PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
As a Collections Care Assistant, you will be responsible for the planning and day-to-day care of collections, along with managing reactive situations and support with long term planning at (insert property name)
The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that best preventive conservation and collections care practices are followed through the implementation of an effective collections care regime in line with Trust policies and procedures.
The role will include engaging with visitors about the collection care work of the National Trust for Scotland when undertaking cleaning activities in the house but also work with events team to develop collection based educational events for children and adults.
The post holder will also work closely with the function and event team ensuring all functions and events are operated in such a manner as to minimise risk to the collection without compromising the event itself.
The post holder will be part of a wider team of employees and volunteers, helping to support the property where necessary.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Collections Care Assistant is responsible for a wide variety of duties in connection with the care of the property. These duties involve the correct handling and conservation-cleaning of the collections following best-practice at all times and general housekeeping duties throughout the House and other buildings.
Specific duties include:
Manage Integrated Pest Management, Environmental Monitoring & Control Systems, Housekeeping Plans and collections handling and protection, collections management processes; proactively action reported recommendations for treatments and improvements.
Carry out conservation cleaning of collections including conducting a deep clean over the winter period.
Member of the properties senior operational team assisting with duty management cover.
Recruit and manage a volunteer collections team.
Develop new specific volunteering roles within the collections team such as textiles, storage, research, and visitor engagement.
Create and lead on a regular events schedule for collection themed events, showcases and workshops.
Develop educational opportunities for all ages through children’s activities, specialised workshops and interactive tours.
Work with external educational and community groups to create specialised events and grow visitor numbers.
Grow and improve current interpretation of the castle’s history and collection.
Working closely with the regional conservator to carry out remedial conservation on the collection.
Provide training to staff on safe handling of collections, information relating to collections and relevant historical information.
Lead on the use of Trust systems to monitor the condition and security of the collections and interiors across the cluster ensuring any damage, deterioration or threats to the collections are promptly reported and mitigated.
Lead on the collections care aspects of functions, events, filming, building works and general visitor experience improvements across the cluster. Work with other property team members to ensure that the care of the collections and interiors is not compromised.
Work closely with the Regional Conservator to improve and develop the collections care and preventive conservation practices across the cluster and to assist in remedial conservation as required.
Work closely with the Regional Curator to assist with the presentation, interpretation and access to collections and interiors.
Work closely with the Collections Services Team, to ensure that the Trust’s object movement and location audit procedures are maintained, updated, and adhered to so that location inventory information remains accurate. Completing room audits and ensure condition checks are carried out.
Work with the regional curator to update records, improve visitor experience through the layout and interpretation of the collection.
Work closely as required with the Trust’s Registrar (Loans & Disposals) to ensure the safe management of all long loans in and temporary loans in and out of properties in the cluster;
Liaise with the Trusts Archivist to conduct research and to maintain and care for the property archives.
Develop knowledge and understanding of the collections and be a passionate advocate for widening access and engaging visitors;
Work with the wider estate to create a holistic and richer visitor experience.
