Work with us
The London Museum of Water & Steam is a historic pumping station full of hands-on family fun in Brentford, West London. Please see our current opportunities to join our team below.
The London Museum of Water and Steam is currently looking for:
- Collections Officer
Please visit our volunteering page to discover other ways to get involved.
Introduction
We are looking for a proactive Collections Officer to join our small team at the London Museum of Water & Steam. Our Collections Officer has a key role looking after our unique collection of large working objects and our archive and sharing these with our visitors and community.
The Museum’s Collections
The Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of stationary steam engines, including four rotative and five Cornish Beam engines. We also have a steam fire engine, a waterworks railway with two locomotives and an archive.
We want to look after our collections and share them with our visitors and community. We want to help people access the collections, and work with our volunteers to enable the archive to be accessible and inform our interpretation and the stories we share. We’re maintaining the running of our engines, in the most sustainable way possible.
We want to continue to share our unique collections and stories with our visitors, community, schools and members in an engaging and informative way.
Responsibilities
- Managing the Museum’s collections and archives. This includes looking after working collections, collection care duties and plan, conservation programming, environmental monitoring and control (where necessary), pest management, and emergency procedures.
- Ensuring proper care and documentation in terms of conservation, maintenance, and security, including coordinating loans.
- Devising and delivering collections related training, e.g. collection care.
- Working with colleagues to develop new policies and procedures where needed, supporting our status as an Accredited Museum.
- Researching and developing stories around our collections.
- Working with, managing, and leading the teams of volunteers involved in the active care and maintenance of the collections and archive, including the Collection Care/Archives Team.
- Coordination of and communication with the wider volunteer cohort.
- Play a key role in Volunteer recruitment and training and in developing new ways of engaging communities.
- Play a role in ensuring the sustainability of the Museum.
- Working with colleagues to plan and deliver events and temporary exhibitions.
- Positively promote the London Museum of Water & Steam and our core values.
- Any other daily duties which are relevant to the role.
Team Contribution and Culture
The role is part of a small team who lead the operation and development of the Museum in association with our Volunteers and Trustees. In this respect you will be expected to:
- Work alongside and support colleagues to achieve the Museum’s vision, values and objectives.
- Ensure the Museum adopts an audience-focused and socially and culturally inclusive approach to its work.
- Promote equality of opportunity in the delivery of services.
- Contribute to a positive, forward-looking, and result orientated organisational culture
Person specification
We are looking for enthusiastic and proactive person who brings with them:
- Experience of working with and caring for unique collections.
- A good understanding and knowledge of collection management and care.
- A willingness to learn and grow in the role as we learn from our communities and volunteers.
- Experience of working with and leading teams of Volunteers.
- A willingness to try new ideas and create possibilities, remaining up to date with current collections thinking.
- Experience of working and engaging with a range of stakeholders and audiences.
Personal qualities
- Outstanding communication and presentation skills.
- A love of collections and the heritage environment.
- Excellent listening skills and approachable nature.
- Responds positively to change and new challenges.
- A keen team player, happy to work and learn alongside a team.
- Excellent organisational and time management skills.
- Good humour, enthusiasm and emotional intelligence.
- The ability to represent the Museum as an ambassador.
Terms of appointment
This is a part-time post: 15 hours (2 days) a week. We are flexible and can negotiate how the hours are allocated but it will include some irregular weekend work and must be on-site.
Salary £26,000 pro rata (actual salary £10,400)
The successful candidate will be engaged as an employee and receive a pension contribution, holiday pay and other benefits.
How to apply
To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter succinctly outlining your experience and skills to Hannah Harte, Museum Director, at [email protected]. Please ensure that your covering letter fully addresses the appointment criteria in the person specification.
We are an equal opportunities employer and if you have any accessibility needs please get in touch so we can make adjustments to the recruitment process.
Closing date: 23:59pm Tuesday 2nd April 2024
Interviews will take place in the week beginning the 15th April 2024
If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or wish to have an informal discussion, please contact: Hannah Harte, Museum Director, at [email protected]
Job Description: