Freelance Contract for Interpretation and Project Director

Contract: 40 days resource required from March – September 2019

Salary: £15,000, approx 40 days including travel and expenses

We’re embarking on ambitious project to transform York Castle Museum. We are looking to appoint a freelance contract Interpretation and Project Director to oversee RIBA Stage 1 content and architectural development from March – September 2019.

The project will create a 21st Century visitor experience with high quality visitor facilities, future proofed infrastructure, sustainable sound buildings, full physical and intellectual accessibility, improved commercial opportunities, improved community and school facilities, temporary exhibition space to show more of our collections and more display space for our core offer.

The project will conserve or restore the most important historic fabric of the building and the historic significance of the scheduled ancient monument. It will also reinterpret both the museum’s collections and the wider Castle and Prison history of the site.

Our objectives for the York Castle Museum capital project are as follows:

1. Establish the York Castle Museum as the home of a national collection of everyday life, presenting and interpreting objects to engage diverse audiences;

2. Create a sense of place by increasing understanding of the site’s history and archaeology underlining the importance of the Eye of York and Castle and Prison history in the national story;

3. Provide a must-see experience, delivering a welcoming and accessible attraction for the city of York with world class visitor facilities;

4. Deliver a high quality architectural and landscape intervention in the site that transforms it into a destination in its own right for residents and visitors.

Working closely with Focus Project Management consultants, YMT’s internal project manager and the wider YMT project team, the Interpretation and Project Director will represent the client.

Working on a freelance basis the contractor will provide content direction for the collections and curatorial research, ensure architectural development meets the client’s needs and that exhibition and interpretation design interface successfully with architectural development.

This consultant scope is as follows:

RIBA Stage 1 development oversight

Interpretation Development

• Provide creative direction for the development of the Interpretation Plan, ensuring the interface between curatorial, audience and community research actively shapes the direction of the interpretation.
• Work closely with the Interpretation and Exhibition Design Consultants to ensure our client needs are represented.
• Ensure community input into development of content acts as a leverage for finding new avenues for research, challenges our thinking about our collections and stories and reaches new audiences we do not normally engage with.
• Champion audiences, community engagement and high quality design
• Champion creativity throughout the research and content development process and be comfortable and be experienced in shaping iterative content and research development.
• Ensure YMT Interpretation Principles underpin the development of the Interpretation plan.
• Oversee the development of the exhibition and gallery design development, ensuring it successfully interfaces with the development of the architectural masterplan.

Architectural Development

• Ensure the architectural development of the project meets the brief.
• Participate in Design Team meetings ensuring our client needs are met
• Oversee the review of the Architectural Project Brief and ensure that this is reflected in the design development
• Ensure the architectural development interfaces successfully with the wider City of York Castle Gateway development.

Project Director

• Preparation of papers and report bi- monthly to the Project Board about project progress, in particular content development.
• Identify ongoing opportunities / need for audience engagement and evaluation
• Organise and issue papers for Project Board meetings
• Keep abreast of National Heritage Lottery Fund (NHLF) developments and meet with NHLF representatives as and when required.
• Ensure Expert Advisors are brought in to the development of the project
• Oversee budget
• Oversee programme
• Oversee risk

The contract will run from March – September 2019 and it is estimated the level of resource required during that time will be approximately 40 days.

How to apply

The consultant should provide a response to the brief outlining how they will work with YMT, how the project will be approached and setting out a clear method of working including:

1. Methodology for how the consultant will work with YMT and represent the client including details around communication and reporting methods, regularity of contact and interface with YMT stakeholders

2. Examples of previous professional experience and range of skills and how they relates to the Castle Capital Project including 3 examples of lessons learned from previous projects in relation to this contract.

3. Consultants CV

4. A resource plan showing the breakdown of chargeable hours / days and meetings with YMT

The closing date for submissions is 5pm on Wednesday 6 March 2019.
Interviews for appointment of the contract will be held at York Castle Museum on Friday 15 March 2019

Those wishing to bid for this work should be aware that there is an indicative budget for the role of £15,000 to include travel and expenses.

The decision to award the contract will be based on our assessment of best value in terms of time, level of involvement with the indicative budget and relevant professional experience.

For the full brief and details on how to apply please contact Justina.Heslop@ymt.org.uk

Museums Development Yorkshire Intern (Arts Council Funded)

Contract: Fixed-term contract until March 31^st 2020, 22.2 hours per week worked flexibly.

Salary: £16,881 – £17,498 per annum, pro rata (actual salary £10,128.60 – £10,498.80)

Museum Development is funded by Arts Council England (ACE) as part of a national programme.  In Yorkshire, Museum Development is delivered by York Museums Trust through Museum Development Yorkshire (MDY). It supports museums across Yorkshire to manage their resources, look after their collections and provide services to their audiences in ways that meet or exceed recognised standards within the museum sector.

A part-time internship until the end of March 2020 is being offered based within MDY to develop the skills needed to work within the museum or cultural sector. Training and career development will be provided, both locally and regionally.

You will primarily support the delivery of the MDY programme through the provision of administrative, logistical and communications assistance. This will include event management, updating website, blog and twitter accounts, and assisting with the development of resources and support materials. Experience within a public facing role is essential along with experience of working or volunteering in a museum or gallery environment, as is the ability to travel to regional and national locations. Whilst not essential, project administration skills would be a distinct advantage.

Due to the nature of the job it is essential that you can work some evenings and weekends and are willing and able to travel both regionally and nationally.

How to apply:

• Job Description
• Application Form
• Our Organisation

Forms should be returned to recruitment@ymt.org.uk or by post to: Recruitment, Yorkshire Museum, Museum Gardens,  York, YO1 7FR.

CVs will not be accepted and applications can only be accepted from candidates who have permission to work in the UK.  If, after applying, you have not heard from us by two weeks after the closing date, please assume you have not been successful on this occasion.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 9am on Wednesday 20 February 2019 (Please note that York Museums Trust cannot be held responsible for non-delivery or late receipt of postal applications).

Interviews will take place in York on Tuesday 5 March 2019.

Head of Collections and Curatorial Services, York Museums Trust

Contract: 37 hours per week, permanent

Salary: £41,143 – £44,142 per annum

We are seeking a Head of Collections and Curatorial Services to provide leadership and ensure YMT collections and buildings are cared for, developed, researched and used to maximise public benefit and long term conservation for the City of York and future generations. The post holder will lead the project to deliver a new store for YMT collections and will hold overall responsibility for maintenance of excellent curatorial and collections management standards.

We are eager to hear from candidates with a degree and a qualification in Museum Studies, AMA, FMA or appropriate equivalent experience. They will also have strong people management skills and experience as well as financial management skills with proven ability to manage revenue and project budgets. A flexible approach to work is essential, including working evenings and/or weekends as required.

In return we offer a competitive salary and a range of benefits, including 25 days annual leave + Bank holiday, defined benefit pension scheme with NYPF, flexible working hours, and employee assistance programme.

How to apply:

• Job Description
• Application Form
• Our Organisation

Application forms should be returned to us via email at: recruitment@ymt.org.uk, or by post to: Recruitment, Yorkshire Museum, Museum Gardens, York, YO1 7FR

CVs will not be accepted and applications can only be accepted from candidates who have permission to work in the UK.  If, after applying, you have not heard from us by two weeks after the closing date, please assume you have not been successful on this occasion.

As an organisation York Museums Trust is committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity amongst our workforce. We welcome applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

The closing date for receipt of applications for is 9am on Monday 4th March 2019

Initial interviews will take place in York on 22 March 2019, final interviews will take place in York on 4th April 2019.

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