Exhibitions and Access Coordinator

We are seeking an enthusiastic and committed individual with experience of event and/or project management, excellent communication and interpersonal skills and a flexible approach to join our busy team. The Exhibitions and Access Coordinator will coordinate the College Collections exhibition programme and provide support to curators in mounting, promoting and evaluating temporary exhibitions, and act as registrar for exhibition loans.

The successful postholder will oversee weekend openings of the college’s museums and exhibition gallery, and also develop, plan, promote, deliver and evaluate engagement and events for adult audiences of the Collections. You will also act as line manager for team members responsible for weekend openings of our museums and galleries, as well as our seasonal heritage tours. An interest in the cultural/heritage sector is essential, and experience in this field, particularly of exhibition work would be desirable. 

The College Collections include art and artefacts, manuscripts and archives, rare books and natural history specimens, ranging in date from prehistory to the present day. We look after these outstanding collections to preserve and develop them for the future and make them accessible to the local community and the wider world. Each year, our museums, galleries, reading room and historic spaces welcome thousands of visitors. The Collections are used by researchers and for educating pupils and are made available to a wider public through events, exhibitions and loan programmes.

Eton College prides itself on a warm and friendly community, where staff are valued and offered an outstanding working environment amidst beautiful surroundings, including a wide range of benefits. 

Working pattern

This is a part-time, permanent position, 52 weeks of the year (inclusive of 5.8 weeks paid holiday entitlement). 

Working hours will be 25 hours a week.

Flexibility is required as the nature of this post requires some evening and weekend hours, which will be scheduled in advance in consultation with the post holder and for which time off in lieu will be given. The scheduling of time off in lieu is to be approved by the post holder’s line manager.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 8th July 2024

Due to the needs of the school and the department, we may interview suitable candidates before the closing date. This job may also close early if a large number of applications are received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid missing your chance to apply.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities 

Exhibitions

There are usually at least three temporary exhibitions per year, varying in scale, in the College Collections’ various exhibition spaces including the Verey Gallery, Tower Gallery and Museum of Eton Life.

• Work with the Exhibitions Sub-committee to schedule the programme of temporary exhibitions and displays.
• Act as project manager for temporary exhibitions, and, as agreed with the lead exhibition curator for each exhibition:
  • Set regular meetings and record actions arising for the team delivering each exhibition
  • Assist with the compilation and drafting of exhibition proposals and reports as requested. Monitor visitor numbers and record visitor comments and feedback.
  • As requested, act as liaison with the Buildings Department and external contractors and consultants such as exhibition designers and graphic designers. Coordinate procurement of any required mounts, framing, plinths, etc. Coordinate tenders (for transport and design etc.) as appropriate.
  • Oversee smooth running of all installation and de-installation periods.
  • Clear copyright for exhibition and catalogues/guides as necessary.
  • Coordinate the production of an online element for each physical exhibition.
  • Support the lead exhibition curator, Collections Education Manager and the school’s Partnership office in linking exhibitions to education and outreach programmes.
  • Act as registrar for loans of items from external institutions to College Collections. In collaboration with the Foundation & Collections Handyman and the Collections Conservator, oversee the movement of external loans and Collections items to and from exhibition areas.
  • Coordinate exhibition opening events and, as appropriate, private views.
  • Collect feedback from project teams and ensure ‘lessons learned’ are shared with colleagues and fed into new projects.
• Provide administrative support as above (and, as directed by the Deputy Director of Collections, act as project manager) for curators working on the periodic improvement or rotation of permanent displays in the three Eton museums.
• Act as registrar for loans of items from the Collections to external exhibitions. In consultation with the relevant keeper, other college staff, and external vendors and institutions, manage requests, terms of loan, insurance, condition reports, courier arrangements and removal.
• Organise access to the exhibitions for internal/external visitors outside of weekend openings.
• Organise the promotion of exhibitions and events programme. Ensure exhibition pages of the Collections website are kept up to date and, as appropriate, place advertisements and liaise with Eton Communications Office regarding media coverage.

Access and Engagement

• Manage Saturday and Sunday openings of the museums and exhibition galley:
  • Direct the Senior Custodian in coordinating the invigilation of gallery and museum spaces for regular openings to the public.
  • Support the Senior Custodian in recruitment of weekend staff to invigilate the museums and gallery; provide remote cover of the Senior Custodian as first point of contact for museum and gallery custodians on the Senior Custodian’s Sundays off (approx. once per month on average).
  • Oversee performance reviews of museum and gallery custodians.

• Oversee seasonal public heritage tours of the college. 
  • Act as line manager for the Tours Coordinator.
  • In the off season, act as first point of contact for tours enquiries.

• Develop, plan, promote, deliver and evaluate engagement and events for adult audiences of the Collections in collaboration with other Collections staff as directed by the Deputy Director of Collections. These may include:
  • Events in support of exhibitions, e.g. openings, private views for local community groups.
  • Events (such as lectures, art/history trails) in association with local, regional or national festivals, notably the Eton Community Fair, Windsor Festival and Windsor Fringe, Heritage Open Days, National Garden Scheme open day.
  • Events for academic audiences (e.g., lectures, study days, conferences).
  • Events for the Friends of the College Collections.

• Provide support for departments of the Collections hosting specialist visits and coordinate more complex visits or events involving more than one Collections department or access to multiple areas of the college.

• As appropriate, support the Keepers of the Natural History Museum and the Eton Museum of Antiquities in providing access to those spaces, particularly in their absence.

• Assist with Collections open days for the Eton community (e.g., ‘Fourth of June’, ‘St Andrew’s Day’,  F-block Sunday, Masters’ Guest Night).

Safeguarding

• Commitment to and promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion.
• All positions at Eton are classed as ‘regulated activity’ as per the Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 guidance, therefore a good understanding of safeguarding procedures is essential.
• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, including but not limited to, completing safeguarding training as required, and ensuring any safeguarding updates issued by the College are read and understood.
• Understand and comply with procedures and legislation relating to confidentiality.

Additional

• Carry out any other duties appropriate to the post and in line with the needs of the Collections.

To be successful in this role, you will need to be able to demonstrate the following:

Essential

• Experience of event management and/or project management
• Demonstrable ability to maintain an overview of multiple concurrent projects, on a range of scales, balancing and prioritising appropriately
• Ability to assess the progress of a project, spotting areas of risk and advising on mitigating those risks
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills
• Flexible working style with good teamworking skills
• IT literate with ability to use MS Office suite
• Enthusiasm, curiosity, can-do attitude
• An interest in the cultural/heritage sector

Desirable

• Experience in the cultural/heritage sector
• Experience of exhibition work, ideally including experience registering loans

Eton College offers a wide range of benefits, including an 11% employer contribution to your pension (with 4.9% employee contribution), Employee Assistance Programme, enhanced Maternity / Paternity scheme, a cycle to work scheme, subsidised lunches during term time, free or heavily discounted access to the College’s sport and leisure facilities and discounts at local retailers and businesses.