Museums Association
Collections Project Assistant
Location: Central London
Annual Salary: £24,000 (pay award pending). One year contract to March 2012.
The collections project assistant works in the Directorate department at the Museums
Association (MA) on the Effective Collections programme and the Esmée Fairbairn
Collections Fund. The Project Assistant will report to the Collections Co-ordinator
who manages both the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund and Effective Collections.
About the job
For 3.5 days per week the Project Assistant provides administrative and project
management support for the Effective Collections programme, funded by Esmée
Fairbairn Foundation and started in 2006 to encourage better use of stored museum
collections.
For 1.5 days per week the project assistant provides administrative and project
management support for the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, a new project from
2011 to provide grants to museums to improve knowledge and use of collections.
This post is ideal for someone with a growing knowledge of the museum sector. It will
provide an opportunity to develop a broad range of skills relating to project
management, developing networks and building relationships.
Working for the Museums Association will provide an excellent chance to gain a
national perspective on museum issues and to develop your role in the sector.
About the projects/ areas of work
The majority of the Project Assistant’s time will support the Effective Collections
programme.
The MA has focused specifically on collections as an area of work since 2004 with
the development of the Collections for the Future report, published in 2005. In the
years since, the MA has worked in a range of ways to push the debate on collections
and their use, looking at issues including strategic approaches to acquisitions,
subject-specialist skills, collections research, access to stored collections, loans and
disposal.
Effective Collections is the cornerstone of the MA’s continuing work on collections – a
£1m programme supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to make better use of
collections, principally through increased long-term loans of stored material and a
more active approach to disposal. Through Effective Collections, the MA is running a
practical programme with museums and stimulating a change in culture: for
museums to expect to do more with their collections.
Effective Collections has been running since late 2006 with a pilot phase testing
ways of working. In June 2009 it launched a three-year full phase that features an
online listing service for loans and disposals (Find an Object), a Main Fund and a
Special Project Fund to be allocated in four six-monthly rounds upon application by
museums, and a body of advocacy and campaign work with partners.
The last Effective Collections grants will be awarded in March 2011. The challenge
for the remaining time on Effective Collections (to March 2012) is to wrap-up projects
that have received grants, complete policy and culture change work (such as Smarter
Loans) and undertake evaluation of the programme.
The Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund is a new grant fund with two application
deadlines per year. The MA’s role is to promote the fund, advise and support
applicants to the fund, administer grants and run a network of funded organisations
to develop projects and their legacy.
About the MA
The MA is a membership organisation begun in 1889, has over 5000 individual
member, 600 institutional members and 250 corporate members. It has
approximately 16 fte permanent employees, along with freelance support.
The MA’s mission is to enhance the value of museums to society by sharing
knowledge, developing skills, inspiring innovation and providing leadership.
More information on the work of the MA can be found on our website:
www.museumsassocation.org
Key Activities
The work of this post is varied, reflecting the two programmes that the project will
work on. Typical tasks will include:

Running the Find an Object web service including weekly updates, promoting
its use, and gathering/evaluating data on its use to inform development

Dealing with enquiries to Effective Collections an the Esmée Fairbairn
Collections Fund, for example advising museums on their eligibility for funding

Organising events and meetings within the UK

Developing comms activities for both funds, for example using email networks
and the MA’s publications

Contributing to policy work relating to collections, for example writing policy
responses

Providing additional administrative support across the department where
necessary
Personal Qualities
The project assistant will need personal qualities in the following areas:

Knowledge, or ability to gain knowledge, of the museum sector including
issues relating to collections

Excellent organisational and administrative skills, and some project
management experience

Ability to balance deadlines and the needs of different tasks

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Ability to communicate and work with a range of stakeholders

Excellent IT skills including Excel

Ability to sustain work with minimal supervision

Ability to work to tight deadlines

Ability to travel and occasionally stay overnight within the UK is desirable
Employee benefits include:
27 days annual leave
To apply please send:
1.
2.
A completed application form which can be downloaded from the MA website:
www.museumsassociation.org
A statement NO LONGER THAN 500 WORDS outlining your suitability
for the post and why you would be interested in the job


The closing date for applications is 23 February 2011.
Interviews will take place on 10 March 2011.
Applications should preferably be emailed to: sally@museumsassociation.org with
"Collections Project Assistant Application" in the subject line
Or addressed as follows:
Application: Collections Project Assistant
Museums Association
24 Calvin Street
London E1 6NW.