Senior Collections & House Officer, NATIONAL TRUST

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NATIONAL TRUST

Care, conservation, and presentation of Cragside’s nationally significant collections is what this senior leadership role is all about.

You will be responsible for:

• Care of the 21,000 collection objects, the fourth largest collection in the National Trust
• Management of opening the house to up to 1,200 visitors a day
• Line management a team of Collection Assistants and volunteers.
  
  

Bringing your exceptional heritage-sector experience to implement preventive conservation, delivery of our annual deep cleaning programme, and an excellent standard of interpretation and presentation.

A dream role at one of the National Trust’s flagship properties, working with a dynamic team to shape how we protect and share Cragside’s unique and internationally significant history. If this could be your next challenge, please outline in your application what you can bring to this extraordinary role and how you envision us assisting with the development of your career.

Working week expected to be Sunday to Thursday.

We are looking to interview on 31st May 2022 at Cragside, and the process will include the opportunity to tour the house and view our collection. If you have any questions before the advert closes, please email me Clara Woolford at clara.woolford@nationaltrust.org.uk

We would consider offering support to help you relocate if required.

What It’s Like To Work Here

Our highly experienced Collections and House Team thrive in our busy, operational environment, working collaboratively to improve our exceptional visitor offer year on year. Our exciting plans for developing our collection and interpretation are ambitious, and we are looking for someone who can play a key part in delivering them. We are a supportive and friendly team, who work hard but always find time to have a cup of tea and catch up.

Set in the heart of the stunning Northumberland landscape, Cragside is a unique place to work. Here William Armstrong, the brilliant engineer and manufacturer, built a wonder of the Victorian age. Illuminated with hydro-electricity and powered by hydraulics, the impressive Arts and Crafts house is the place where modern living began. This collection is unique in its size and variety, from beautiful interiors to innovative engineering.

What You’ll Be Doing

This is a fantastic opportunity to help develop and care for one of the nation’s most unique houses. Working in close collaboration with the existing Senior Collections and House Officer and with support from the Property Curator, you’ll be responsible for delivering all aspects of the visitor operation at the House, ensuring appropriate resources are in place to provide a safe and consistently exceptional service for our visitors. You will line manage a team of Collection Assistants and volunteers, to implement preventive conservation, environmental monitoring, and the delivery of our annual deep cleaning programme within the house to ensure an excellent level of care. You’ll be responsible for the implementation of new collections management procedures, working to sector standards to inform our understanding of the house and the collection, and to improve how we conserve, interpret, and present the property. You’ll develop imaginative ways of engaging our visitors with our fascinating history, and sharing our work to care for the collections.

Who We’re Looking For

Experienced people manager with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the capability to both work collaboratively and lead a team Detailed knowledge of Accreditation standards and a track record of working with digital collections databases

Operational experience of collections management and preventative conservation in a historic environment

Experience of managing a busy visitor operation and working with the public in a high-pressure environment

Good research skills and a passion for deepening our understanding of the collections

Ability to contribute creative and practical ideas towards interpretation and the visitor experience within the House, with a focus on optimising the visitor experience

Some experience of managing small, delegated budgets

Detailed orientated, strong work ethic, and excellent organisational skills.