Lead Curator, Printed Heritage Collections 1601-1900

Location: St Pancras
Hours: Permanent – Full time
Grade: A
Salary: £40,950 per annum

This is an exciting opportunity to work with one of the greatest collections of rare books in the world.

The role is based within the Library's Printed Heritage Collections team, with curatorial responsibility for early books, periodicals and ephemera published across Europe and the Americas, but with a clear focus on British materials. You will work across the broad period 1450-2000, with lead responsibility for material printed from the 17th to 19th centuries.

You will be part of a team that aims to make the Library's rich collections accessible and relevant to as wide a range of people as possible. Working with the Head of Printed Heritage Collections and three other lead curators, you will participate in the management of existing collections and play a major role in their development in line with policies and guidelines, including the administration of an accompanying acquisitions budget. You will work collaboratively across the organisation to interpret heritage materials for a broad range of users, including facilitating research for the academic community; initiating and directing digitisation projects; taking part in the Library’s cultural programmes; and contributing to information on our website aimed at schools and lifelong learners.

This job will suit those with a good knowledge of early print culture in Britain and beyond, within its wider cultural and social context. You will also be aware of the changing landscape in which people use and research printed materials created from 1601 to 1900. This knowledge will be underpinned by relevant professional or academic qualifications. Additionally, you will have experience of employment in a research library, academic or other appropriate environment. The ability to work as part of a team is essential, as is experience of managing colleagues and directing their work.

As one of the world’s great libraries, our duty is to preserve the nation’s intellectual memory for the future and make it available to all for research, inspiration and enjoyment. At present, we have well over 170 million items, in most known languages, with three million new items added every year. We have manuscripts, maps, newspapers, magazines, prints and drawings, music scores, and patents. We make our collections and programmes available to all. We operate the world’s largest document delivery service providing millions of items a year to customers all over the world. What matters to us is that we preserve the national memory and enable knowledge to be created both now and in the future by anyone, anywhere.

In return, we offer a competitive salary and a number of excellent benefits. Our pension scheme is one of the most valuable benefits we offer, as our staff can become members of the Alpha Pension Scheme where the Library contributes a minimum of 28.97% (this may be higher dependant on grade. Another significant benefit the Library provides is the provision of a flexible working hours scheme which could allow you to work your hours flexibly over the week and to take up to 5 days flexi leave in a 3 month period. This is on top of 25 days holiday from entry and public and privilege holidays.

Closing date: 27 November 2024
Interview date: TBC

We are unable to provide sponsorship under the UK Skilled Worker visa for this role, as it does not meet the eligibility criteria required for this immigration route.

Museum Website: https://ce0752li.webitrent.com/ce0752li_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC179GF.open?WVID=5071482BMD