Job Description

We adopt a 'name blind' approach to shortlisting. Recruiting managers will not have access to personal information, including your name and contact details, until a shortlisting decision has been made - please note that this also includes any CV uploaded. Equality monitoring information is not accessible by recruiting managers at any stage.

Organisation

Kirklees

Directorate

Public Health and Corporate Resources

Service Area

Culture & Visitor Economy

Hours

37

Number of Jobs

1

Location(s)

Huddersfield and surrounding areas

Position type

Temporary

Length of contract

31.08.2029

Grade

Grade 9

Salary

34,434- 37,280

We adopt a 'name blind' approach to shortlisting. Recruiting managers will not have access to personal information, including your name and contact details, until a shortlisting decision has been made please note that this also includes any CV uploaded. Equality monitoring information is not accessible by recruiting managers at any stage.

Length of contract

January 2026 to August 2029

Location(s)

: Tolson Museum, with some cross-site working


Are you ready to lead a major collections inventory and decant project working with varied and historically significant local social, industrial and natural history collections?


Kirklees Museums and Galleries (KMAG) is seeking a passionate and organised Senior Curator to lead a pivotal collections project as part of Our Cultural Heart (OCH) Home - Our Cultural Heart - a transformative cultural regeneration programme for Huddersfield and the wider Kirklees borough, which will deliver a major new Museum and Art Gallery in the town centre by 2029.


You will lead a team of assistant curators in cataloguing, packing and moving a collection of approximately 200,000 objects from current stores and displays to the new museum venue and stores.


This will be a unique opportunity to work on a fascinating collection including everything from bird skins to bus tickets, and there undoubtedly will be exciting treasures to discover. Your work will bring them to light and help showcase them in our new town centre Museum and Art Gallery development.


This is a huge project and we are looking for an experienced curator who can rise to the challenge of motivating a team working in physically demanding roles and in awkward spaces, dealing with undocumented and unidentified objects, and making progress on a collections documentation backlog.


The work of your team will be fundamental to inform the wider OCH team's work as they carry out community engagement, exhibition content development and design, gallery fit out and installation ahead of the planned opening of the new Museum and Art Gallery in 2029.


You will be familiar with Arts Council England Accreditation and Spectrum standards, have experience of environmental monitoring and integrated pest management, and expertise in collection care and documentation, and safe handling and movement of objects, including hazardous materials.


You will be aware of the latest rethinking around cataloguing, particularly around cultural bias within collecting and documentation, and have techniques to make collections more relevant to all audiences.

What We're Looking For

We're seeking a confident and experienced curator who is:

Experienced in museum and gallery collections care, with knowledge of documentation standards and collections software. Knowledgeable in digital collections development, with experience in digitisation processes and managing digital records to enhance public access and support long-term collections care. Organised and methodical, and can demonstrate a practical approach to project management and team leadership. Collaborative, with the ability to work with teams, diverse communities and partners. Detail-oriented, ensuring accuracy and consistency in collections documentation. Physically capable, as the role involves active, hands-on work in varied environments.

While experience in large-scale documentation and transfer projects is desirable, we welcome applicants with relevant experience in smaller-scale projects who are ready to take on a new challenge.


The role is based in Kirklees Museums and Galleries, who are proud to have been awarded Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) status for 2023-26, one of eight NPOs in Kirklees. As an NPO, our funding is thanks to taxpayers and it plays a huge part in supporting our work.

Danny Sheehan

is the manager for this role, please contact them on 01484 221000 for an informal discussion, or if you need any more information.

We know there's a wealth of talent among people who have a disability and we encourage applications from people with all differing abilities. So, if you need any support completing an application form, or any other format for the application or please contact the Recruitment Team for help by email:

jobs@kirklees.gov.uk

or phone: 01484 221000 and ask for 'Recruitment'.
If you are internal and want to apply for this job as a secondment you must be a substantive employee of the Council with over 6 months continuous service and have successfully completed your probation period.


Applications for secondments will only be accepted if approved by your manager, you will be asked to confirm on your application form that you have the relevant permission. If you are refused permission to apply for a secondment, please contact HR Recruitment to register the refusal.


We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Closing date

05 October 2025, 11:55 PM