policies are maintained for Accreditation purposes.

  • Providing access to the collections both to internal audiences and external wider public:

Responding to enquiries via phone, email or by letter

Getting material out for research and loans.

Helping researchers in the museum, and being responsible for the security of objects when in use by researchers

  • Collections care tasks including:

basic preventative conservation and improving storage (re-housing, re-bagging, boxing and labelling),

pest management, environment monitoring

general storage maintenance

  • Occasionally required to mount objects for exhibitions and displays
  • Management of artefact store room
  • Using the museum databases, to edit data and ensure that the collections are fully documented.
  • Other administrative duties (e.g. compiling data for reports, maintaining supplies)
  • Opening and closing the museum using security systems
  • Carrying out security checks of display cases and exhibits and reporting faults
  • Managing tasks of volunteer Collections Care team

Additional points

  • As duties and responsibilities change, the job description will be reviewed and amended in consultation with the post holder.
  • The post holder is required actively to follow LCM Collection Care policies including Equal Opportunities policies.
  • The post holder will maintain an awareness and observation of Fire and Health & Safety requirements

Person specification

Essential criteria / Desirable criteria
Knowledge
Computer experience and confidence / A degree relevant to this museum role
Interest in industrial and social history / Knowledge of industrial and canal history
Experience
Understanding of basic preventative conservation / Experience/ understanding of environmental monitoring and pest management
Managerial experience of a small team / Experience of managing a museum collections team, handling and storage of artefacts.
Experience of working with and giving information to the public
Skills and abilities
Effective oral and interpersonal skills and the ability to deal pleasantly and confidently with people of all ages and backgrounds / Clear commitment to customer service and to making museums relevant and welcoming to all visitors
Excellent organisational and problem solving skills. / and ability to manage simultaneously a variety of tasks and delegated projects with different deadlines and targets
Written communication skills to high standard of accuracy. / Practical skills and the ability to use basic tools (drills, screwdrivers etc)
Willing to learn and manage a database system / Experience of using museum cataloguing systems (ADLIB)
Aptitudes
Ability to enthuse, motivate and inform colleagues and visitors / Awareness of cultural diversity issues
Careful and thoughtful approach to handling objects. Ability to lift small objects
Accuracy with an eye for detail
Demonstrable ability to work alone or as part of a team
Willingness to offer around 6 hours a week

Training

Training and personal development will be available and encouraged