Head of Collections Services at National Museums Scotland

One of the UK’s leading museum organisations, National Museums Scotland (NMS) has national and international reach.  It is responsible for the development, care and use of 12.6 million items, a substantial part of Scotland’s cultural and natural heritage, built up over centuries. The National Museums of Scotland is now the most visited attraction in the UK outside London, and together with the National Museum of Scotland; the National War Museum, the National Museum of Flight, and the National Museum of Rural Life, they attract over 3 million visits per annum.

NMS now seek exceptional candidates to lead the department of Collection Services that cares for this remarkable heritage, much of it at the National Museums Collections Centre in North Edinburgh. Reporting to the Director of Collections, the successful candidate will lead and manage the development, organisation, preservation, and public access to the collections in support of the overall strategy and objectives of NMS.  They will be expected to contribute and participate at a senior level in the development and delivery of NMS’s policy and strategy. Candidates will have experience of heritage management and will be cognisant of issues relating to cultural and intellectual property as well as collections access, research, and care.

As Head of Collections Services with National Museums Scotland you will:

• Develop, protect, and enable access to the national collection.
• Lead on the strategy and implementation of effective management, care, conservation, and study of collections.
• Develop the Research Library and associated resources.
• Provide strategic leadership in the areas of intellectual property, open access, and cultural heritage law.

• Experience at senior level of strategic planning, staff management and financial responsibility.
• A strong track record of managing museum collections and or library/archives.
• Expert knowledge of contemporary issues in conservation and collections management.
• Understanding of management of risk in a heritage context.
• Expertise in intellectual property and/or cultural property law.

• Civil Service Pension (26-30% employer contributions)
• Generous annual leave (28.5 days – rising to 33.5) as well as an additional 8 days public holidays (pro-rata where applicable)
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Free access to national (and international) museums and exhibitions

Applicants should complete the application form on NMS’ website and register a jobs account on the NMS website where you can upload your completed application.

If you have any issues with applying please email  applications@nms.ac.uk.

Closing Date is Midnight, 4 December 2023.