Curator | CVAN East Midlands

The National Trust is investing in curatorship by increasing the number of Curators and developing our capability and confidence across the organisation. We are looking for someone to use their creativity and innovation, coupled with knowledge and understanding, to influence conservation and presentation. You’ll care for our collections and places, develop research agendas and help to create high quality, experimental interpretation and programming for our visitors. You will help us shift our offer from static and didactic to something more dynamic and co-created – involving audiences as part of your way of working.

As part of our Midlands Curator team of 8 (and the wider Consultancy team) you’ll be responsible for a diverse portfolio of properties including Sudbury Hall and Museum of Childhood, Mr Straw’s House, Woolsthorpe Manor and Clumber Park. There are massive opportunities within this portfolio to shape the future and use your creativity and knowledge to create new partnerships and try out new ways of engaging with audiences.

What it’s like to work here

The Midlands is a large region stretching from the Lincolnshire coast in the east, to the Welsh borders in the west, from the Peak district in the north, to the Cotswolds in the south. It contains densely populated cities as well as rural counties, iconic properties and nationally significant country houses such as Hardwick Hall and Calke Abbey. Working as a Curator in the Midlands will offer you a rich and varied role. You’ll have the challenge of both looking after our places and finding ways of making them relevant and accessible to people today. In return you will be part of national team of Curators, with opportunities for development and resources to put ideas into practice.

What you’ll be doing

As an influential Curator, you’ll work in collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams to create new ways of researching and interpreting the collections and stories of our places. You’ll do this through exploring significance, drawing on national themes and contemporary narratives as well as working in partnership with relevant organisations and groups.

The portfolio for this role covers 4 very diverse properties, all offering our visitors something different. Woolsthorpe Manor was the home of Sir Isaac Newton, where we have recently embarked on a transformation project, ‘Illuminating Newton’. This project aims to reshape the property offer as well as connect with an international science community through University partnerships, science festivals and – tapping into the drive for the public understanding of science – inspiring future Newtons. Sudbury Hall and The Museum of Childhood is planning to take a fundamental look at its purpose and offer which could lead to the re-display of the show rooms and new links between the house and the museum collection. At Clumber Park we are undertaking a £9m project, ‘Clumber Revitalised’, which aims to restore key elements of this huge estate and improve the visitor experience for the thousands of visitors who visit Clumber Park every year. At the other end of the scale, Mr Straw’s house, a modest middle class home retaining layers of domestic history.The modest semi-detached house at number 7, Blyth Grove has remained virtually unchanged since the Straws moved here in 1923. For over 60 years they threw little away and chose to live without many of the modern comforts we take for granted today.

You’ll also have The National Trust’s 10 year strategy at the forefront of your mind which asks us to create “experiences that move, teach and inspire”. This gives permission to explore new ways of sharing our places, moving beyond current modes of engagement to a more participative way of working where the audience is at the heart of what we do. We need to find new ways of involving local communities as well reflecting the diverse population of the Midlands. You will ensure that everything we do balances our need to care for our places, retaining the “Spirit of Place” that makes each property unique and ensure they are truly “for ever, for everyone”.

At the National Trust we believe that ‘People make places and places make people’ so this is your opportunity to make a real difference.

Who we’re looking for

You’ll be an experienced Curator and in order to be successful in this role you’ll have:

Creativity, innovation and an appetite to try new things
Experience of building relationships and working collaboratively with a range of internal and external stakeholders in order to deliver exciting plans
Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence and inspire others
Experience of making best use of research
A broad understanding of the principles of participation and audience development
A successful track record of leading high quality and creative interpretation, presentation and programming
Knowledge of current best practice in relation to care and management of collections, buildings and landscape
The ability to work in mixed discipline teams and at pace

The package

Looking after you

Health cash plan – from as little as £2.81 per month for you and your dependents
Pension contribution match up to 10%
EAP and proactive Health and Wellbeing
Discounted gym membership

Looking after your career