Description

Closing Date: 07-Oct-2024

About the role:
The British Museum is seeking a Curator: Africa to join the Africa, Oceania and the Americas department. The main purpose of the role is to fulfil a leading role in the curation of the Africa collections, with a particular focus on East Africa collections, including documentation, research, public engagement, loans and display, and work with national and international partners.
Key areas of responsibility:
To make the Africa collection, and knowledge about it, publicly accessible via publication, digital, display, and broadcast
To lead on research and enhancing documentation on key areas of the East Africa collection and the collection more widely (objects and photographs)
To lead on collaboration with other institutions or groups, and to develop or ensure good relations with relevant stakeholders, especially colleagues on the African continent and in the Diaspora
To manage visitors to the collection and enquiries from the public in person, in writing, by telephone and via e-mail
To provide curatorial support and input for national and international loans
To contribute to work on collection displays across the Museum, both in the Africa galleries and more widely
To act as an advocate for the Museum
To have a good understanding of museums and relevant best practice, and share this with colleagues
To work as a team member with colleagues within and beyond the department on working parties, research groups and committees
To change the focus of work as needed in line with Museum priorities
Other duties as assigned
About you:
Education: BA/BSc (or equivalent) in anthropology, history or related subject
Specific technical/professional skills & experience: knowledge of the history, anthropology and archaeology of Africa, especially its material culture (especially East Africa); knowledge of and experience working with museum database and image systems; research experience in relation to an area of the African continent; IT literate.
Work experience: experience of working as a museum curator/researcher.
Specific managerial skills: assessing priorities and meeting deadlines.
Specific interpersonal skills: articulate and effective communicator with good written and oral skills; ability to work as part of a team and independently; highly organised and self-motivated; adaptable, resourceful, imaginative.
Publications record: publications in peer- reviewed journals or in book form
About the British Museum:
Founded in 1753, the British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history and culture. The Museum is a leading visitor attraction, and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, the Sutton-Hoo finds, and the Lewis Chessmen. The Museum also holds an extensive collection of prints and drawings spanning 600 years, including works by the greatest graphic artists Dürer, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.
You can view a selection of our impressive collection of prints and drawings in our virtual gallery.
The Museum offers a competitive benefits package including:
Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service) plus 2.5 privilege days and plus bank holidays.
Membership of the civil service defined benefit pension scheme (find out here what benefits a civil service pension provides).
Free entry to a wide range of museums and exhibitions
Participation in private and public Museum activities, including talks by leading curators from around the world and behind-the-scenes opportunities to learn how museums care for and manage their extraordinary collections.
Interest-free travel, bicycle, and rental deposit loans
Professional and personal development opportunities
Employee Assistance Programme
Discounts on food and gift shop purchases
Additional details:
For more information about this role, please see the job description.
The interviews are expected to take place week commencing 14 October 2024
If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to bmrecruit@britishmuseum.org.
We have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees have the right to work in the UK. If you currently do not hold the right to work in the UK, we can only sponsor a limited number of roles that meet eligibility criteria. To offer a sponsorship, the job role you apply needs to be in the list of eligible occupations: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations. Additionally (with some limited exceptions), the role will need to meet the minimum salary threshold of £38,700 or the going rate for the job, whichever is the highest. You can find more information here: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job
The British Museum is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from unlawful discrimination or harassment. We value the benefits that a diverse workforce brings to a museum which represents world culture. The Museum is committed to ensuring that no job applicant suffers unlawful discrimination because of any protected characteristics. Our recruitment procedures aim to ensure that individuals are treated because of their relevant knowledge, skills, and experience.
We offer a flexible way of working scheme that allows our employees to work remotely in a way that suits them and the organisation. We welcome questions and conversations at interview stage about how flexible working could work for you.
The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.

Skills Required

Curation
Research
Archaeology

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