Assistant Collections Registrar

£29, full time); £17, pro rata)

Full time (40 hours/5 days per week) until 31 March 2026; part time (24 hours/3 days per week) on a permanent basis from 1 April 2026 (with the possibility of the role becoming full time and permanent).

Role Purpose:

The Assistant Collections Registrar (Displays and Stores) will provide essential administrative and practical support to the Collections Registrar and the Gallery as a whole in the care and management of objects from the Collection and on loan to the Gallery for display and storage.

The Assistant Collections Registrar (Displays and Stores) will play a key role in the management and implementation of the Gallery's programme of changing displays in the permanent galleries (non-exhibition spaces). The postholder will manage their own changing displays (ranging from swaps of single artworks to whole-room changeovers) from start to finish, liaising and working with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders as required. Such display changeovers take place regularly throughout the year and are essential for conservation and curatorial reasons.

The postholder will assist with the management of the Gallery's internal and external stores. Notably, the postholder will be the Registrar lead for the Gallery's Time-Based Media Collection, ensuring a high level of in-house knowledge of managing and documenting a highly vulnerable area of the Gallery's Collection. They will also schedule and supervise the packing and transport of objects between and within the Gallery's sites and stores, working closely with colleagues in Art Handling and Conservation as well as transport agents to ensure that artworks are packed, moved and installed safely.

This will all be done in accordance with the Gallery's collections care and collections management policies, and other recognised national standards and legislation as appropriate, ensuring a quality service is delivered.

Key Accountabilities:

• Lead on the management and implementation of the National Portrait Gallery's changing displays programme, ranging from small displays to whole-room changeovers, with support from the Collections Registrar as required. This will involve collaboration with colleagues and external stakeholders including lenders, artists, transport agents, mountmakers and lighting designers. They will be responsible for overall project planning, including but not limited to; object list management, transport logistics, object cataloguing and documentation, lighting, mounting, framing and set build requests. The post-holder will work with objects in all media, including time-based media.
• On-site registration duties as part of displays management including; regularly acting as courier for object collections and deliveries from NPG and external storage facilities, hosting couriers from other institutions, supervising contractors, issuing object dispatch lists, installation/de-installation schedules and movement forms, overseeing the preparation and rehang of objects in accordance with the displays programme, delivering site briefings to colleagues, installing objects in showcases, as well as filing and documentation including object location updates on the Gallery's Collections Management System (Mimsy XG).
• Supporting the Collections Registrar with the processing and administration of new loans-in for display specifically. This will include; liaison with internal and external stakeholders on display, security and environmental requirements, valuations, cataloguing and documentation, scrutinising loan agreements and indemnity/insurance documents, scheduling, organising condition reports and treatments with Conservation colleagues, packing, transport, delivery, as well as installation/de-installation.
• Assisting with the management of NPG's collections storage sites. Responsibilities will include; retrieving and re-housing objects within the Special Collections Store and external storage sites for NPG's changing displays programme in consultation with Curatorial and Conservation colleagues, working with NPG's Security Team to conduct location audits of objects at on-site and off-site collection stores as well as on display, ensuring that effective location and movement control is in place and any issues are reported and rectified swiftly, management of object moves to and within the Gallery's off-site storage sites in Wiltshire and Warwickshire (ranging from photographic negatives to sculptures), support with rationalisation of non-art to improve operational efficiencies, as well as scheduling and overseeing public viewings of objects not on display.
• Lead on the management and documentation of the Gallery's Time-Based Media (TiBM) Collection, including; liaising with Curatorial and Conservation colleagues to conduct artist questionnaires, creating clear and usable templates for core documentation for TiBM (relating to acquisitions and collections care), enhancing object history files as well as object records for TiBM objects on the Gallery's Collections Management System, as well as supporting with the re-packing of TiBM works in conservation-grade packaging. The postholder will also be the key point of contact for the Gallery's collaboration with UCL's MSc in Conservation of Contemporary Art and Media programme to support the conservation and documentation of the Gallery's TiBM Collection.
• Supervising and supporting volunteers across tasks, which at present includes supporting one Collections Documentation Volunteer with the compilation of object history files.
• Assisting the Collections Registrar with the upkeep and delivery of the Gallery's Collections Management procedures including but not limited to; object entry and exit, location and movement control, cataloguing, loans-in, documentation, provenance, due diligence, insurance and indemnity, as well as audit. This will be carried out in accordance with recognised national and international standards and legislation as appropriate.
• Assisting the Collections Registrar with the research, development and implementation of new registrarial policies and procedures, notably the Documentation Procedural Manual and processes relating to the Time-Based Media Collection.
• In collaboration with other colleagues, ensuring that objects in transit, storage and display are safe at all times and that the Gallery's collections care standards as well as recognised good practice are applied to all objects when arriving at and leaving the Gallery premises.
• Assisting in maintaining the Gallery's Collections Management System (Mimsy XG), ensuring that information relating to the management of Collection and loan objects is at all times accurate and consistent. Organising movement forms and inputting location changes relating to the movement of objects for display and storage.
• Assisting with general team administration including scheduling meetings for Art Handling, Conservation and Curatorial, filing, raising Purchase Orders, processing invoices, as well as ensuring that paper-based and electronic records are kept in good order and managed according to established procedures.
• Promoting sustainable working practices and reducing the environmental impact of the Gallery's operations in line with its Sustainability Statement.

The postholder will be expected to demonstrate relevant knowledge and experience in relation to these aspects of the role.

The above list is indicative but not exhaustive. As such, in addition to the key accountabilities and responsibilities listed the post holder may be required to perform other duties commensurate with the scope and/or level of the role

To read the full job description, please follow the link: Assistant Collections Registrar (Displays and Stores) JD

Key Experience, Skills and Criteria:

• Previous experience of working within a museum or gallery environment or with a fine art transport agent, with demonstrable experience in collections management or a related museum/gallery field, is essential.
• Demonstrable experience and knowledge of co-ordinating object installation or de-installation projects within a museum or gallery environment is desirable.
• An understanding of museum standards with regard to packing, handling, transportation, environmental display conditions and the UK Government Indemnity Scheme (and commercial insurance) as it applies to National museums is desirable.
• Excellent organisational and scheduling skills as well as the ability to manage a varied workload with tight deadlines.
• Ability to work quickly and accurately with meticulous attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, liaising with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to bring projects to fruition on time and within budget.
• Experience of working with a SPECTRUM-compliant Collections Management System is desirable.

We offer a competitive benefits package, including:

• Generous pension scheme
• 27 days annual leave allowance, in addition to bank holidays
• Interest free season ticket and bicycle loans
• Rental deposit scheme
• Employee assistance programme
• Free entry to many UK museums, galleries and exhibitions
• Staff discounts on purchases in online shop
• Professional & personal development opportunities

Closing date for returned applications is 9:00am on October 31st. First round interviews will take place on the 10th and 11th of November via Microsoft Teams. Please indicate on the notes section of your application form, if you will be unable to make these dates.

We are committed to the employment and development of disabled people. When assessing and shortlisting our candidate pool for interviews, we are committed to removing any bias through our process to ensure all individuals with a disability are included. To be invited to the interview stage, you must show through your application that you meet the minimum criteria and/or the desirable skills required for the role. If you tell us that you have a disability we can make reasonable adjustments at interview, and, if you join us, to your work arrangements.

Application due

31/10/2025

Start date

As soon as possible

Work hours

40

Position type

Exhibitions and Collections

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