Overview
Role Summary
Assistant Collection Manager: Storage and Moves (BM_ARC)
Collection Care and Moves
Full-time, 41 hours per week (including one hour paid lunch break)
Fixed term until 31 March 2026 (with possibility to extend)
£29,642 per annum
Application deadline: 12pm (midday) on 29th September 2025
About the role:
The postholder will be responsible for the packing, storage and rehouse of objects as part of a major storage move project, from across the collection with a focus on archaeological assemblages and large objects including casts and sculptures.
This role is primarily technical. Problem solving is a key aspect of the role, and a flexible approach to working is essential.
This role will be based at the British Museum’s new storage facility, BM_ARC, near Reading.
We are recruiting 2 positions for this role.
Key areas of responsibility:
- To facilitate the movement, packing and rehousing of objects across the collections.
- To observe best practice in all aspects of object handling and collections storage.
- To facilitate the packing of objects for permanent storage (as required).
- To monitor security of objects and to maintain them in good condition in storage.
- To maintain and update essential object documentation, including location information and photography.
- To follow Integrated Pest Management procedures
- To assist with training and skill-sharing as required, including supervision of volunteers as required.
About you:
- Demonstrable interest in aspects of the Museum’s collections.
- Manual dexterity; IT skills; understanding and appreciation of materials and objects.
- Ability to work well as part of team; self-motivated and able to use initiative; good communicator; good time management skills.
- Museum Studies or qualifications that include practical experience of object handling, particularly of archaeological assemblages.
About the British Museum:
Founded in 1753, the British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history and culture. The Museum is a leading visitor attraction, and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, the Sutton-Hoo finds, and the Lewis Chessmen. The Museum also holds an extensive collection of prints and drawings spanning 600 years, including works by the greatest graphic artists such as Dürer, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.
You can view a selection of our impressive collection of prints and drawings in our virtual gallery.
The Museum offers a competitive benefits package including:
- Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service) plus 2.5 privilege days and plus bank holidays.
- Membership of the civil service defined benefit pension scheme (find out here what benefits a civil service pension provides).
- Free entry to a wide range of museums and exhibitions
- Participation in private and public Museum activities, including talks by leading curators from around the world and behind-the-scenes opportunities to learn how museums care for and manage their extraordinary collections.
- Interest-free travel, bicycle, and rental deposit loans
- Professional and personal development opportunities
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Discounts on food and gift shop purchases
Additional details:
For more information about this role, please see the job description.
If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to bmrecruit@britishmuseum.org.
We have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees have the right to work in the UK. If you currently do not hold the right to work in the UK, we can only sponsor a limited number of roles that meet eligibility criteria. To offer a sponsorship, the job role you apply needs to be in the list of eligible occupations: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations. Additionally (with some limited exceptions), the role will need to meet the new minimum salary threshold of £41,700 or the going rate for the job, whichever is the highest. You can find more information here: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job
The British Museum is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from unlawful discrimination or harassment. We value the benefits that a diverse workforce brings to a museum which represents world culture. The Museum is committed to ensuring that no job applicant suffers unlawful discrimination because of any protected characteristics. Our recruitment procedures aim to ensure that individuals are treated because of their relevant knowledge, skills, and experience.
We specifically encourage applications from candidates from ethnic minority groups who are underrepresented within our senior roles.
We offer a flexible way of working scheme that allows our employees to work in a way that suits them and the organisation. We welcome questions and conversations at the interview stage about how flexible working could work for you. We would typically see this role as working on-site for 5 days a week.
The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.
IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
