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Keeper of Africa, Oceania and the Americas, The British Museum

  •  London
  •  Â£50k+
  •  Full time
  •  Closes November 26, 2025
  •  Anna George
  •  BMRecruit@britishmuseum.org
  • #Museums

Description

Job Summary

This is a fantastic opportunity for a specialist of academic distinction and curatorial experience to lead and manage the department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas.

Job Description

The department cares for over 350,000 cultural objects, and for hundreds of thousands of digital assets, archives and photographs. It is responsible for a range of research, global collaborations, exhibitions, international loans, and the Endangered Material Knowledge Programme, African Histories and Heritage Programme, and the Santo Domingo Centre of Excellence for Latin American Research.

In 2024, the British Museum in Camden received 6.5 million visitors, more than any other museum in the UK. Against this backdrop, the Museum is now undergoing an extraordinary transformation, both intellectual and physical, and there could not be a more meaningful time to join.

The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing and supporting the department to successfully deliver curatorial and academic work and care for an internationally important collection. You will provide strategic leadership and mentoring to your team, helping to inspire them and have the opportunity to participate widely in delivering the Museum's goals and objectives. This will include representing the Museum in the UK and abroad.

Job Requirements

The successful candidate will have significant management and leadership skills and experience with a strategic and analytical approach. They must have excellent communication skills and be able to stay calm under pressure. They should also be able to evidence:

  • Degree educated or equivalent in a relevant subject with membership of relevant learned and professional societies
  • International recognition as a scholar in a relevant field
  • Excellent understanding of the Museum and wider academic and cultural world
  • Experience of major income generation
  • Experience working internationally and generating collaborative partnerships
  • Experience of delivering and managing effective change

Job Responsibilities

  • Deliver strategic leadership and management of a large department including major research programmes
  • Develop strong partnerships and collaborations, strengthening existing relations with external colleagues, Indigenous communities and stakeholders
  • Work with the Head of Research and the Research Board to ensure research activity is in accordance with strategic objectives and financially sustainable
  • Ensure the safety and security of the collection in line with agreed standards, strategies, processes and procedures
  • Work openly and collaboratively with colleagues across the Museum to ensure appropriate care, documentation, curation, and display of the collection,
  • Provide strategic direction and support for work on the Museum's major redisplay project
  • Support the Directorate in the management of major collection issues, including questions of strategic importance and with significant risk profile

If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, then we'd love to hear from you.

Useful Links

How to Apply

All applications should be made via the British Museum website.

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