Collections Officer

Job Purpose

Internal Job Title: Collections Officer

Advertised Salary: £ 29,945 + benefits

Location: National, with a regional base at National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port . See here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers

Looking for a new opportunity handling the history of the Waterways!?

The Canal & River Trust is one of the UK's largest charities, we maintain 2,000 miles of historic canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs, along with museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of protected historic buildings - preserving them for future generations. Our waterways are exciting, vibrant places to work.

The Trust holds the most comprehensive historic collection of inland waterways material in the world. It consists of over 18,000 accessioned objects - including sixty-eight historic boats. It is Accredited and Designated as being of national significance, with many of the boats on the National Historic Ships Register, with twelve vessels part of the National Historic Fleet. Find our more: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/things-to-do/museums-and-attractions/nati...

We are currently looking for a Collections Officer to join our national Collections team. Come work with an enthusiastic team keen on preserving our history!

Location & coverage

Based at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port with the expectation to travel intermittently between sites to attend meetings or to conduct fieldwork. This will involve helping support the Trust's visitor attractions containing collections items on the national canal network.

Business travel will be reimbursed within the HMRC rules for non-taxable business travel cost.

See our network here (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network).

Knowledge, Skills/Qualifications & Experience

Working in the Collections Team the role will develop, manage, and care for the objects belonging to the Trust in accordance with Museum Accreditation and Designated status. They will help make accessible the collections in ways that realise their potential to enrich people's lives and contribute to the wider success and resilience of the Trust. The ideal applicant will have experience in a museum collections/curatorial team, working with (and managing where appropriate) large groups of volunteers and be confident interacting with a variety of our stakeholders.

Key accountabilities:

• Responsibility for delivering collections management to meet museum sector standards.
• To coordinate and manage the day-to-day work of volunteer groups involved in delivering collections care, housekeeping, documentation, and interpretation.
• Responsibility for delivering collections documentation according to museum standards. This includes delivering collections documentation plans, and maintaining documentation standards using paper systems and the museum's collections management system, Collections Index+
• Working with the Collections Technician Digital Development to help with the development of access to the collection for a wider audience.
• Answer research enquiries, facilitate researcher visits and coordinate loans.
• To represent the Collections Team at networking and heritage sector events and to contribute to fundraising for collections activities.
• To assist the Collections Technician Digital Development in any other collections and access related activities appropriate to this post.
• Always Displaying the Trust's values and behaviors.
• Ensuring that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life and promoting inclusion by challenging behaviour , practices, actions, or decisions that are counter to the objectives of the Trust's policies and values.
• Be able to travel to various sites and attractions in the North region . Advising Trust colleagues on the best way to look after and display the collections. Travelling is therefore an essential part of the job.

About you

Qualifications & attainment:

• A postgraduate qualification in museum studies or similar, or equivalent experience (MA, Museum Studies, Heritage Management, Museum Management, etc).
• Knowledge of museum collections management standards and systems.
• Knowledge of Museum accreditation standards.
• Some knowledge of making collections accessible to all members of the public.
• Some knowledge of digital collections care, interpretation, and access.

Work Experience:

• Experience of working with museum collections, including all aspects of collections care and documentation.
• Experience of working with volunteers.
• Experience of collections research.
• Experience of contributing to temporary and permanent exhibition.

General skills:

• Able to plan and prioritise work, to work under pressure and to deadlines.
• Pro-active, enthusiastic and positive approach.
• Ability to work independently and show initiative.
• Good communication skills and the ability to work with people from a range of backgrounds.
• IT proficiency including Microsoft Office. Good written and verbal presentation skills.

To apply: click on the "Apply for this job" button and follow the process - complete the application form & upload current CV.

If you have any questions about the role please contact CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

What We Offer

In addition to your annual base salary of £ 29,945 , we also offer a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits. We are also open to flexible working arrangements.

• Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%.
• 25 days paid holiday (plus paid Bank Holidays), increasing to 30 days after 5 years.
• Home working status with 'hub' facilities available should you need the flexibility to work outside of home.
• Annual £200 personal learning & growth award to spend on any learning related activity.
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues, e.g. health, financial, well-being and domestic matters.
• Access to a range of employee benefits including store discounts, boating holiday discounts and holiday purchase scheme.
• 2 days paid volunteering leave per annum, allowing you to volunteer for a local community project etc.
• Free fishing facilities across our canal network.

At the Trust we care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job.

When you join the Canal & River Trust you become a member of an engaged team working to preserve our heritage for future generations. Come and share your passion and knowledge with a team that makes a difference to millions of people every day.

Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us]]>