The Cheltenham Trust is seeking a dedicated Collections Curator to assist the Senior Curator: Collections and Heritage, Public Programme Manager, and Director of Arts and Heritage in enhancing the reputation of The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum as a premier regional institution. This role is pivotal in delivering significant and socially relevant programming while ensuring exceptional care of the collections.

• Curatorial Expertise: The successful candidate will possess a robust understanding of art galleries and museums, with a focus on contemporary curatorial practices applicable to social history and archaeology collections.
• Organizational Objectives: Play a vital role in achieving institutional goals, including collections management, temporary exhibitions, and collaborative projects with key stakeholders.
• Access and Engagement: Create pathways for increased public access to collections, particularly in social history, world cultures, and archaeology.
• Community Collaboration: Work alongside colleagues and community members to unlock the educational potential of collections through exhibitions and digital initiatives.
• Exhibition Development: Collaborate with the Senior Curator: Collections and Heritage to conceptualize and execute innovative visitor-centered exhibitions across Trust sites.
• Research and Content Management: Plan and oversee curatorial research, including content creation and object interpretation for exhibitions, ensuring alignment with audience engagement strategies.
• Participatory Projects: Foster community involvement in interpreting social history collections, emphasizing storytelling through diverse perspectives.
• Digital Engagement: Partner with public programming and marketing teams to enhance digital interpretation and audience interaction with collections.
• Feedback and Adaptation: Regularly assess and refine displays and curatorial content based on visitor insights and broader audience development initiatives.
• Learning Programs: Collaborate with learning colleagues to enrich audience understanding and enjoyment of social history collections through formal and informal educational programs.
• Advocacy: Serve as a representative for The Cheltenham Trust and its social history collections, building effective partnerships and engaging with special interest groups.

As part of the Curatorial team, ensure the preservation and public benefit of collections, focusing on social history, world cultures, and archaeology. Responsibilities include:

• Supporting the development and execution of policies related to research, acquisitions, and documentation.
• Ensuring compliance with museum accreditation standards and SPECTRUM guidelines for collections management.
• Implementing preventative care and conservation strategies to safeguard collections for future generations.
• Managing loans in and out in accordance with Trust policies and accreditation standards.
• Contributing to ongoing documentation and rationalization efforts within the collections.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• A relevant degree or equivalent experience in museum or heritage management.
• Experience working with social history collections and an understanding of their contemporary significance.
• A commitment to addressing decolonization in collections and engaging audiences in participatory practices.
• Strong storytelling abilities, capable of conveying complex ideas in accessible language.
• Knowledge of collections care, documentation, and digitization standards.
• Experience in project management and delivering successful curatorial initiatives.
• A commitment to equality and diversity in all aspects of the role.

This is a part-time (0.6) permanent position.