SeniorCuratorPP_Oct24 - Senior Curator: Public Practice

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Posted: 15/10/2024 15:36
Start Date: Not Available
Salary: up to £37,000 per annum, dependent on experience
Location: London
Level: NA
Deadline: 17/11/2024 23:59
Hours: 35 hours per week/Full-time
Benefits: Attractive benefits
Job Type: Permanent

Overview 

The Design Museum’s vision is a world in which design enables this planet and its inhabitants to thrive. The Learning Team at the museum work to share the transformative potential of design and nurture skills such as creativity, imagination, exploration, discovery, play, radical thinking and empathy. 

The Senior Curator: Public Practice curates and oversees the public practice strand of the learning programme which complements the exhibitions and builds new audiences, establishes new partnerships and enriches the cultural life of the museum. They will be a thinker and a connector, engaged with design’s role in the contemporary world and an ambassador for the museum. They will diversify the possibilities of design and its role in civic and community life, foster a series of new relationships and ensure equality, diversity, and inclusion in every aspect of the programme.  

 


Job scope 

This role will oversee the museum's talks and events programme, and community projects with the support of an Assistant Curator to ensure that the programme supports accessible lifelong learning within the museum. The programme will present the work of diverse cutting-edge designers, thinkers, and cultural makers who are shaping the future of contemporary design. The role will own the Public Practice programme portfolio and be accountable for the success of programme strategy and deliverables. 

 


Job description 

Programming and audiences 

  • Diversify the possibilities of design to build the museum’s profile and reputation as the centre of design discussion and debate.  

  • Expand the possibilities of the museum spaces as sites of learning, through formats such as talks, workshops, lectures, symposia, performances, festivals, resources, digital and offsite projects. 

  • Engage audiences from currently underrepresented backgrounds in discussions around design. 

  • Provide support and resources that champion equality and equity within the design sector at large. 

  • Develop meaningful and sustainable relationships with HEI students and national and international universities and research organisations. 

  • Forge new connections and long-term relationships with community groups. 

Development and delivery  

  • Liaise with internal stakeholders including Curatorial, Learning, Communications, Collections, Visitor Experience and Future Observatory to ensure that the programmes deliver to the museum’s priorities and stakeholders. 

  • Identify and develop opportunities for collaboration with other cultural, industry and educational establishments. 

  • Ensure the effective evaluation of the programme to ensure that ambitious participant targets are met and inform departmental strategy. 

  • Use digital platforms to increase participation, impact, reach and effective delivery of programmes. 

Sector knowledge, museum profile and advocacy  

  • Be a public face of the Learning programmes, hosting and chairing events where necessary.  

  • Raise the profile of the museum by participating in talks, debates, specialist networks and representing the museum at conferences. 

  • Advocate for the programmes across the museum by contributing to cross-organisational teams.  

  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of key cultural, educational, and social policy contexts at government, regional and local level. 

Programme management 

  • Plan, set and meet financial targets / KPIs and manage associated budgets. 

  • Prepare reports and feedback for senior leadership, committees and funders as necessary. 

  • Directly deliver and/or manage the team that delivers the various areas of the programme. 

  • Ensure health and safety, and safeguarding of visitors, other staff and volunteers in accordance with museum policies and procedures. 

  • Negotiate contractual conditions when working in partnership on projects, including IP, fees, insurance and costs. 

  • Recruit, train and supervise the project volunteer teams. 

Departmental responsibilities  

  • Represent Learning in the development of activities for the exhibition programme and act as the main conduit between the curatorial and learning teams. 

  • Participate as necessary in all the activities undertaken by the department and to represent the Learning Department, working collaboratively with other departments. 

  • Deputise effectively for the Head of Learning, when required. 

  • Effective line management of an Assistant Curator. 

 


Experience, skills, and knowledge  

Essential  

Experience  

  • Significant experience in initiating, developing and implementing high-profile public events in the design sphere. 

  • Proven experience of developing and implementing transformational programmes. 

  • Experience of generating activity that engages new, diverse and general audiences. 

  • Demonstrable experience of managing projects and budgets effectively and meeting ambitious targets – reputational as well as quantitative. 

  • Experience of managing and developing teams including volunteers. 

  • Awareness of how improving diversity and inclusion can impact developing audiences 

Skills 

  • Creative thinker with the ability to generate ideas. 

  • A confident and engaging presenter, able to devise and deliver events. 

  • Ability to transform an ambitious set of aims into a clear strategic programme.  

  • Innovative programming approach, creating a portfolio that is both sector-leading and inclusive. 

  • Ability to plan own workload, prioritise effectively and meet tight deadlines across a range of project work. 

  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills. 

  • Flexible and able to respond and re-programme at a pace. 

  • Excellent written and oral communication skills. 

Knowledge 

  • A graduate or postgraduate qualification in design, visual culture or a related field, or equivalent experience. 

  • Understanding of professional practice in design. 

  • Growth mindset and adaptable attitude, understanding iterative research and development processes. 

  • A good understanding of audience research and evaluation. 

  • Effective resource management. 

  • Forward-thinking, passionate about design and visual culture. 

 


Terms and conditions 

Salary: up to £37,000 per annum, dependent on experience 

Holidays: 25 days + Christmas eve (museum closed) 

Hours: 35 hours per week/full time  

Location: Design Museum Kensington is the place of work, with a hybrid arrangement of 60% of an employee’s role to be performed at the museum and 40% remote. 

 

Special demands of the role: the role will work at times suited to needs of audiences, including evenings and weekends as required. 

 


Closing date: Sunday 17 November 2024, midnight 

Interviews: w/c 25 November 2024 


 

Application process

For all the latest job vacancies at the Design Museum, please visit our Careers page to apply via our online portal. During the application process, you will be asked to download an application form. The completed application form must be reuploaded onto your application. Please note we are not able to accept other forms of application for our job roles.

If you encounter any issues while attempting to upload your application form onto the online portal, please email peopleteam@designmuseum.org before the vacancy closing date. We will be in touch as soon as possible; (please note the inbox is monitored Monday-Friday).

Design Museum Staff Benefits

Employees are entitled to 25 days holiday, rising to 26 days after two years’ service and 27 days after five years’ service, plus 8 days Bank Holiday and Christmas Eve (museum closed), pro-rata for part-time employees. Other benefits include flexible working, hybrid working and core hours (10.00am – 4.00pm), where feasible for the role, access to a defined contribution pension scheme, enhanced maternity and paternity leave, an employee assistance programme, season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme, free entry for friends and family to the museum, a variety of staff discounts including the museum shop, cafes and free entry to a wide number of galleries and museums in London.

Pension

All eligible staff will have access to the Design Museum Defined Contribution Pension Scheme. An employees pay a minimum amount of 4% of their pensionable salary every month. On top of this payments are made into the employee’s pension by the museum of 4% of the employee’s pensionable salary. Total paid into an employee’s museum pension = 8%.

Hours of Work

Full-time employees are required to work no less than 35 hours per week. Core hours on contracted working days are between 10.00am and 4.00pm. Employees must be available for work, meetings etc during these times, notwithstanding time for a lunch break. A minimum of a 20-minute break must be taken if an employee is working over six hours. Hours for part-time employees are pro-rated accordingly.

Diversity and Inclusion

The museum pro-actively seeks to collaborate with institutional partners, individuals, and networks to realise its commitment to build a culturally diverse workforce. We positively encourage applications from underrepresented groups and consider candidates who are suitably qualified and eligible regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

About the Design Museum

The Design Museum is a multifaceted museum, an ever-changing space for the public, industry and education to come together and explore new ideas. A registered charity, the museum's innovative exhibitions, partnerships, research and learning programmes evidence how design can enable this planet and its inhabitants to thrive. Our landmark building in Kensington is the centre of our national network and a global hub for the transformative potential of design.

Our vision, mission, and values

Our vision

Our vision is a world in which design enables this planet and its inhabitants to thrive.

Our mission

To be a global hub for the transformative potential or design.

Our values

The museum’s core values are empathy, curiosity, collaboration and impact.

designmuseum.org



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