Head of Exhibitions and Collections

Job reference: CIX-024285 / Salary: 57,696–68,857 GBP per annum depending on relevant experience / Location: Manchester / Employment type: Permanent / Hours per week: Full Time (one FTE) / Contract duration: Permanent / School/directorate: Whitworth Art Gallery.

The Whitworth is looking for an experienced and innovative curatorial leader to develop the gallery’s exhibition and collection programme, heading strategic, organisational, and everyday management of the Collections Care and Access Team (CCAT) and Curatorial Team. You will lead and support the Whitworth’s values and vision to transform the way art is experienced and enjoyed, by using art as a tool to understand the world and to build and connect with diverse communities.

You will have extensive knowledge and proven experience as a curator, researcher and manager; be well-versed in how art museums and galleries engage with changing values and diverse perspectives and how artistic practice and gallery activities respond to challenging and urgent contemporary debates and discourses. You will also have significant experience working in art museums or galleries, leading teams or projects with responsibilities of managing budgets and project delivery.

You will be a member of the Senior Leadership team and contribute to the leadership and management of the gallery, with a focus on the collections, programme, interpretation and research partnerships. You will also play a leading part in the Joint Leadership Team across the Whitworth, Manchester Museum and Manchester Art Gallery; with particular responsibility for leading and co-ordinating the work of the CCAT and Curatorial Team in their duties and responsibilities.

Please see full details on our website: join the Whitworth.

What you will get in return:
–Fantastic market leading Pension scheme.
–Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme.
–Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays.
–Additional paid closure over the Christmas period.
–Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers.

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

Our University is positive about flexible working—you can find out more here. Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies. Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to People.Recruitment [​at​] manchester.ac.uk. Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews: Sook-Kyung Lee, sook-kyung.lee [​at​] manchester.ac.uk. General enquiries: People.recruitment [​at​] manchester.ac.uk. Technical support: here.

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the January 20, 2024. Please see the link for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.