NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND
CURATORIAL DEPARTMENT
CHIEF CURATOR & DEPUTY DIRECTOR (BAND 3A)
FULL TIME, PERMANENT
The National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) cares for, develops, researches and
displays the national collection of Scottish and international art and, with a lively and
innovative programme of activities, exhibitions, education and publications, aims to
engage, inform and inspire the broadest possible public.
NGS is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) centrally funded by the Scottish
Government. It is internationally renowned, attracts nearly 1.5 million visitors per
year and consists of the following sites in Edinburgh:



The Scottish National Gallery on The Mound
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art on Belford Road
There are also partner galleries: Duff House in Banff and Paxton House in
Berwickshire.
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery (SNPG) uses portraiture from the sixteenth
century to contemporary practice to plot in an engaging and inspiring way the history
of Scottish achievement and life. Key figures who have shaped Scotland’s history
and reputation are represented: royals and rebels, poets and philosophers, heroes
and villains. The collection features outstanding oil paintings, sculptures, drawings,
watercolours, miniatures and prints. There are especially strong holdings of the work
of key Scottish artists, such as Jamesone, Ramsay and Raeburn, and major works
from other traditions, by, for example, Van Dyck, Lely, Batoni, Reynolds,
Gainsborough, Thorvaldsen and Dadd. The SNPG is also the primary home of the
national collection of photography; this embraces portraiture, but extends far beyond
it and includes Scottish and international photography of the highest calibre, from the
nineteenth century to today. The photography collection is increasingly being used as
an important element in the public programme.
The Gallery recently underwent a major and widely praised re-development, which
involved entirely restoring the magnificent purpose-built Gallery, providing modern
visitor facilities, presenting the collection afresh and creating a number of new
temporary exhibition spaces.
The main role the post of CHIEF CURATOR & DEPUTY DIRECTOR (BAND 3 A) is
to assist the Director of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in managing the
curatorial team, to develop his/her own field of scholarly research, and to deputise for
the Gallery Director in his absence. The post holder works closely with the Director,
delivering exhibitions (in the SNPG, at other sites in Edinburgh, across Scotland and
internationally), displays, acquisitions, commissions and representing the Gallery at a
senior level, both across the NGS estate and externally.
The new post holder should have significant project and line management
experience and a specialism relevant to the collection. There are a number of
possibilities which would be desirable in view of the breadth of the collection, the
responsibilities of existing staff, and current lacunae.
The post holder is required to take decisions as a matter of course on a wide range of
issues. These include priorities in his/her own work, developing his/her own area of
specialisation, actively presenting the collection to the public, being accessible for
enquiries of both a specialist and public nature, and assisting in the running of the
Gallery. With regard to acquisitions, commissions, loans and exhibitions, the post
holder may make recommendations to the Gallery Director.
As Deputy to the Gallery Director the post holder will have the additional
responsibility for deputising for the Director in his absence.
This includes
management of the Curators and support staff of the Portrait Gallery; liaising with
colleagues on matters relating to the maintenance of the building, security and public
service; attendance at functions in the Gallery both within and outwith normal hours;
and appropriate contact with all other departments of the NGS at a senior level.
In the Director’s absence, or when requested by him to do so, the Deputy will
represent the Portrait Gallery within the NGS at management level, attending
Trustees’ meetings, Senior Management Team meetings and Public Programme
meetings etc. Similarly, the Deputy will represent the Portrait Gallery when required
on external boards, committees and bodies.
The post holder will report to the Director of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
Organisational Structure: this may alter following the appointment of the new Deputy
Director:
Director, SNPG
PA to the Director
of the SNPG
Band 7A
Chief Curator &
Deputy Director
Band 3A
Senior Curator –
Reference Section
Band 4
Librarian & Research
Assistant
Band 6a
Curatoral
Administrator
Band 7
Senior Curator –
Photography
Band 4
Chief Curator
Band 3
Senior Curator
Band 5
Assistant Curator
Band 7
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Assisting and when necessary deputising for the Director in all aspects of running
the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
2. To manage the curatorial team and nurture its research and the development of
curatorial projects.
3. Carrying out research at the highest scholarly level in his/her areas of specialism.
4. Planning, researching and writing catalogues, references and publications that
are accepted as authoritative statements on behalf of the National Galleries of
Scotland.
5. Organisation of exhibitions, including major loan exhibitions, and assisting
colleagues in all aspects of their exhibition projects.
6. Lecturing on the collection to a wide range of different audiences in the Gallery
and elsewhere.
7. Discussing and making verbal and written recommendations on possible new
acquisitions and commissions.
8. In consultation with the Director, considering requests for loans and making
authoritative proposals.
9. Assisting with liaison with NGS partners and attending relevant meetings.
10. Assisting the Director with budgetary control for the Gallery and individual
projects.
11. Liaising closely with the Education Department over programming and the
development of displays and exhibitions.
12. Representing the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and the National Galleries of
Scotland on committees and academic bodies.
13. Representing the Scottish National Portrait Gallery on internal groups, such as the
Senior Management Team, in the absence of the Gallery Director.
14. Nurturing staff development for the colleagues for which the post has line
management responsibility. This will include on-going review and monitoring
performance standards, regular feedback and appraisals.
15. Any other duties appropriate to the post.
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Essential

A degree or equivalent in the history of art.

A specialism relevant to the wide-ranging collections in the SNPG.

Extensive experience of working in a gallery or museum.

The post holder will be required to develop extensive knowledge of works of art in
the Galleries’ collections.

Knowledge of other private and public collections; experience in looking at and
handling works of art; and generally a wide appreciation of art with the ability to
communicate information effectively to the public.

The post holder will be expected to demonstrate reliable judgement in assessing
priorities within a demanding workload, in allocating time to these priorities and in
deciding which decisions he/she can take and which should be referred to the
Gallery Director.

The post holder will be expected to assist the Director in strategic planning for the
future of the SNPG.

Excellent oral and written communication skills are necessary at all levels, from
setting out the results of academic research and corresponding with scholars in
other institutions, to lecturing to the public and liaising with colleagues on routine
matters.

Initiative and imaginative thought are required for developing ideas for exhibitions
and for conveying information to visitors and sometimes in the solution of
problems for which no standard answers exist.

Good organisational skills and the ability to meet deadlines are very important.
Desirable
 Line management experience and the ability to work well with colleagues
throughout the institution and in sister institutions is highly desirable.

Computing skills and an interest in the potential of new media within museums
and galleries are also desirable.
SUMMARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Salary:
£43,538 – £50,491 pa FTE
Starting salary will normally be at the minimum or at a rate that
reflects qualifications and/or experience which are of special
value for the post and which are above minimum entry
requirements.
Hours:
42 per week inclusive of meal breaks
Annual Leave
25 days per annum
All staff receive 10.5 public and privilege holidays.
Pension
Civil Service pension provisions enable the National Galleries of
Scotland to offer a choice of occupational and stakeholder
pensions, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that
suits you best.
The closing date for all applications is 8 March 2013.
It is anticipated that interviews will be held on 11 April 2013.
Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to Basic Disclosure Scotland
security clearance.
National Galleries of Scotland is a charity registered in Scotland (No. SC003728)