Description

Closing Date: 12-May-2024

Somerset House is seeking a Senior Exhibitions Manager to lead the development and delivery of a range of exhibitions, commissions and installations within our diverse Exhibitions programme, ensuring that our programme is delivered to a high standard, on time and on budget and reflects the mission of Somerset House and its audiences. The exhibition programme is held mainly within the Embankment Galleries, Terrace Rooms and East and West Wing Galleries with a regular Spring Commission in the Courtyard. Additional commissions and installations are programmed across the site intermittently.
This role requires exceptional project management skills and extensive experience and knowledge of organising and delivering contemporary loan exhibitions at varying scales, and complex installations and commissions. You will have experience of line management, loan and contract negotiation, budget management, working with artists and creatives, producing new commissions, organising transport, insurance and planning exhibition installs and strikes. You will demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills and have the ability to work simultaneously on numerous projects.
You must have strong stakeholder management skills, and an adaptable approach to work with the ability to achieve projects within tight deadlines. Experience of touring exhibitions and working with external guest curators would be advantageous.
The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy creative problem-solving, be a team player and have a genuine interest in the work of Somerset House.
What we are looking for:
Management and leadership
Support Director of Exhibitions and Head of Exhibitions Management in the planning and delivery of Somerset House’s cultural programme.
Support the Exhibition Managers and Exhibition Assistants to deliver high quality exhibitions on time and within budget. Lead by example to demonstrate and embed Somerset House values within the team and the wider staff.
Ensure delivery-related challenges pertaining to budget, timeline and stakeholder relationships are addressed proactively from the initial concept phase throughout project delivery to installation of the exhibition and strike.
Provide day to day advice and support to all members of the Exhibitions team, advising on contract negotiations, loan management, insurance, tender processes, budget management, risk, and any other deliverables.
Line manage Exhibition Managers
Deputise for the Head of Exhibitions Management or Director of Exhibitions as required.
Finance and Operations
Support the Head of Exhibitions Management to deliver the financial objectives for exhibitions.
Manage allocated exhibition and project budgets and maintain an overview of budgets managed by Exhibition Managers.
Assist with departmental compliance with Somerset House policies and procedures, Construction Design Management regulations (CDM 2015), GDPR, Health and Safety.
Planning and Delivery
Support the team to ensure delivery of exhibitions, commissions and projects on time, on budget and to a high standard.
With the Head of Exhibitions Management, lead on ensuring Somerset House continues its work towards producing sustainable exhibitions, commissions and projects and support the Exhibitions team in this work.
Project manage allocated exhibitions, commissions and projects from conception to delivery and strike. Working closely with curators (internal and external), artists, Technical Production Manager and internal Somerset House teams and ensuring all stakeholders are involved and informed as necessary.
Oversee Partnership Exhibitions including setting up and negotiating agreements, oversight of content and texts, press and marketing liaison and oversight, arranging for freelance Exhibition Coordination and working with Exhibition Manager(s) and Partnership Teams to ensure successful delivery of projects.
Draft and negotiate contracts for external contractors, designers, artists and lenders in consultation with Head of Exhibitions Management and assist Exhibition Managers in this work for their exhibitions and projects.
Lead on the negotiation of loan agreements and manage all conversations with lenders and artists around arrangements for transport, insurance and display.
Manage all rights and reproduction requirements for your exhibitions and projects.
Lead on the process for appointing and working with 2D and 3D designers on the detailed design and layout of exhibitions, working closely with the curators and the Technical Production Manager.
Appoint transport agents and coordinate national and international shipping.
Put relevant measures and systems in place to ensure the safety and security of artworks and objects in storage, in transit and on display.
Work with the Technical Production Manager to oversee the coordination of installations and deinstallations onsite as required.
Book conservators and arrange condition checking of loans.
Commission, proofread and edit interpretation and promotional text as required.
Support the development and delivery of related programming and events (e.g. talks, tours and performances).
Provide information to assist Press and Marketing teams to promote projects to as large and inclusive an audience as possible.
Contribute to and assist Retail team in the development of any associated retail and publication offer.
Provide information in support of funding applications.
Any other duties in line with responsibilities of the role.
Access, Diversity, and Evaluation
Ensure exhibition development and delivery processes promote equality, diversity and inclusion and prioritise increasing representation across all aspects of our programming.
Support the exhibition delivery teams to ensure all exhibitions conform to Somerset House Access policies.
Working with the Head of Exhibitions Management and the Director of Exhibitions contribute to the evaluation of exhibitions.
Skills, knowledge & expertise required for the role:
Significant experience of managing and leading complex exhibition projects and related programming
Experience working with and commissioning new work with a range of artists
Postgraduate qualification or equivalent exhibitions experience
Excellent project management and organisation skills, with good attention to detail and the ability to prioritise a busy workload and meet deadlines
Experience of project managing complex installations, including use of Audio-Visual equipment
Experience negotiating agreements and drafting contracts with lenders, artists and designers
Experience of coordinating and managing shipping and insurance of exhibitions items and knowledge of British Government Indemnity requirements for loans
Practical experience of object handling
Experience coordinating installations, de-installations and management of contractors onsite
Experience of managing complex individual exhibition budgets, with ability to highlight issues and propose solutions for discussion with senior managers
Organised and co-ordinated tender processes and contractor appointments, including drafting and issuing contracts
Skilled negotiator and diplomat, with an ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with a diverse range of people, both within the organisation and externally
Knowledge of picture research, copyright procedures and printing
Knowledge and experience of working within CDM 2015 regulations
Experience of working with 3D and 2D designers to develop and deliver projects in line with the RIBA stages
Knowledge and/or experience of producing sustainable exhibitions and commissions
Experience of producing exhibitions that are accessible to a broad range of visitors
Ability to lead and be flexible and collaborative
Line management experience
A strong passion and knowledge of the visual arts and wider contemporary art forms
Ability and willingness for occasional travel and out-of-hours work in support programme and organisation
An understanding of and commitment to Somerset House’s work, vision, and values, including diversity and inclusion, and sustainability.
Benefits to working at Somerset House
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Access to our external Employee Assistance Programme (CiC) for free 24/7 confidential advice and support, including up to 6 free counselling sessions per year where needed
Mental health support and guidance from our in-house trained Mental Health First Aiders
Hybrid working based on having 3 days in the office per week (pro rata if part-time)
Contribution towards eye tests and glasses
Trust life insurance scheme
Holiday
Enhanced annual leave – 25 days plus bank holidays (pro rata)
Birthday leave - additional day leave on or within a week of your birthday
Festive day - additional discretionary day off around the Christmas period
Other Leave
Sick leave – 20 days full pay, followed by 20 days half pay (pro rata)
Emergency dependent care – option to use 25% of paid sick leave for emergency care of a dependent
Enhanced maternity pay
Pension
8% employer pension contributions
No minimum requirement for employee contributions
Option for salary exchange
Interest-free loans
Season ticket loan
Cycle to Work scheme
Discounts, offers and free stuff
The list is endless and includes tickets to Somerset House events and entrance to other London Heritage sites
Discounts in Somerset House cafes and restaurants
Discounts with various high street retailers and restaurants
Discount to local leisure centres
About Somerset House Trust
Somerset House hosts the UK’s largest and most exciting creative community right in the heart of London, and are always looking for new talent to join our team. We welcome 3 million annual visitors to share our unique combination of cultural events, the creative industries and history. This mix informs and powers our programme and organisational culture, making us a singular, compelling and inclusive place to visit and work.
The Trust reserves the right to close a job before its application deadline.
Our Commitment to Anti-Racism, Diversity and Inclusion:
Somerset House is open to all and we value the unique skills of everyone.  Somerset House Trust is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion in our workplace, so if you’re a suitably qualified applicant, we encourage your application whatever your age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or socio-economic background.
Somerset House is actively anti-racist, you can read about our Anti-Racism Pledge and the action we’re taking here.  We are working hard to ensure our people, our onsite community and our sector reflect, represent and include all of society.
With some recruitment stages, where candidates are equally qualified, we will seek to prioritise diversity to help us to increase representation across the creative economy and the Trust.
We anonymise all job applications to help avoid discrimination in the initial screening stage of our recruitment process and reinforces our commitment to focus on skills and qualifications of all applications from the start.
Please get in touch if you have any questions or require any adjustments to be made during the recruitment process.