The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
Commercial Director
Hours - Full Time
Duration: 3 years fixed term
Job Description
Background Information
The Ashmolean Museum has been described as “unquestionably the finest university
museum in the world” (The Times, October 29th, 2009). The Museum is a part of the
Oxford University Museums Group and houses the University’s collections of art
and archaeology together with objects and works owned by other private individuals
and bodies and loaned to it. The collections themselves are of world significance.
They range from archaeology to the fine and decorative arts of Europe and Asia and
from coins to casts of classical sculpture. These are used for teaching and research
purposes both within the University and in the worldwide academic and research
communities. Above all, the Ashmolean is a great public Museum, open to all
without charge.
The vision of the Ashmolean Museum is to be an open door to the excellence of Oxford,
sparking in everyone a curiosity for the beauty, diversity and intellectual richness of our
collections As an essential step towards achieving this, the Museum completed its
“Masterplan” redevelopment in November 2009. This delivered 39 new permanent
galleries together with new temporary exhibition galleries, study and teaching
facilities, conservation studios and significantly enhanced visitor facilities, including
Oxford’s first roof-top restaurant. A new brand identity has also been established.
The redevelopment has received huge critical and public acclaim, evidenced by the
very significant number of visitors to the Museum since its reopening, anticipated to
exceed 1 million in the first year of operation. It has been long-listed for the Art
Fund Prize (March 2010).
The Museum is funded in part by a grant from HEFCE (the Higher Education
Funding Council for England) and by support from the University. It is increasingly
required, however, to develop and exploit the potential of its own commercial
activities to generate the funds needed to support its operations and future plans.
The Museum has therefore created the new senior management position of
Commercial Director to address this challenge. The jobholder will be responsible for
directing, co-ordinating, and developing these activities, which currently principally
comprise retail, catering, venue hire and events, publishing and the sale of image
rights and marketing the Museum at large. They will also be required to identify
and deliver new income streams, consistent with the brand values and ethos of the
institution. The jobholder will thereby play a crucial role in enabling the Museum to
achieve its objectives.
Reporting to: Operations Director (see attached structure chart)
Key Responsibilities:
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The strategic management of commercial activities within the Museum,
including the development of plans, strategies and initiatives, with identified
supporting budgets, to achieve these.
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Report to the Museum Board’s Trading Committee on performance against
strategy, plans and targets
Chair the Museum Marketing Committee
Brand management, development and marketing, co-ordinating with the
Head of Development.
Increase the net profitability of the existing commercial activities. These are
targeted to deliver a minimum net contribution in excess of £0.5M in 201011. The key to success will be to capitalise upon the very strong visitor
numbers being achieved and convert these into income.
With, creativity, imagination and determination, act as the commercial
interface between the Museum and the external world, identifying new
income streams and delivering a contribution from these, in line with the
values and objectives of the institution.
Lead the management and development of the Museum’s retail activities,
including the on-site shop, mail order and on-line shopping facility.
Oversee the management of the catering contract (held by Benugo), bringing
optimum performance from the contract through effective joint working.
Catering services are provided through a lower ground floor café and rooftop restaurant, which also operates as a separate “destination dining”
operation in the evening. The success of these ventures in enhancing the
quality of the visitor experience, supporting overall external perceptions of
the Museum and making a very significant financial contribution are central
to the Museum’s success.
Lead the management of venue hire and events.
Lead the management of the publishing and picture library operations to
ensure that an appropriate and commercially viable publishing programme is
delivered in line with the Museum’s objectives.
Exploit the potential for revenue generation which the Museum’s new and
exciting temporary exhibitions programme will provide.
Ensure that the Museum’s commercial activities are marketed appropriately
to its target audiences, liaising with the Press and Publicity Team.
Manage all staff engaged in revenue generation, to bring best practice and
excellent standards of customer care to the business. The jobholder will have
direct responsibility for managing the Events, Shop and Publications
Managers who in turn have 11.3 FTE in their teams. The jobholder will need
to build effective working relationships across the Museum, which currently
employs 175 FTE, working at all levels of seniority but with a particular
focus at Director and senior management levels to ensure the co-ordinated
and effective delivery of service.
Set and get agreement to annual targets for all business streams, in line with
the Museum’s annual budgets and medium term plans. Monitor and report
against these, taking appropriate corrective action where necessary.
Identify and advise on systems to improve profitability and activity
management and reporting.
Co-ordinate the production of sales and other relevant management
information within agreed schedules and reporting on performance to the
Museum’s senior team and governance bodies as required.
Ensure compliance with all legal and University requirements, regulations,
protocols and best practices in all business activities.
Maintain and report against an allocated budget.
Qualifications and Experience:
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A proven track record in retail or other commercial activity with specific
profit and loss responsibility. Experience in the Museums, galleries, heritage
or culture sectors would be desirable.
A strong entrepreneurial spirit and appetite.
Strong supplier management and negotiation skills.
Demonstrable experience of managing and developing a team.
Strong communication skills to inspire and inform
Capacity and drive to deliver fresh opportunities; and the integrity,
diplomacy and professional skills to work effectively on cross-team
initiatives.
Further particulars
This post is offered on a 3 year fixed term contract and is subject to the provision of
original documentation which indicates the successful applicant’s right to work in
the UK.
Pay and benefits
A competitive salary is offered in line with skill, experience and market pay for
similar roles. Payment is made by credit transfer to a bank or building society,
monthly in arrears.
The University has a generous maternity leave scheme and also offers paternity
leave to expectant fathers, and adoption leave. It offers subsidised nursery places, a
childminding network, a holiday playscheme, and tax and National Insurance
savings schemes. For further information see http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/child.
Annual Leave
The annual holiday entitlement is 38 days a year (including public holidays and any
Museum closure days).
Pension
The post is pensionable and the post holder eligible for membership of the
Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) which is a contributory scheme.
Data Protection
All data supplied by applicants will be sued only for the purposes of determining
their suitability for the post, and will be held in accordance with the principles of the
Data Protection Act 1998 and the University’s Data Protection Policy.
How to Apply
All applications must be made on an application form and sent by email to
human.resources@ashmus.ox.ac.uk (It is possible, but not preferred, to send
applications by post to The Human Resources Department, Ashmolean Museum,
Oxford OX1 2PH.)
The closing date is Monday 23rd August 2010 at 12 noon. An interview date has not
yet been scheduled, but as there are several staff members involved in the selection
process it will not be possible to alter the interview date, once agreed. In the
interests of economy we will only contact those candidates who have been
shortlisted for interview and they will be informed by telephone or email. If you do
not hear from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have
not been successful on this occasion.
Useful Web Links
The Ashmolean - http://www.ashmolean.org/
The Ashmolean Vacancies Page - http://www.ashmolean.org/about/vacancies/
The Ashmolean Staff / Contact List - http://www.ashmolean.org/contact/
Oxford University - http://www.ox.ac.uk/
Oxford University Personnel Services - http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/ps/
Staff Benefits - http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/ps/staff/benefits/
Academic Related Payscales http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/finance/salaries_expenses/scales/aa0_cur.shtml
Academic Related Staff Handbook http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/ps/staff/handbooks/contents/indexa.shtml
Oxford Maps & Directions http://www.ox.ac.uk/visitors_friends/maps_and_directions/index.html
Director
Operations Director
Head of Development
Commercial Director
Capital Campaign
Revenue Fundraising
Operations Manager
Head of Finance
Academic Services
Director
Head of HR
Head of IT
Curatorial Depts.
Catering
Security
Education
Shop
Building Services
Conservation
Event Hire
VSA
Exhibitions
Publications
Info Volunteers
Registrar
Grants etc
New Revenue Streams
Documentation
Press & Publicity
Research Projects
Design
Photography