Assistant Curator – British Motor Museum

The organisation

The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, based at the British Motor Museum, holds the largest collection relating to the British motor industry in the world. It includes a museum collection with over 400 motor cars and thousands of objects, together with a leading international archive of industrial, technical, corporate and social history, including historic documentation, photographic material and moving film.

The British Motor Museum is a world recognised, independent motor museum, Accredited by Arts Council England and a National Portfolio Organisation. Both the Museum and Archive Collections at the British Motor Museum have been awarded Designated status.

It is a great moment to join the team, as we begin to deliver our aims and priorities for the next five years. The Trust has ambitious plans, including to develop its collections and engagement, sharing the stories of the people, places and products of the motor industry in Britain, to an even wider and more diverse audience.

As Assistant Curator, you will join the small, proactive and friendly curatorial team in a role that involves everything from the documentation and collections care of the Museum collections, dealing with enquiries, to helping research and deliver exhibitions and audience programmes. The Trust is looking for someone who will share our passion for bringing our fantastic collections even more to life and is willing to be hands-on in this varied role.

Job purpose

This role will support the work required in increasing accessibility to our collections and delivering audience programmes. It includes documenting the Museum’s collections; assisting with the practical upkeep of the collections and exhibitions; assisting in the creation and delivery of the Museum’s exhibition and audience programmes, including a drive to more inclusive and digital content; and carrying out research, both for internal projects and to answer external enquiries. Throughout, you will engage with colleagues to deliver projects across the organisation.

Main duties 

• Document the motor car and object collections, to ensure that accurate accession, conservation and loan information, together with historical data, is maintained;
• Assist with the creation of new audience programmes (for example, temporary and permanent exhibitions, publications and new – digital and social – media), research content and help deliver those programmes;
• Assist with the practical upkeep of objects from the collections and the content of the exhibitions;
• Research subject areas relating to the collections in order to develop the understanding of the collections and to ensure that information in the Museum remains relevant and up-to-date;
• Work with colleagues across the organisation – in particular from the Archive, Vehicle Workshop, Learning, Volunteer and Marketing teams – to create, deliver and evaluate new projects and to communicate knowledge about the collections to them;
• Assist in the development and delivery of volunteer programmes;
• Communicate knowledge about the collections e.g. in presentations and workshops, both at the Museum and externally;
• Respond to enquiries about the collections both from external and internal enquirers;
• Represent the curatorial team at meetings and events, internally and externally;
• Attend events to promote the Museum. This may involve out-of-hours or weekend working;
• Undertake other duties that are required from time to time and are commensurate with this position;
• Take responsibility for your own health, safety and welfare, ensuring compliance with Trust’s Health and Safety policies, procedures and safe systems of work;
• Be responsible for your own behaviour and act in a manner that avoids and discourages any form of discrimination or harassment;
• Comply with the Trust’s Equal Opportunities Policy;
• Undertake to familiarise yourself with the data protection procedures set down by the Company as a result of the General Data Protection Regulation;
• Actively and positively contribute to the success of the business in delivering your duties and any other business-related activities which may reasonably be requested.

Knowledge, skills, experience and attributes required

• Demonstrable experience working in a museum or other curatorial environment;
• Educated to degree level or have equivalent experience;
• A postgraduate degree in a relevant museum or heritage subject may give some additional perspective but is not essential;
• Knowledge of standards such as SPECTRUM and Museum Accreditation together with experience of collections management software;
• A sound digital skill set, including MS office software, social media and online applications;
• Experience of delivering exhibitions, public programmes and engagement.

You may also have:

• Experience of working with mixed (archive & museum) collections;
• Presenting publicly; in person, in print, on camera or online;
• An interest in industrial/business/social history in general.

About you:

• A practical approach and a willingness to be ‘hands-on’;
• Good organisational and planning skills;
• Work accurately with strong attention to detail;
• Able to make decisions and solve challenges;
• An imaginative thinker and a clear spoken and written communicator;
• Proactive and self-motivated;
• Collaborative and able to make a positive contribution to any team;
• Passionate and flexible, with excellent interpersonal skills.

How to apply:

Please email your CV and a covering letter to: enquiries@britishmotormuseum.co.uk

Applications must be received on or before the closing date.

Closing Date: 29 May 2022

Inclusion and diversity statement

As an organisation the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust is committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity amongst our workforce. Recognising the under‑representation of people from certain backgrounds, both within our organisation and across the sector, we welcome and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.