Collections Access Officer x 22

ABOUT V&A EAST STOREHOUSE

The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects, books and archives that span over 5,000 years of human creativity. The museum holds many of the UK’s national collections and houses some of the greatest resources for the study of architecture, furniture, fashion, textiles, photography, sculpture, painting, jewellery, glass, ceramics, book arts, Asian art and design, theatre and performance.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Collections Access Officers play a vital role in delivering and supporting access to V&A collections not on display, engaging with visitors directly as the public face of Order an Object.

You will deliver the V&A’s revolutionary new Order an Object Service, providing support and advice to visitors throughout their journey to ensure excellent visitor experiences whilst ensuring the safety and care of the V&A collections.

You will carry out a wide range of collection care activities, including working with the V&A collection management, documentation and location control systems, undertaking the handling, care and movement of objects, and assisting with the smooth running and maintenance of the V&A collections stores across all our sites and externally.

You will consult with colleagues across the Division and the V&A to build a broad knowledge of the V&A Collections and best practice in Collections Care and Access.

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver the Order an Object Service across the V&A’s East Storehouse and South Kensington sites.
• Support visitors throughout the Order an Object visitor journey; before, during and after appointments, including providing information relating to the collections.
• Use collections management (CMS) and appointment booking software (MS Field Service) to support easy, safe, equitable and meaningful access to the V&A collections.
• Provide appropriate documentation, handling, space, and care for objects selected for the Order an Object Service, including undertaking risk-based assessments.
• Support the day-to-day operation of the Study Centre at V&A East Storehouse, ensuring readiness of the space, equipment, and collections for visitors.
• Undertake collections movement, storage and access duties, including use of electronic location tracking systems, manual handling equipment, and maintenance and cleaning of objects in store and related storage furniture, across all V&A sites and external stores.
• Ensure compliance with all V&A policies, procedures and guidelines, particularly H&S and Visitor Service Standards, and as required provide feedback on ways of working and opportunities for improving both staff and public access to collections not on display.
• Build a broad knowledge of the V&A’s collections and best practice as relates their care and access, and be open to sharing this with colleagues as part of peer-to-peer knowledge building and development activities.
• Contribute to the overall operations of the Collections Access Department across V&A sites and external stores as required, taking a flexible and problem-solving approach to tasks.
• Communicate openly and clearly with V&A colleagues, stakeholders and the public, both one on one and in presentation style settings, and contribute to reports and departmental meetings as required.
• Champion and role model V&A values and behaviours, taking responsibility for personal development and performance and assisting with the training and development of new team colleagues.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Criteria

• Experience of working in a varied and flexible team environment undertaking individual and team tasks.
• Experience of working with public facing teams and delivering exceptional customer service.
• Good attention to detail and a methodical approach.
• Interest in the work and values of museums and the collections they safeguard.
• Technical skills that could transfer to handling objects in a museum, including ability to lift, carry and pack objects, and be comfortable working at height.
• Willingness to learn new skills and to adapt existing knowledge to new situations.
• Strong interpersonal skills – able to confidently and clearly engage with a wide variety of people.
• Open and honest – willing to take responsibility for your own work and development.
• Knowledge of how to champion access, inclusion, and diversity and how they relate to a large visitor attraction.
• Ability to plan own work and that of others once allocated by a team manager.
• Ability to use databases, MS Office and other relevant IT systems to an intermediate/advanced level, and able to perform calculations.
• Understands the local environment and target V&A East audience and preferably lives in one of our local boroughs (Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest).
• Experience of working within a large multi-department business, contributing to wider organisational goals. ( Desirable).

Working hours: Full-time: 36 hours per week; Part-time hours available.

Location: Multi-site – working mainly at V&A East Storehouse and V&A South Kensington.

We are looking for someone with transferable skills and not necessarily someone with a conventional museum background.

Interview/Assessment days 21st, 22nd and 24th February.

To view the full job description, please click here –> V&A East Storehouse – Collections Access Officer – JD -Jan 25